Farewell to Passenger Flying
On July 15th 2008, our faithful Dakotas will end their long and flawless passenger carrying duties. But this isn't the comfortable retirement of respected old ladies; we know they have it in them to outlive us all - as anyone who's flown in them will confirm.

Sadly, but not surprisingly, it's spiralling regulations that have achieved what time couldn't. European legislation has decreed that all passenger-carrying aircraft must comply with certain criteria - whatever their age. Some of these modifications would be prohibitively expensive; some are actually impossible to carry out on the DC-3.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has been immensely supportive and helpful, and we're grateful for the help they've given us. But time is passing, and it looks ever more certain that 16th July - the implementation date for the EU-OPS legislation - will see our Daks no longer allowed to carry passengers.