Douglas DC-3
PSA started flying the DC-3 on May 6, 1949. The first one was leased for $2000/month, with the owner expecting it to run 12 hours per month. When he found out PSA was using it 150 hours per month, the owner sent a 250 pound man to Burbank to repossess it. Needless to say, the lease was renegotiated.
In the early days, PSA received approval to operate the DC-3 to 27,500 lbs weight. Leo Leonard and Joe Plosser ended up flying the airplane. To operate the DC-3, they had to compute single-engine performance figures. After loading the airplane to the maximum weight with unsecured lead weights, they took off from Lindbergh. The two ended up climbing at about 150 feet/minute on only one engine...over Mission Bay!
PSA steadily added DC-3s through the years. One noted example is a plane PSA bought, and installed a chartreuse green interior in it. Passengers learned to hate the green airplane (N49840) until a new interior was installed.
The fleet information listed below is from PSA archives, and other sources. The dates are from PSA archives. No dates have been found for the other 4 DC-3 aircraft.
Flt # | Registration | Type | MSN | LN | History |
0 | N14959 | C-53D-DO | 11654 | USAF 42-68727 PSA 6/51-10/55 N66Y BU Malta, 1979 | |
0 | N17333 | DC3-178 | 1919 | PSA /52 CR 3/3/62 VASP PP-SQG | |
0 | N60233 | C-47A-DL | 19716 | USAF 43-15250 PSA /49 NC100M BU Oakland, CA 1980 | |
0 | N25644 | DC3A-228C | 2231 | XA-CAO PSA /52 Location unknown | |
0 | N95487 | R4D-1 | 4225 | USN 3135 PSA 11/49-10/55 N57V XA-JIH (unconfirmed) | |
0 | N17186 | C-47-DL | 4247 | USAF 41-7760 PSA 10/52-10/55 JA5019, Japanese Playground | |
0 | N49840 | C-47 | 6006 | USAF 41-18645 PSA 10/50-10/55 CR ANA 3/16/60, Japan | |
0 | N17085 | C-47 | 6084 | USAF 41-18678 PSA /49 DBF Mogadishu, Somalia 12-21-60 | |
0 | N60256 | C-47A-DL | 9201 | USAF 42-23339 PSA 5/49-11/49 Operated first flight CR Pacheco, CA 1949 Arrow Air |