Basler BT-67

The Basler BT-67 is a utility aircraft produced by Basler Turbo Conversions of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It is a remanufactured and modified Douglas C-47 Skytrain / Douglas DC-3; the modifications are designed to significantly extend the DC-3's serviceable lifetime.

BT-67
A BT-67 of the Guatemalan Air Force
General information
Type	Utility aircraft
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Basler Turbo Conversions
Status	In service
Number built	68[1]
History
Manufactured	1990–present[2]
First flight	1990
Developed from	Douglas DC-3 Douglas C-47 Skytrain

Design and development

Basler Turbo Conversions was founded in 1990 solely focused on converting existing C-47/DC-3 airframes into the BT-67.^[2] Basler configures each new build to the client's specifications. Industries served include cargo, military, cloudseeding, and scientific research.^[3][4] The conversion includes fitting the airframe with new Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67R turboprop engines,^[5] lengthening the fuselage, strengthening the airframe, upgrading the avionics, and making modifications to the wing leading edges and wingtips.

Due to the 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 1,160 to 950 nautical miles (2,150 to 1,760 km). Basler provides a long-range fuel tank which increases the aircraft range to 2,140 nmi (3,960 km).^[3]

Gunship version

The Basler BT-67 has a gunship version used by the Colombian Aerospace Force as of 2017^[update] for counterinsurgency operations.^[6][7] The Colombian gunships are equipped with a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) ball, enabling the aircraft to conduct effective nighttime missions.^[8][9]

Operators

A BT-67 of the Royal Thai Air Force

Basler BT-67 conversion No. 1, N200AN of World Air Logistics, at Missoula, Montana in 2000

Military

 Colombia

• Colombian Aerospace Force^[10]
• National Police of Colombia ^[11]

 El Salvador

• Salvadoran Air Force^[12]

 Guatemala

• Guatemalan Air Force^[10]

 Mali

• Malian Air Force^[10]

 Mauritania

• Islamic Air Force of Mauritania^[10]

 Thailand

• Royal Thai Air Force^[10]

Civilian

 Australia

• Australian Antarctic Division^[13]

  

  A BT-67 operated by Enterprise Aviation Group at Oshawa Executive Airport

 Canada

• ALCI Aviation^[14]
• North Star Air
• Kenn Borek Air^[15]

 China

• Polar Research Institute of China^[16][17]

 Germany

• Alfred Wegener Institute^[18]

United Kingdom

• Bell Geospace^[19]

 United States

• United States Forest Service^[20]

Future operators

 Argentina

• Argentine Air Force:

On 18 April 2024, the State Department approved a possible sale of BT-67s intended for the Argentinian Air Force with an est. cost of $143 million, with the main contractor being Basler Turbo Conversions.^[21][22]

Accidents and incidents

Further information: List of accidents and incidents involving the DC-3

As of 2019, a total of 15 BT-67 aircraft have been involved in crashes or other incidents since the 1990s.^{[citation needed]}

Specifications (BT-67)

Data from Born Again Basler^[23] and Jane's Civil and Military Aircraft Upgrades 1994–95^[24]

General characteristics

• Crew: Two (pilot & co-pilot)
• Capacity: 38 Passengers
• Length: 67 ft 9 in (20.65 m)
• Wingspan: 95 ft 0 in (28.95 m)
• Height: 16 ft 11 in (5.15 m)
• Empty weight: 15,700 lb (7,121 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 28,750 lb (13,041 kg)
• Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67R turboprop engines, 1,281 shp (955 kW) each
• Propellers: 5-bladed Hartzell constant speed propellers, 9 ft 7 in (2.92 m) diameter

Performance

• Maximum speed: 285 kn (328 mph, 528 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 210 kn (240 mph, 390 km/h)
• Range: 2,140 nmi (2,460 mi, 3,960 km) with 45 minute reserve and long-range fuel tank
• Service ceiling: 25,000 ft (7,600 m)

See also

• That's All, Brother

Related development

• Douglas DC-3
• Conroy Turbo-Three, a similar turboprop DC-3 conversion.
• Conroy Tri-Turbo-Three, a tri-motor turboprop DC-3 conversion.

Related lists

• List of civil aircraft

References

1. "DC-3 News".
2. "History".
3. "Power and Performance". Archived from the original on 2015-07-01. Retrieved 2015-07-01.
4. "BT-67 Worldwide".
5. Spaeth, Andreas (February 2023). "Making old new again: Reinventing the legendary Douglas DC 3". AEROREPORT. MTU Aero Engines. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
6. "Aeronave AC47 Fantasma culmina fase de inspección mayor en CAMAN". Colombian Air Force. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
7. "Basler BT-67 Utility Aircraft, USA". Airforce Technology. 2024-04-26. Archived from the original on 2024-09-01. Retrieved 2024-09-02. The Mauritania Air Force employs it for logistical support, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) tasks while the Colombian Air Force uses it as a gunship for counterinsurgency operations.
8. "Colombia's AC-47T Fantasmas Are Still Going Strong". War Is Boring. 3 October 2016. Archived from the original on 16 August 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
9. "Argentina to reinforce Antarctic operations with US Basler BT-67 aircraft". Army Recognition. 2024-04-19. Retrieved 2024-09-01. In addition, a gunship version of the Basler BT-67 has been in use by the Colombian Aerospace Force since 2017. These aircraft, equipped with a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) ball, enhance their capability for nighttime missions.
10. "World Air Forces 2022". Flightglobal Insight. 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
11. Rivas 2015, p. 120.
12. Hoyle 2015, p. 37.
13. "Basler BT-67 aircraft". Australian Antarctic Division. 31 October 2012. Archived from the original on 2019-07-02. Retrieved 2019-07-02.
14. Charter flights page for Enterprise Aviation Group operated by ALCI Aviation
15. "Air Fleet page at Kenn Borek Air". Archived from the original on 2011-03-16. Retrieved 2011-02-25.
16. "China to facilitate aviation support in Antarctic research expeditions". Archived from the original on 12 January 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
17. "China to deploy aircraft in Antarctica expedition". Xinhua. September 25, 2015. Archived from the original on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
18. Ehemalige Flugzeuge Archived 11 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine (in German) Alfred Wegener Institute – Former airplanes, accessed: 18 April 2009
19. "Low-flying plane returns to Cornwall for surveys". BBC News. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
20. "As civilian, reservist 'leads' in fight against forest fires". arpc.afrc.af.mil. 21 September 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
21. "Argentina – Basler BT-67 Aircraf" (News Release). Defense Security Cooperation Agency. 2024-04-18. Archived from the original on 2024-08-11. Retrieved 2024-09-01.
22. Hill, John (2024-04-19). "Argentina makes progress in air force modernisation with BT-67 aircraft". Airforce Technology. Retrieved 2024-09-01.
23. Flight International 24–30 April 1991, p. 42.
24. Michell 1994, pp. 245–246.

• "Born Again Basler". Flight International. Vol. 139, no. 4264. 24–30 April 1991. pp. 40–43. Archived from the original on September 2, 2017.
• Hoyle, Craig (8–14 December 2015). "World Air Forces Directory". Flight International. Vol. 188, no. 5517. pp. 26–53. ISSN 0015-3710.
• Michell, Simon (1994). Jane's Civil and Military Upgrades 1994–95. Coulsdon, Surrey, UK: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 0-7106-1208-7.
• Rivas, Santiago (October 2015). "Fighting Colombia's Drug War". Air International. Vol. 89, no. 4. pp. 118–121. ISSN 0306-5634.

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"
• Global article