Pilots for a Day get a vintage view over Seattle

Photos and text by Steven H. Robinson

On Tuesday August 27, 2013 two groups of twelve individuals were chosen from 450 applicants to become “Pilot for a Day” at the Historic Flight Foundation event at Paine Field.

The twelve were able to fly a Douglas DC-3/C-47 twin engine passenger/transport plane which flew in China over the “Hump” from India to China during World War II, then as an airliner in China until 1949. The plane was later purchased by the Johnson and Johnson Company as an executive airplane.

Pilots for a Day
From left: Kent Treadgold, Edmonds; Trenton Slocum, Edmonds;
Jeffrey Wheeler, Everett; Reen Doser, Snohomish

The participants ranged in age from 11 to 89, including two elementary students, one high school freshman, and eight adults, all from the local area except for one person who flew in from Juneau, Alaska to participate in this once in a lifetime experience.

HFF DC-3 / C-47

The “Pilots” received a briefing from John Sessions, the pilot from the Historic Flight Foundation, He presented the history of the plane and how the foundation obtained the aircraft, the weather report, and what to expect during the hour flight over the San Juan Islands and Seattle.

Co-pilot Eugene Vezzetti speaking to fliers

After the flight the “pilots” were given the opportunity to visit the Control Tower at Paine Field.

Comments from the pilots included “marvelous, amazing, very comfortable, Seattle never looked so good." Some who had previously flown on DC-3 aircraft indicated that the ride brought back many memories.