Basler BT-67

BT-67
	A BT-67 of the Guatemalan Air Force
Role	Utility aircraft
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Basler Turbo Conversions
First flight	1990
Status	In service
Produced	1990?present
Number built	68
Developed from	Douglas DC-3 ; Douglas C-47 Skytrain

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.

Design and development [ edit ]

Basler Turbo Conversions was founded in 1990 solely focused on converting existing C-47/DC-3 airframes into the BT-67. ^[1] 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 [ edit ]

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

Operators [ edit ]

Military [ edit ]

Colombia

El Salvador

Salvadoran Air Force ^[10]

Guatemala

Guatemalan Air Force ^[8]

Mali

Malian Air Force ^[8]

Mauritania

Islamic Air Force of Mauritania ^[8]

Thailand

Royal Thai Air Force ^[8]

Civilian [ edit ]

Australia

Australian Antarctic Division ^[11]
A BT-67 operated by Enterprise Aviation Group at Oshawa Executive Airport

Canada

China

Polar Research Institute of China ^[14]^[15]

Germany

Alfred Wegener Institute ^[16]

United States

United States Forest Service ^[17]

Accidents and incidents [ edit ]

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) [ edit ]

Data from Born Again Basler ^[18] and Jane's Civil and Military Aircraft Upgrades 1994?95 ^[19]

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)

References [ edit ]

^ ^a ^b "History" .
^ "DC-3 News" .
^ ^a ^b "Power and Performance" . Archived from the original on 2015-07-01 . Retrieved 2015-07-01 .
^ "BT-67 Worldwide" .
^ Spaeth, Andreas (February 2023). "Making old new again: Reinventing the legendary Douglas DC 3" . AEROREPORT . MTU Aero Engines . Retrieved 9 January 2024 .
^ "Aeronave AC47 Fantasma culmina fase de inspeccion mayor en CAMAN" . Colombian Air Force. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017 . Retrieved 10 August 2017 .
^ "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 .
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "World Air Forces 2022" . Flightglobal Insight. 2022 . Retrieved 15 April 2022 .
^ Rivas 2015, p. 120.
^ Hoyle 2015, p. 37.
^ "Basler BT-67 aircraft" . Australian Antarctic Division. Archived from the original on 2019-07-02 . Retrieved 2019-07-02 .
^ Charter flights page for Enterprise Aviation Group operated by ALCI Aviation
^ "Air Fleet page at Kenn Borek Air" . Archived from the original on 2011-03-16 . Retrieved 2011-02-25 .
^ "China to facilitate aviation support in Antarctic research expeditions" . Archived from the original on 12 January 2014 . Retrieved 9 January 2014 .
^ "China to deploy aircraft in Antarctica expedition" . Xinhua . September 25, 2015. Archived from the original on 15 October 2015 . Retrieved 15 February 2019 .
^ Ehemalige Flugzeuge Archived 11 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine (in German) Alfred Wegener Institute ? Former airplanes, accessed: 18 April 2009
^ "As civilian, reservist 'leads' in fight against forest fires" . arpc.afrc.af.mil . Retrieved 15 April 2022 .
^ Flight International 24?30 April 1991, p. 42.
^ 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 [ edit ]

[baslerturbo.com-1] "History" .

[2] "DC-3 News" .

[BT-67_Worldwide-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 inspeccion mayor en CAMAN" . Colombian Air Force. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017 . Retrieved 10 August 2017 .

[7] "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 .

[World_Air_Forces_2022-8] "World Air Forces 2022" . Flightglobal Insight. 2022 . Retrieved 15 April 2022 .

[9] Rivas 2015, p. 120.

[10] Hoyle 2015, p. 37.

[11] "Basler BT-67 aircraft" . Australian Antarctic Division. Archived from the original on 2019-07-02 . Retrieved 2019-07-02 .

[12] Charter flights page for Enterprise Aviation Group operated by ALCI Aviation

[13] "Air Fleet page at Kenn Borek Air" . Archived from the original on 2011-03-16 . Retrieved 2011-02-25 .

[14] "China to facilitate aviation support in Antarctic research expeditions" . Archived from the original on 12 January 2014 . Retrieved 9 January 2014 .

[15] "China to deploy aircraft in Antarctica expedition" . Xinhua . September 25, 2015. Archived from the original on 15 October 2015 . Retrieved 15 February 2019 .

[former-16] Ehemalige Flugzeuge Archived 11 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine (in German) Alfred Wegener Institute ? Former airplanes, accessed: 18 April 2009

[17] "As civilian, reservist 'leads' in fight against forest fires" . arpc.afrc.af.mil . Retrieved 15 April 2022 .

[fi91_p40-18] Flight International 24?30 April 1991, p. 42.

[jup94_p245-6-19] Michell 1994, pp. 245?246.

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v t e United States military transport aircraft designations, Army/Air Force and Tri-Service systems
Army/Air Force sequence (1925-1962)	C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-6 C-7 C-8 C-9 C-10 C-11 C-12 C-13 ¹ C-14 C-15 C-16 C-17 C-18 C-19 C-20 C-21 C-22 C-23 C-24 C-25 C-26 C-27 C-28 C-29 C-30 C-31 C-32 C-33 C-34 C-35 C-36 C-37 C-38 C-39 C-40 C-41 C-41A C-42 C-43 C-44 C-45 C-46 C-47 C-47F C-47T AC-47 C-48 C-49 C-50 C-51 C-52 C-53 C-54 C-55 C-56 C-57 C-58 C-59 C-60 C-61 C-62 C-63 C-64 C-65 C-66 C-67 C-68 C-69 C-70 C-70B C-71 C-72 C-73 C-74 C-75 C-76 C-77 C-77B?D C-78 C-79 C-80 C-81 C-82 C-83 C-83A C-83B C-84 C-85 C-86 C-87 C-88 C-89 C-90 C-91 C-92 C-93 C-94 C-95 C-96 C-97 KC-97 C-98 C-99 C-100 C-101 C-102 C-103 C-104 C-105 C-106 C-107 C-108 C-109 C-110 C-111 C-112 C-113 C-114 C-115 C-116 C-117 C-117D C-118 C-119 AC-119 C-120 C-121 C-121F EC-121 C-122 C-123 C-123A C-124 C-125 C-126 C-127 ² C-127 (I) C-127 (II) C-128 C-129 C-130 C-130J AC-130 DC-130 EC-130 / H HC-130 KC-130 LC-130 MC-130 WC-130 C-131 NC-131H C-132 C-133 C-134 C-135 KC-135 C-136 C-137 ² YC-137 (I) YC-137 (II) C-137 C-138 ¹ C-139 ¹ C-140 C-141 C-142
Tri-service sequence (1962-present)	C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-6 C-7 ² C-7 RC-7 C-8 C-9 C-10 ² C-10 KC-10 C-11 C-12 RC-12 C-13 ¹ C-14 C-15 C-16 ¹ C-17 C-18 C-19 C-20 ² C-20A?D C-20F?J C-21 C-22 C-23 C-24 C-25 C-26 C-27 C-27J C-28 C-29 C-30 ¹ C-31 C-32 C-33 C-34 ¹ C-35 C-36 ³ C-37 C-37B C-38 C-39 ¹ C-40 C-41 C-42 ¹ C-43 ¹ C-44 ¹ C-45 C-46
Revived original sequence (2005-present)	C-143 C-144 C-145 C-146 C-147
Non-sequential designations	C-767 C-767B C-880
Related designations	CT-39 CT-43 CV-2 CV-7
¹ Not assigned • ² Assigned to multiple types • ³ Unconfirmed