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Varsity I Sat 25th March 19:00Z Varsity II Sun 26th March 13:00Z Varsity III Tues 28th March 18:00Z DC3 AIRWAYS, the only virtual flight simulation airline dedicated to the DC3 and C47 aircraft is repeating its popular recreation of World War II’s last major airborne assault on Nazi Germany. This was Operation Varsity, which was staged on March 24, 1945, just weeks before the final surrender of Germany and the end of the war in Europe. To commemorate this historic event, DCA is inviting all interested simulator pilots to participate. As he has for previous World War II commemorative flights, DCA VP for Flight Operations Glen Broome has designed every aspect of DCA Varsity, bringing his extensive knowledge of the war into this work, using a variety of tools available to flight sim enthusiasts to bring the project to life again. As Broome first wrote to fellow pilots while planning the project, “There are many airfields, in UK and France, from which either paratroop transports or gliders were flown. At some American bases in France the double tow was used for the first time which involved a C47 towing 2 Waco CG-4a gliders. The British used worn out 4 engine bombers to tow many of their gliders, the Horsa, using Halifax and Sterling bombers. Due to the shortage of British Dakota aircraft, the British paratroopers, as in Market Garden, were transported in American C-47's. This operation was the first use of the C-46 in front line operations [i.e. under fire] in Europe, and although it could carry far more paratroopers and could have them exit on both sides [facilitating concentrated dropping ability], it's lack of self sealing tanks caused heavy losses of these aircraft, flying as they did at low level in daylight. B24's came in 15 minutes after the gliders to drop supplies, flying low as 200 feet. 15 of these were shot down and scores of others badly shot up.” The recreation of Operation Varsity is open to all simulation pilots, regardless of platform, from FS2004 up to the more contemporary ones such as P3D, X-Plane and MSFS. For specific information about how to sign up and manage the various details of this project, Broome will offer personal assistance. He can be reached at glenishome@btopenworld.com. More information and an overview of the project can be found at the DCA website: https://dc3airways.net/special_events/varsity/index.php Pilots who participate will be linked by voice using Teamspeak3 software, and visually by way of Swift, a server specifically designed for Virtual Flight. Details about how to download and install this and related files (including IP addresses and passwords) will be freely available to all participants.
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/images/notams/notams22/dc3a0913.jpgDC-3 Airways, a leader in the Flight Simulation VirtualAirline community, is pleased to announce its 2022 World Rally. Beginning October 1, participating pilots will have a series of 10carefully crafted plans to test their flight and navigation skills. Plans will be created for all the major flight simulationplatforms. In addition to vectors and altitude guidance, the planswill include consistent weather through each leg of any given flightplan. This means, that external weather programs will not be necessaryto get maximum enjoyment from the flying experience. In addition to flight plans for each simulation platform, RallyOrganizers will include plans for Little Nav Map, a freewarenavigation program which has become the gold standard for thousands ofsimulation pilots. We recognize that not all flight sim platforms might include eachand every waypoint in its data base. But, with the Little Nav Mapvisualization of flight plans, pilots will be able to navigate withease by noting upcoming vectors. Registration is free and open to all simulation pilots. Applicantsdo not need to be a pilot for DCA. Simply email your request to: https://dc3airways.net/wr/join.php Further information will be provided as we get closer to theOctober1 start date, so please check the World Rally linkregularly. Check this link for the latest information. Fight Plan details for each simulation platform can be found in theDownload section of the World Rally Page as they become available: https://dc3airways.net/wr/ Additionally, you can register for the World Rally Forum byclicking the Forum hyperlink and filling out the Registration form.All questions will be answered through the Forum. Finally, we hopeyou will be interested in joining the DCA Pilot Roster as aparticipating pilot for our many activities and flight planopportunities. Check our airline atwww.dc3airways.netfor full information.
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/images/notams/notams22/dca0124.gifBeginning Tuesday February 1, 2022, and continuing for a total of12 events, DC3 AIRWAYS (http://www.Dc3airways.net) will stage a virtualrecreation of The Berlin Airlift. This will be the 6th time in thepast several years for this popular air simulation event. Designed and directed by DCA Vice President Glen Broome thesemultiplayer sessions will trace the chronology of the 1948/49 Berlinairlift, following the same approach procedures and the same routesused to supply the population of West Berlin following the impositionof the Soviet blockade in June 1948. A total of 14 airfields will be used, sometimes in fog orthunderstorms, sometimes at night. In sessions involving perhaps 20 ormore pilots flying on a Multi Play platform, we will adhere as far aspossible to the conditions and events of that period. Much of the scenery that is now available creates new airfields innear photographic quality, such as EDUG Gatow. In other cases,airfields will be realistically rendered both in terms of buildingsand runways/aprons/taxiways. ATC communication will be providedthrough TeamSpeak and visual communication will be achieved via Swiftsoftware, the preferred MP software for VATSIM. Please note thatVATSIM is not involved in this project, and membership is notrequired. Pilots will deal with weather conditions as they existed for theactual Berlin Airlift flights. Not only that, but enemy flak and firefrom Russian fighter planes of the period is likely to be encounteredby pilots who stray from the designated air corridors into and out ofBerlin. For those of you who participated before, the challenge will befamiliar. For those of you new to DC3 Airways and multiplayer inparticular ... welcome ... you will experience flight simulation to anew level in this series both as regards traffic, approaches andweather. It is also a means to commemorate the events and thededication of all those involved in keeping Berlin free in thetroubled times post WWII. For more information, and to sign up for participation, visithttp://www.Dc3airways.net. You need not be a DCA pilot to participate, thoughyou are always welcome to join us. This event is open to allsimulation platforms. Software to take part as well as details on howto join our MP flights for visual and audio communications will beprovided.
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/images/notams/notams21/dc3a0930.jpgThe DCA World Rally begins on Saturday October 16, 2021. It is opento all flight sim enthusiasts. DC3 Airways membership is NOT arequirement. Unfortunately, because MSFS 2020 does not yet have a flyable DC3 orC-47 aircraft in its hangar, sim pilots will not be able to use thatplatform. However, flight descriptions and start up files are includedfor the other major sims including P3D, X-Plane and FSX. The schedule consists of ten flights from around the world, to beflown in a DC3/C-47. The rally will be spread over thirty days givingpilots a three day time frame in which to complete each flight andfile their pirep. More details on when each flight may be flown aregiven in the World Rally Rules section, which can be found athttps://dc3airways.net/wr.The vast majority of navigation is via NDB and VOR navaids, but thereis also a considerable amount of navigation by dead reckoning. Thegoal is to have fun flying a DC3/C-47. But to add more challenge, each flight has a calculated flight timethat can be reached using the correct average climb, cruise, descentand approach speed. Some flights are more challenging by the inclusionof specific weather settings. Adverse winds and weather are an ever present danger of this formof navigation, but help is at hand thanks to the venerable E6-Bcalculator. Professional pilots are well aware of this wonderful tooland how best to use it. If you don't already possess an E6-B, afreeware electronic version is available on the internet and DCA isproviding a link to this valuable utility. If you are serious aboutnavigation, take time to learn how to use this tool and yournavigational accuracy will be extremely rewarding. All flight descriptions are prepared in both MS Word and PDFformat. Useful jpg images will also be provided to assist pilots withtheir pre-flight planning. Pilots may of course use the flightdescriptions as a guide to create your own flight plan, if desired. Ifyou do not have MS Word, Libre Office Open Source software is anexcellent free substitute. https://www.libreoffice.org The DCA web site Welcome Page presents self-explanatory buttonswhich will link you to the various pages of the World Rally 2021 website. The first area you are advised to visit is the Rules page. Ifyou are willing to abide by the few simple rules and wish to join usfor the World Rally your next action is to register and enjoy! If after the rally you feel that you have enjoyed yourself, learned something new, or refreshed a few long forgotten skills, our aim will have amply been achieved. And, if you like the experience, please feel free to sign on as a pilot for DC3 Airways atdc3airways.net.
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/images/notams/notams20/dc3a0826.jpgThe year 2020 is proving to be an historic one for reasons both badand good. We all know the bad ones, so here is some of the goodnews. For the 20th consecutive year DC3 Airways (http://www.dc3airways.net) isproud to present its annual World Rally. The Rally is a special eventchallenging even the most dedicated flight simulation pilots. Not onlydoes it require the usual skills of flying and navigation, but like aroad rally, The World Rally flights have specific timed check pointsamong other features to make what might be an ordinary flight from Ato B something more memorable. This year's WORLD RALLY begins on Saturday October 3 and willcontinue for ten separate flight routes taking pilots all across theGlobe. The World Rally Pages are operational, including a forum forcomment and discussion. Actual flight plans will be posted onSeptember 26. While the rally will be challenging for the experienced pilot,those with lesser skills are also eligible to sign up. In this case,while your scores might not be all that competitive, you will have theopportunity to join an endeavor that brings scores of simulationenthusiasts together. In other words, the idea is to have fun as youlearn beyond the basics and perhaps sharpen your skills in thebargain. The DCA World Rally, as might be expected, requires pilots to flythe venerable DC3 aircraft. There are many freeware as well as paywareversions available. Some are almost cockpit ready, while others mighthave a steeper learning curve, just as real world DC3 pilots face. So strap on your seat belt and check out the 2020 20th Annual DCAWorld Rally. For information go to: http://dc3airways.net/wr/ Sherman Kaplan Director Public Relations DC3 Airways
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/images/notams/notams20/dc3a0826.jpgThe year 2020 is proving to be an historic one for reasons both badand good. We all know the bad ones, so here is some of the goodnews. For the 20th consecutive year DC3 Airways (http://www.dc3airways.net) isproud to present its annual World Rally. The Rally is a special eventchallenging even the most dedicated flight simulation pilots. Not onlydoes it require the usual skills of flying and navigation, but like aroad rally, The World Rally flights have specific timed check pointsamong other features to make what might be an ordinary flight from Ato B something more memorable. This year's WORLD RALLY begins on Saturday October 3 and willcontinue for 10 separate flight routes taking pilots all across theGlobe. While the rally will be challenging for the experienced pilot,those with lesser skills are also eligible to sign up. In this case,while your scores might not be all that competitive, you will have theopportunity to join an endeavor that brings scores of simulationenthusiasts together. In other words, the idea is to have fun as youlearn beyond the basics and perhaps sharpen your skills in thebargain. The DCA World Rally, as might be expected, requires pilots to flythe venerable DC3 aircraft. There are many freeware as well as paywareversions available. Some are almost cockpit ready, while others mighthave a steeper learning curve, just as real world DC3 pilots face. So strap on your seat belt and check out the 2020 20th Annual DCA World Rally. For information go to: http://dc3airways.net/wr/ Sherman Kaplan Director Public Relations DC3 Airways
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DC3 Airway's Big Brother: The DC-4 By Sherman Kaplan While the majority of DC3 Airways pilots fly the eponymous DC3, some will occasionally fly longer missions, or trips just for the pleasure of piloting the larger DC4, or as it was designated in military use, the C54. Recently, I was assigned a fairly short route from Palm Springs KSPS, to the not very far away vacation hot spot, Las Vegas Nevada, KLAS. As you can see from the above picture, take off from KSPS was smooth and routine. The aircraft handles easily with no real surprises. Its four Pratt and Whitney 1450 hp engines provide plenty of smooth lift. Some background about the plane and its history are summarized here. My flight was civilian in our DCA colors: Because the DC4 is not a pressurized aircraft, its civilian altitude is limited to no more than 11,000 feet, which was more than enough to make our way for the little more than 90 minute flight to KLAS. As we neared out destination and made contact with KLAS approach one of the American west's great landmarks, the mighty Hoover Dam was clearly visible to our passengers seated on the starboard side of the aircraft. The glamour of Las Vegas was now just a few flight minutes away. We were vectored in for arrival on 25L. From our cockpit view, the approach looked like this on a clear winter afternoon. For anyone who might have been outside and in the right position, the full flaps approach for landing looked like this: After touchdown, ground guided us through the tarmac maze. We sat patiently for a few minutes along with a larger Frontier jetliner, waiting to cross 25R. It wasn't too much longer until another SW 737 cleared the active to taxi to its gate, giving us an opening to cross toward the terminal. Our DCA DC4 flight was a special charter for passengers who wanted something different from the tubeliner experience and could afford it. Imagine their pride, as they sat watching us moving into our arrival gate. And, imagine the surprise of those tubeliner pilots and passengers who saw our classic remnant of aviation history. Finally, parked at the gate, we were up close and personal with KLAS when the glitter of Vegas was in an infancy compared to today. Our passengers deplaned, my co-pilot and I shut down our engines and closed out the flight plan. We had a few hours layover before our next charter, and some time to hit the casinos...or maybe not... If you would like to fly our DC4 look for this livery at FlightSIm.Com: JBKDOUGLASDC-4-1009V3UP.ZIP Scenery from: Orbx Flight platform: P3D V4.5 If you want DCA colors and the pleasure of joining our pilot roster, feel free to visit us and apply for free membership. Sherman Kaplan Public Relations Director DC3 Airways www.dc3airways.net
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/images/notams/notams20/dca0103.jpgDC3 Virtual Airways has pilots from countries all over the world,including Australia. In recognition of the grave conditions caused bythe massive wild fires sweeping much of the country, DCA has createdthree flights which it is offering without obligation to the entireflight simulation community. While donations are not required todownload and implement these scenarios, all sim pilots with the meansto contribute to the relief effort are urged to do so. DCA Operations Vice President Glen Broome has created the flightswhich will be one of our regularly schedulued multi playgatherings. But, because those not affiliated with the airline cannotparticipate, the plans are enclosed for individual use. Broome offersthis explanation of the scenario, which involves ferrying firefighters to certain drop zones using DC3 capable aircraft. Here are links to DC3 with para drop capabilities: douglas_c-47_beta_v3_1405.zip As for the actual flights: There are three flight plans available for this event. The scenario: It has been determined by local authorities that the safest andquickest means to delivering fire fighters is by utilizing old DC3aircraft and their paratrooper dropping functionality to drop firejumpers from three locations, to a specified location which is in asection of territory that is largely open and free of trees. Aircraft from three locations, each with different routes to the DZwill drop the fire jumpers in as close a proximity aspossible. Equipment is being collected at the location so that theycan fight fires from the west that are threatening Mallacoota and thesurrounding area. The three flight plans, A , B, and C are allocated as followsdepending on the software used by each pilot: A = FS2004 / FSX / FSX SE pilots - start point: YMER - cruise alt 3500' B = P3D pilots - start point: YCOM - cruise alt 4500' C= X-Plane pilots - start point: YHOT - CRUISE ALT 4500' The actual DZ is located at WP8 in each case. Release fire jumpersat 1000' AGL and airspeed of under 120 kt. You will need to ensure that your aircraft has a paratrooperdropping functionality. So check the aircraft you intend to fly andlook at the aircraft.cfg to see if a paradrop option is showing (andenabled) in the SMOKE section of your aircraft. [smokesystem]smoke.0=0.00,0.00,0.00, fx_ParaP3Dv4bYou not only need the aircraft.cfg entries but also thefx_ParaP3Dv4b.fx file and associated bmp files to be installed in youreffects folder. After the drop, aircraft will fly the rest of the route toMallacoota airfield YMCO to land and spend a couple of minutes loadingup with evacuees. Then fly the remainder of the route west to Orbost YORB where theevacuees will be collected by local Red Cross and governmentfacilities. The situation in Australia is extremely serious and dangerous. Sothis scenario has two aims. Firstly to make us all better appreciate thegravity of the situation in Australia and second, to encourage us allin the flight simulation community to make a donation via thefollowing web site to the Australian Red Cross or other localorganizations as you choose, which are doing such a magnificent jobdown there. https://fundraise.redcross.org.au/arc Please keep those affected by these extreme conditions in yourprayers as they struggle to both survive, protect property and rescuewildlife. Download fx_ParaP3Dv4b.fx: fx_ParaP3Dv4b.zip Download flight plans: Oz.zip DC3 Airways dc3airways.net
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/images/notams/notams20/dca0103.jpg1st flight - Saturday Feb 1st 2020 19:00z 2nd flight - Saturday Feb 29th 2020 19:00z A Brief HistoryOperation Market Garden, conducted 17-25 September 1944, was anAllied military operation that was fought in the Netherlands andGermany towards the end of World War 2. Led by Field Marshall BernardMontgomery, it was generally considered a failed operation, althoughthe "Market" phase was the largest airborne operation conducted up tothat point in the war. There is a vast amount of information regardingthe operation available, including a study by LTC Jennifer B. Foxdated 8 April 1994 of the operation conducted as a thesis for hercourse work as student at the Air War College, Department of the AirForce. DC-3 Airways RecreationThis will be perhaps the 4th Market Garden event, the first havingbeen staged with 2 other organisations back in October 2002 with 31participants covering all 3 airborne divisions in their drop zonesnear Arnhem, Nijmegen and Eindhoven. September 2019 saw the 75th anniversary of the operation and manyevents were held across the Netherlands to commemorate the event, withmass paratroop drops, moving commemorations and parades and varioushistorical convoys, one of which I was privileged to be a part ofthanks to Piet DCA2480 in his WW2 Dodge weapons carrier. In the packages offered, we have provided the historical routes,waypoints and drop zones. Included also are short range NDB's tosimulate the Eureka beacons that were used in September 1944 toindicate waypoints. Flak effects have also been placed accuratelybased on 1944 maps of flak concentrations and the eye witness accountsof aircrew, so the location and desity of the flak is as accurate aswe could make it. The drop zones have the coloured smoke markers placed by thepathfinders that arrived some 10 to 15 minutes before the mainparatroop serials arrived. Our event in 2020 focuses on just the 82nd airborne and just 2 ofthe airfields that they used. We will be using RAF Balderton and RAFCottesmore to deposit our airborne troops on drop zones 'O' and 'N',located to the south and south west of Nijmegen. All we ask of participants is to fly in formation with theirassigned flight leader, maintain the airspeed and altitude assignedfor the mission and try to drop their paratroopers on the correctDZ. Therefore we request that participants try to utilise a C47 with amilitary livery and have the necessary package installed and tested toinclude the effects for the paratroopers and the necessary changes totheir aircraft.cfg within the smoke section, details of which will beincluded in the installation instructions. There is a re-worked C47 package from Aeroworx for X-Plane since welast did a WW2 event. The best C47 available for P3D is of course the MJ C47 v3.1.6 andthere are several military textures available at Flightsim.com. Iwould recommend 'Whiskey 7' or 'Drag em Oot' or 'Argonia' or 'Thatsall brother'. Recommended AircraftFor FSX and P3D, we suggest Manfred Jahn's C-47, anyversion.Whiskey 7is highly recommended. For X-Plane, we highly recommend downloading Aeroworx' C-47, whichis freeware or the V-Sky Labs C-47 (payware). Both are excellentaircraft. Recommended/Required Add-OnsThe package is of a small size and includes small scenery, effectsand sound files to be installed and activated within your softwareprogram. For FSX users there are additional FSRecorder files if requestedthat will add fomations of Ai traffic and effects that will hugely addto the immersion factor. Should anyone have any difficulties in installing or activating thepackage, a couple of sessions will be held in early January to assistand test things out. The following are very useful sites to get a better understandingof the sequence of events of this operation. Operation Market Garden, 17-27 September 1944 Lessons Learned from Operation Market Garden Glen Broome DCA996 VP Flight OPS DC3 Airways dc3airways.net
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The Float Flights Of DC3 Airways Text By Sherman Kaplan Flight Plans Created By Glen Broome (Dedicated to the memory of DCA pilot Ted Creagh) At least four times a week, pilots employed by DC3 Airways (www.dc3airways.net) gather for a series of multi play flights. The flight plans are created by designated volunteer members and roam the globe. We use such software as Swift to link us together in multi play, and Teamspeak for voice communication. The flights are in our namesake aircraft, the DC3 in any of its forms, military or civilian as the situation of each flight suggests. Sometimes, pilots will choose to fly the larger DC4, again as situation and desire dictate. Some months ago, during one of our regular multi player sessions, one of our pilots was talking about the pleasures he and his wife enjoyed from vacations through the Inner Passage and up to Alaska. That comment sparked an idea, a series of float or amphibian flights as an ad hoc endeavor for DCA pilots. Now, we are making these plans public for everyone to enjoy, whether a member of DCA or not. And, while that membership is not required, please feel free to explore our web site and consider joining what has become one of, if not the best community of flight simulator enthusiasts this hobby is fortunate to enjoy. None of these flights require, or are even suitable for DC3s, though some of our pilots will use the pontoon version made available as the MAAM package of DC3 aircraft. Most of us will use a variety of de Havilland Beavers or Otters, the Carenado Cessna 185 bush aircraft or others as they choose. A wide variety of other freeware float and amphibian aircraft can be found in the FlightSim.Com library, as well as other sources. Our pilots fly on a range of programs from FS2004 up to Prepar3D and X-Plane, as they choose. The common denominator has been online friendship, communication and an interest in the hobby. The flight plans are largely self explanatory. Many of us will use Little Navmap to track our routes as we fly together. A baker's dozen flight plans are available for your use. Should you wish the rest of the series please feel free to contact FlightSim.Com. Sherman Kaplan www.dc3airways.net float_flights_from_glen.zip Flight Plans Flight Plan 1: W55 to W33 Flight Plan 2: W33 to CCX6 Flight Plan 3: CCX6 to CAW5 Flight Plan 4: CAW5 to CAW5 round robin Flight Plan 5: CAW5 to CAW5 second round robin Flight Plan 6: CAW5 to CAW8 Flight Plan 7: CAW8 to CAY4 Flight Plan 8: CAY4 to CZSW Flight Plan 9: CZSW to CYXT Flight Plan 10: CYXT to CAC3 Flight Plan 11: CAC3 to KBE Flight Plan 12: KBE to PAKX Flight Plan 13: PAKX to KWF
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/images/notams/notams18/dc3a1012.jpgThe annual DC-3 Airways World Rally will be flown during the monthof November 2018 and will consist of 10 flights spaced over 2-dayintervals. Only DC-3/C-47 types will be allowed for all flights and will startwith a Total Weight of 22,000 lbs (Payload 1700 lbs, Total Fuel 2000lbs). Being an Air Rally, the aim of the flights is to accurately flyeach leg in order to complete it as close as possible to the "targettime". The nominated speed will be 150 kts groundspeed (GS), oneprecision flight will be at 120 kts GS. A Race Number will be allocated to each participant and only thisnumber will be used in the published Results Sheet. Here is the link for all the information regarding registration,roster and flights: http://aeroworx.co.za/wr2018.html DC3 Airways
