The International Cessna^® 170 Association

Dick, is this your car that I spotted at the airport today? Not a joke, I actually took these pictures today at the airport. It was drawing quite a crowd. Any guess as to it's purpose? The comments I kept hearing were, "I don't get it" "what is it supposed to be" etc.

The poor thing looks like it has been seriously molested by an oversexed porcupine.

I'm surprised that the adjacent parking spots are occupied

Yeah, there were quiet a few warning signs on the car and there were a large number of radios and receivers inside as well. Maybe the FAA is cutting back and this is the back up mobile control tower. Still too many radios even for that though, lol

I really hope this person does not own an airplane. I was scared to stand next to it for too long. I was afraid someone might think it was mine.

Check with the FBO. It might be a crew/courtesy car

This might be his airplane.

Looks like a amateur's car for Emergency, ARES and RACES radio equipment with standard radios for other use. Too many antennas create interference for others. Just enjoy looking at a unique setup.

John

counsellj wrote:This might be his airplane.

No.. this is his airplane.

pdb wrote:

counsellj wrote:This might be his airplane.

No.. this is his airplane.

Pete, you have got to explain the function of that airplane!!!!!!!!!

johneeb wrote:

pdb wrote:

counsellj wrote:This might be his airplane.

No.. this is his airplane.

Pete, you have got to explain the function of that airplane!!!!!!!!!

It's a DC-3 that has been modified for very sophisticated remote sensing mineral exploration and geophysical research and used to be based in South Africa until BL got his hands on it.

pdb wrote:

johneeb wrote:
No.. this is his airplane.

Pete, you have got to explain the function of that airplane!!!!!!!!!

It's a DC-3 that has been modified for very sophisticated remote sensing mineral exploration and geophysical research and used to be based in South Africa until BL got his hands on it.


Thanks Pete, BluEldr has it that explains the paint scheme and the engines that will run on Mo-diesel!

It spent a few weeks in and around Iliamna, Alaska a few years ago doing minerals research in support of the Pebble Mine. I got a tour thru it and it has a 1500hp turbine INSIDE the plane running a generator that powers the antenna array strung around the extremities of the plane that sends low freq radio transmissions into the ground. There is a retractable receiver probe that is reeled out several hundred feet behind the plane. You can see both antenna and probe if you click on Pete's picture to enlarge it. Weird stuff but they claim several large scale successes. They fly at 200agl all the time, over hills, down valleys, across the flats. They need the turbine engines for the vertical performance required to fly at 200agl.

Looks like the worlds most expensive metal detector to me.

In days of old when pilots were bold and the country was full of "Non Skid" operations, a hell of a lot of C-46 and C47 airplanes with P&W R-2800 and R-1830 engines were serviced with one, or possibly two, tanks of avgas used for take off and landing and rhe rest of the tanks got bootlegged Mogas for cruise power.
If I'm not mistaken, Peterson used to have an STC for mogas on R 1830s.
Mark my words, about three years from now , when all the hand wringing and BS is over, you'll be running on what is essentially 91 octane mogas, probably sans the whiskey. If you switch now and fly enough, by that time you'll have saved enough to overhaul your four button pilot watch.