Alaskan Holiday : Everts Air Cargo in Fairbanks
Jul 4, 2018 15:55:49 GMT 12
Dave Homewood, vs, and 4 more like this
Post by harrysone on Jul 4, 2018 15:55:49 GMT 12
We've just been for a magic holiday in Alaska and Canada for last few weeks and were able to take in a few aviation themed activities...
We were able to squeeze in a ramp tour at Everts Air Cargo in Fairbanks, where they still operate and maintain a sizable and very busy Douglas DC-6A and 3-4 Curtiss C-46 fleet. The staff there were only too keen to show us around and let us walk through a DC-6 and a C-46, the maintenance hangar and the graveyard. All maintenence and engine work are carried ot on site in Fairbanks, incidentally they reckon that there is at least another decade of use with the DC-6 fleet they are using as they have cornered 80% of all available spares, some of which came from NAC (Northern Air Cargo) which wound up their DC-6 services in Alaska about a decade ago. Likewise the C-46s are likely to still have a long life with Everts. They say that there are no replacements available for these aircraft, the only likely candidate being the C-130 good ones are too highly priced/prized on the civilian market.
8 (Medium) by Harry Follas, on Flickr
1 (Medium) by Harry Follas, on Flickr
Howard Hughes former personal DC-6A, now flying freight for Everts.
h by Harry Follas, on Flickr
Howard Hughes former personal DC-6A, now flying freight for Everts.
3 (Medium) by Harry Follas, on Flickr
DC-6 being readied to fly beer, pallets of timber, house paint and nappies to some isolated community
c by Harry Follas, on Flickr
In the hangar
6 (Medium) by Harry Follas, on Flickr
refurbished engines lined up.
7 (Medium) by Harry Follas, on Flickr
e by Harry Follas, on Flickr
C-46 "Maid in Japan"
g by Harry Follas, on Flickr
2 (Medium) by Harry Follas, on Flickr
5 (Medium) by Harry Follas, on Flickr
The Graveyard
4 (Medium) by Harry Follas, on Flickr
Everts freight DC-6s are outlasting their DC-9s which are now just on the brink of being retired as they are no longer economical to keep operating. Most of these are reaching C or D check maintenance schedules and are likely to be retired as they reach this status. Everts are starting to move towards freight converted MD-82s to replace them, however at this stage they only have 1-2 in service.
We were able to squeeze in a ramp tour at Everts Air Cargo in Fairbanks, where they still operate and maintain a sizable and very busy Douglas DC-6A and 3-4 Curtiss C-46 fleet. The staff there were only too keen to show us around and let us walk through a DC-6 and a C-46, the maintenance hangar and the graveyard. All maintenence and engine work are carried ot on site in Fairbanks, incidentally they reckon that there is at least another decade of use with the DC-6 fleet they are using as they have cornered 80% of all available spares, some of which came from NAC (Northern Air Cargo) which wound up their DC-6 services in Alaska about a decade ago. Likewise the C-46s are likely to still have a long life with Everts. They say that there are no replacements available for these aircraft, the only likely candidate being the C-130 good ones are too highly priced/prized on the civilian market.
8 (Medium) by Harry Follas, on Flickr
1 (Medium) by Harry Follas, on Flickr
Howard Hughes former personal DC-6A, now flying freight for Everts.
h by Harry Follas, on Flickr
Howard Hughes former personal DC-6A, now flying freight for Everts.
3 (Medium) by Harry Follas, on Flickr
DC-6 being readied to fly beer, pallets of timber, house paint and nappies to some isolated community
c by Harry Follas, on Flickr
In the hangar
6 (Medium) by Harry Follas, on Flickr
refurbished engines lined up.
7 (Medium) by Harry Follas, on Flickr
e by Harry Follas, on Flickr
C-46 "Maid in Japan"
g by Harry Follas, on Flickr
2 (Medium) by Harry Follas, on Flickr
5 (Medium) by Harry Follas, on Flickr
The Graveyard
4 (Medium) by Harry Follas, on Flickr
Everts freight DC-6s are outlasting their DC-9s which are now just on the brink of being retired as they are no longer economical to keep operating. Most of these are reaching C or D check maintenance schedules and are likely to be retired as they reach this status. Everts are starting to move towards freight converted MD-82s to replace them, however at this stage they only have 1-2 in service.