DC-7: EAA’s Former Young Eagles Chairmen Take Dream Flight

Video from the channel EAA about Douglas DC-7, linked on its Above Ten Thousand entry. Duration: 8:59. Language: English. Video type: Onboard.

EAA report in which Jeff Skiles and Chesley Sullenberger, honorary chairmen of the Young Eagles program, earn their co-pilot type rating in Miami on a restored Douglas DC-7. The video follows the exterior inspection, cockpit familiarization, training flights and a subsequent flight to Charlotte.

The inspection covers the nose gear, the gear emergency indicator and the DC-7B's Wright R-3350 turbo-compound engine. Its three power-recovery turbines each contribute about 150 hp, around 1,800 hp for the whole aircraft. The controls have no hydraulic assistance and require both hands on landing. The flight engineer manages cowl flaps, oil cooler doors and mixture. In flight, an oil pressure drop on the number four engine is addressed, and at dusk exhaust flames are seen, which are normal for this engine. The cabin shows plenty of legroom and no overhead bins.

The pilots describe it as the fastest piston-engined airliner and the last of its lineage. Once rated, they flew the aircraft on a charity flight to an aviation museum in Charlotte, where it would spend the winter on display, and on arrival it was greeted with a water salute.