Dutch Dakota Association
Encyclopedia
The Dutch Dakota Association or DDA Classic Airlines, known by many just as the DDA, is a small foundation dedicated to the preservation and operation of classic aircraft, especially the Douglas DC-3
Dakota. They are located on the east side of Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
in the Netherlands.
, in 1983. A second DC-3 was purchased in 1987 and in 1995 two Douglas DC-4
aircraft were added to the fleet. On 25 September 1996, one of their DC-3 aircraft was lost in an accident. In 1998, a former Dutch government Dakota was donated to the DDA. In 2005, the Dutch Dakota Association changed its named to DDA Classic Airlines.
and flying:
Neither aircraft will be restored to an airworthy condition.
s can also be booked and DDA aircraft are occasionally on display as well. Their single airworthy Douglas DC-4 is currently being leased to SkyClass to provide luxury safari flights in Africa and trips to Europe
.
Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
Dakota. They are located on the east side of Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol ) is the Netherlands' main international airport, located 20 minutes southwest of Amsterdam, in the municipality of Haarlemmermeer. The airport's official English name, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, reflects the original Dutch word order...
in the Netherlands.
History
The DDA was founded in 1982 and acquired its first aircraft, a Douglas DC-3 from FinlandFinland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, in 1983. A second DC-3 was purchased in 1987 and in 1995 two Douglas DC-4
Douglas DC-4
The Douglas DC-4 is a four-engined propeller-driven airliner developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company. It served during World War II, in the Berlin Airlift and into the 1960s in a military role...
aircraft were added to the fleet. On 25 September 1996, one of their DC-3 aircraft was lost in an accident. In 1998, a former Dutch government Dakota was donated to the DDA. In 2005, the Dutch Dakota Association changed its named to DDA Classic Airlines.
Accidents and incidents
- On 25 September 1996, Douglas DC-3C PH-DDA (ex OH-LCB (FinnairFinnairFinnair Plc is the flag carrier and largest airline of Finland, with its headquarters on the grounds of Helsinki Airport in Vantaa, Finland, and its main hub at Helsinki Airport. Finnair and its subsidiaries dominate both the domestic and international air travel markets in Finland. The largest...
) / DO-7 (Finnish Air ForceFinnish Air ForceThe Finnish Air Force is one of the branches of the Finnish Defence Forces. Its peacetime tasks are airspace surveillance, identification flights, and production of readiness formations for wartime conditions...
)) crashed on mudflats in the Wadden SeaWadden SeaThe Wadden Sea is an intertidal zone in the southeastern part of the North Sea. It lies between the coast of northwestern continental Europe and the range of Frisian Islands, forming a shallow body of water with tidal flats and wetlands. It is rich in biological diversity...
8 nautical miles (14.8 km) north of Den OeverDen OeverDen Oever is a village in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Wieringen, and lies about east of Den Helder...
following an engine failure on a domestic non-scheduled passenger flight from Texel International AirportTexel International AirportTexel International Airport is a small airport located north northeast of Den Burg on the island of Texel in the north of the Netherlands. It has a customs service to handle international flights making it an international airport, though no scheduled international flights take place from the...
to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. The propellor failed to feather and created excessive drag. All 32 people on board were killed. Additional factors in the accident were the crew's lack of proficiency in dealing with emergency situations and a lack of a simulator to practice handling emergencies.
Airworthy
The following aircraft are owned by the DDA and still airworthyAirworthiness
Airworthiness is a term used to describe whether an aircraft has been certified as suitable for safe flight. Certification is initially conferred by a Certificate of Airworthiness from a National Airworthiness Authority, and is maintained by performing required maintenance actions by a licensed...
and flying:
- Douglas DC-3 Dakota, registration PH-DDZ
- Douglas DC-3 Dakota, registration PH-PBA (former Dutch government aircraft)
- Douglas DC-4 Skymaster, registration ZS-AUA (currently doing luxury safariSafariA safari is an overland journey, usually a trip by tourists to Africa. Traditionally, the term is used for a big-game hunt, but today the term often refers to a trip taken not for the purposes of hunting, but to observe and photograph animals and other wildlife.-Etymology:Entering the English...
flights in AfricaAfricaAfrica is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
) - Stinson L-5 Sentinel, registration PH-PBB
Not airworthy
The following aircraft are owned by the DDA but no longer airworthy:- Douglas DC-2Douglas DC-2The Douglas DC-2 was a 14-seat, twin-engine airliner produced by the American company Douglas Aircraft Corporation starting in 1934. It competed with the Boeing 247...
, last known registration VH-CRH (currently at the AviodromeAviodromeThe Nationaal Luchtvaart-Themapark Aviodrome is a large aerospace museum in The Netherlands that has been located on Lelystad Airport since 2003.-History:...
museum) - Douglas DC-4 Skymaster, registration PH-DDY (currently at the Aviodrome museum)
Neither aircraft will be restored to an airworthy condition.
Operations
Flights with the Douglas DC-3 PH-DDZ can be booked, which is often making sight seeing flights or short trips to locations or cities both in the Netherlands and abroad. Trips to airshowAirshow
An air show is an event at which aviators display their flying skills and the capabilities of their aircraft to spectators in aerobatics. Air shows without aerobatic displays, having only aircraft displayed parked on the ground, are called "static air shows"....
s can also be booked and DDA aircraft are occasionally on display as well. Their single airworthy Douglas DC-4 is currently being leased to SkyClass to provide luxury safari flights in Africa and trips to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.