The Basler BT-67 is a utility aircraft produced by Basler Turbo Conversions of

Oshkosh, Wisconsin Oshkosh is a city in Winnebago County, Wisconsin, of which it is the county seat. The city had a population of 66,816 in 2020, making it the ninth-largest city in Wisconsin. It is also adjacent to the Town of Oshkosh. History Oshkosh was ...

. It is a remanufactured and modified

Douglas DC-3 The Douglas DC-3 is a propeller-driven airliner manufactured by Douglas Aircraft Company, which had a lasting effect on the airline industry in the 1930s to 1940s and World War II. It was developed as a larger, improved 14-bed sleeper version ...

; the modifications are designed to significantly extend the DC-3's serviceable lifetime.

Design and development

Basler Turbo Conversions was founded in 1990 solely focus on converting existing C-47 airframes into the BT-67. Basler custom configures each new build to the clients specifications. Industries served include cargo, military, cloudseeding, scientific research, and various other applications. The conversion includes fitting the airframe with new Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67R

turboprop A turboprop is a turbine engine that drives an aircraft propeller. A turboprop consists of an intake, reduction gearbox, compressor, combustor, turbine, and a propelling nozzle. Air enters the intake and is compressed by the compressor. Fuel ...

engines, lengthening the

fuselage The fuselage (; from the French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an engine as well, although in some amphibious aircraft t ...

, strengthening the

airframe The mechanical structure of an aircraft is known as the airframe. This structure is typically considered to include the fuselage, undercarriage, empennage and wings, and excludes the propulsion system. Airframe design is a field of aerospa ...

, upgrading the

avionics Avionics (a blend word, blend of ''aviation'' and ''electronics'') are the Electronics, electronic systems used on aircraft. Avionic systems include communications, Air navigation, navigation, the display and management of multiple systems, ...

, and making modifications to the wing

leading edge The leading edge of an airfoil surface such as a wing is its foremost edge and is therefore the part which first meets the oncoming air.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition'', page 305. Aviation Supplies & Academics, ...

s and wingtips. Due to the slightly higher fuel consumption of the turbine engines of the BT-67, compared to the original piston designs fitted to the standard DC-3, range on the standard fuel tank, with 45 minute reserve, is reduced from . Basler provides a long-range fuel tank which increases the aircraft range to .

Gunship version

The Basler BT-67 has a

gunship A gunship is a military aircraft armed with heavy aircraft guns, primarily intended for attacking ground targets either as airstrike or as close air support. In modern usage the term "gunship" refers to fixed-wing aircraft having laterally-mo ...

version used by the Air Forces of

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...

. The Colombian gunships are equipped with a

forward-looking infrared Forward-looking infrared (FLIR) cameras, typically used on military and civilian aircraft, use a thermographic camera that senses infrared radiation. The sensors installed in forward-looking infrared cameras, as well as those of other thermal ...

(FLIR) ball, enabling the aircraft to conduct effective nighttime missions.

Operators

590 Douglas DC-3 Fuerza Aerea Guatemalteca (7468281124)

Basler BT-67 (DC-3) at Missoula, Montana

Military

; * Colombian Air Force *

National Police of Colombia The National Police of Colombia (Spanish: ''Policía Nacional de Colombia'') is the law enforcement agency#natpol, national police force of the Republic of Colombia. Although the National Police is not part of the Military Forces of Colombia (A ...

; * El Salvador Air Force ; *

Guatemalan Air Force The Guatemalan Air Force ( es, Fuerza Aérea Guatemalteca or ''FAG'') is a small air force composed mostly of U.S.-made aircraft throughout its history. The FAG is a subordinate to the Guatemalan Military and its commanding officer reports to th ...

; * Mali Air Force ; *

Mauritanian Air Force The Mauritania Islamic Air Force (french: Force Aérienne Islamique de Mauritanie or ''FAIM'') is the air force of the Armed Forces of Mauritania. It was established in 1960. Like many of the former French colonies, Mauritania received limited ec ...

; * Royal Thai Air Force

Civilian

; * Australian Antarctic Division BT67 C-GOOU

; *

North Star Air North Star Air is a Canadian charter, passenger and cargo airline headquartered in Thunder Bay, Ontario, with secondary passenger hub in Sioux Lookout, Ontario, and cargo hubs located in Pickle Lake, Red Lake, Kapuskasing and Thompson, Manitoba. ...

* Kenn Borek Air ; *

Polar Research Institute of China The Polar Research Institute of China () (PRIC) is the main Chinese research institute for the study of Earth's polar regions. It is based in Shanghai, China. The Institute manages five polar research stations (four in Antarctica and one in the A ...

; * Alfred Wegener InstituteEhemalige Flugzeuge
Alfred Wegener Institute – Former airplanes, accessed: 18 April 2009 ; *

United States Forest Service The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. The Forest Service manages of land. Major divisions of the agency inc ...

Accidents and incidents

As of 2019, a total 15 BT-67 have been involved in crashes or other incidents since the 1990s.

Specifications (BT-67)

References

* * * *

External links

Basler Turbo Conversions, LLC

''The Antarctic Sun'' "A Timeless Machine Returns"

''The Antarctic Sun'' "Modern plane and old history maker, are birds of a feather"

{{Thai transport aircraft designations BT-67 1990s United States civil utility aircraft Low-wing aircraft Douglas DC-3 Aircraft first flown in 1990 Twin-turboprop tractor aircraft