Basler Turbo BT-67

The Basler Turbo Conversions BT-67 is a remanufactured C-47 aircraft made by the Basler Turbo Conversions LLC company of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA. The C-47 remanufacturing into a Basler Turbo BT-67 includes a complete airframe overhaul, wing aerodynamic improvements, fuselage and wing structural strengthening, and the installation of new aircraft systems. All changes are covered by FAA STC certifications under extensive testing to FAR Part 25.^[1] Dozens of BT-67s are currently in service in the world's most remote areas, including the Polar regions, deserts and jungles.

Basler Turbo Conversions LLC

Basler Turbo Conversions LLC was formed in 1988 by Warren Basler. It is a sister company to Basler Flight Service, which was organized in 1957.^[2] Before Basler Turbo Conversions went into C-47 conversions, it operated Basler Airlines, a regional airline using C-47 piston-powered aircraft flying local patrons to resorts in Canada on the airline version, and automotive parts between Midwest factories with the cargo version.^[3] The Basler operation was a family business with Warren's wife Pat being active in all phases of the business.^[4]
Production of the Basler Turbo BT-67 began in the new 75,000 square foot facility in January, 1990 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The first Basler Turbo BT-67 flew in 1990 with a new Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67R turboprop engines and Hartzell Hartzell HC-B5MA-3/M11276^[5] five-blade metal propellers. Approval of the Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs) for the aircraft was issued by the FAA in February 1990.The base C-47 fuselage was lengthened by 40-inch plug forward of the wing.^[6]
In 1996, Jack Goodale, a Grand Rapids, Michigan aviation entrepreneur bought and invested heavily into the company.^[7] Basler founder and BT-67 designer Warren Basler died in a 1997 plane crash while filming the BT-67 from another plane during a marketing photo flight.^[8] Thomas R. Weigt retired in 2017 as Basler Turbo Conversions CEO, after serving as CEO for more than 20 years, and Randall Myers became CEO. Randall Myers was formerly Director of production, engineering and maintenance for Basler.
On average, the company completes two to three BT-67's per year, depending on the configuration ordered.^[9] As of January 2018, at least 63 Basler Turbo BT-67 aircraft have been produced by the Basler Turbo Conversions company.
Basler Turbo Conversions also supports the DC-3/C-47, with parts and an supplemental inspection program that can keep these airworthy well into the 100,000-hour range. The C-47 nicknamed "That’s All, Brother”, the leader of the formation that dropped thousands of American paratroopers into Normandy on D-Day, is again in flying condition after restoration by technicians at Basler Turbo Conversions.^[10] BTC has everything needed to build a brand new DC-3 from scratch, and under its FAA parts manufacturing authority, it now makes more than 8,000 DC-3/BT-67 parts.^[11]

Basler Turbo BT-67

The airframe is gutted of removable parts, steam cleaned and corrosion-protected; repaired and non-standard skeletal parts replaced.^[12] All new systems that are installed includes the Powerplant, Avionics, Electrical Systems, Hydraulic Systems, Autopilot system, Fuel system, Air conditioning, De-icing, Fire protection, Control quadrant, and others that are needed to be replaced.^[13]
The modifications and upgrades made under different FAA STC's results in the Basler Turbo BT-67, that compared to the base C-47 is:^[14]
• 35% more interior volume
• 43% more useful load
• 24% more speed @ 210 knots
• 76% more productivity
• Up to 100% more fuel capacity
• Lower stall speed
• Lower approach speed
• Fuel mileage equal at equal speeds
• Servo assisted ailerons^[15]
• New production disk brakes
• Stage III Noise Certification^[16]


Cargo / Transport

The original version of the Basler Turbo BT-67 was envisioned as a modernized transport aircraft. The BT-67 became more successful with different Air Forces that used it as a cargo, transport and parachute drop, firebombing, and cloud seeding aircraft, given the proven versatility of its forerunner C-47.^[17]


Gunship

Two Air Forces uses the Basler Turbo BT-67 as a CAS gunship - Colombia^[18] and El Salvador^[19]. The Fuerza Aérea Colombiana or FAC has its many BT-67 gunships fitted with a FLIR ball on the aircraft nose chin area. [[1]]

Sensors Equipped

Many Basler Turbo BT-67's has been acquired by geophysical survey companies, specially for Polar studies. They have installed sensors and electronics into the aircraft like radars, electromagnetic booms and "birds", and data links. The Alfred Wegener Institute of Germany has two of the most sensors-equipped BT-67's, the Polar 5 and Polar 6.^[20]

Operational History

Users of Basler Turbo BT-67 ^[21]


Air Forces:
Colombian Air Force, 25+ years in service
Royal Thai Air Force, 20+ years in service
El Salvadoran Air Force
Mauritania Air Force
Mali Air Force
Guatemalan Air Force
Colombian National Police


Survey Companies:

Alfred Wegener Institute
Bell Geospace
Spectrem Air Surveys
ALCI Aviation
Kenn Borek Air
CGG Geophysical Survey
Polar Research Institute of China
Airtec


Others:

Airborne Support - used in Gulf of Mexico oil spill cleanup using oil-dispersant^[22]
Aero Contractors
Cargo North


It was also used by:

US Air Force - with the 6th Special Operations Squadron^[23]
US Department of State
US Forest Service^[24]
Bolivia Air Force^[25]


Potential New Users:
Mauritania’s air force may acquire a Basler Turbo BT-67 for the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) role via Foreign Military Sales. In 2014, the Mauritanian Islamic Air Force (FAIM) upgraded its only BT-67 with an electro-optical (EO) turret and sensor equipment that can provide imagery directly to special mobile phones.^[26]
 
Last July 2018, two Basler Turbo BT-67 FLIR gunships, and two Basler Turbo BT-67 maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) aircraft were offered by Basler Turbo Conversions to the Philippine Air Force for its Long Range Patrol Aircraft requirement.^[27] The Basler Turbo BT-67 FLIR Gunship was formerly offered in late 2016 for the PAF Close Air Support requirement.^[28]


External links 

BT-67 Tough and Tougher on YouTube 

Aviators Season 3 - Giving the Venerable DC-3 New Life on YouTube 

Citations

1. https://www.scribd.com/document/371583706/Basler-BT-67-Brochure
2. http://www.baslerturbo.com/faqs.html
3. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/basler-conversion-revives-dc-3-beyond-its-75th-birth-351025/
4. https://www.wisconsinaviationhalloffame.org/inductees/basler.htm
5. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/basler-conversion-revives-dc-3-beyond-its-75th-birth-351025/
6. https://www.airspacemag.com/flight-today/turbine-charged-1066824/
7. www.baslerturbo.com/history.html
8. https://www.wisconsinaviationhalloffame.org/inductees/basler.htm
9. http://www.jetwhine.com/2009/01/finding-good-news-at-osh/
10. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/01/us/thats-all-brother-plane.html
11. http://www.jetwhine.com/2009/01/finding-good-news-at-osh/
12. http://www.jetwhine.com/2009/01/finding-good-news-at-osh/
13. https://www.scribd.com/document/371583706/Basler-BT-67-Brochure
14. https://www.scribd.com/document/371583706/Basler-BT-67-Brochure
15. http://www.baslerturbo.com/specifications.html
16. http://www.baslerturbo.com/
17. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/basler-conversion-revives-dc-3-beyond-its-75th-birth-351025/
18. https://warisboring.com/colombias-ac-47t-fantasmas-are-still-going-strong/
19. https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1990/1990%20-%203638.html
20. https://www.awi.de/en/expedition/aircraft/polar-5-6.html
21. http://www.baslerturbo.com/bt-67-worldwide.html
22. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/basler-conversion-revives-dc-3-beyond-its-75th-birth-351025/
23. https://www.gainesville.com/news/20051027/hurlburt-field-flying-historic-gooney-bird-built-62-years-ago
24. https://missoulian.com/news/opinion/mailbag/firefighting-aircraft-bt--is-safest-most-economical/article_a126020a-297e-5818-8222-29f891e61f25.html
25. https://journaltimes.com/news/oshkosh-company-recycles-dc--s/article_334dc002-b5f8-5b95-aeb1-3884080b57c6.html
26. http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=52820:mauritania-possibly-getting-bt-67-isr-aircraft&catid=35:Aerospace&Itemid=107
27. https://www.janes.com/article/81975/philippines-to-bolster-airborne-coin-capabilities-with-broncos-potentially-baslers 
28. https://web.archive.org/web/20161018034226/http://www.janes.com/article/64580/basler-offers-bt-67-gunship-to-philippines/

Will Boeing and Bombardier Ultimately Fly Together?

Boeing's case against Bombardier in the U.S. market for higher tariff rates has created ripples not only in North America but also in Europe, specifically in U.K.

CS300 Air Baltic

The aircraft at the center of the conflict is the all new design 110 and 130 seat CSeries that has proven its good economy with its composite wings and new Aluminum alloy fuselage. A lot of its economic performance comes from its 2 Pratt and Whitney GTF Geared Turbo Fan engines.

CS100 Swiss

Boeing has no airliner at the envelope of the CSeries after it discontinued the ex-McDonnell Donald MD-95 that it rebadged as Boeing 717. It has the Boeing 737 MAX 7 but this is heavier and bigger, and has not much of orders.

Boeing 717 Delta

Boeing has recently indicated its interest in buyouts and mergers after United Technologies' buying of Rockwell Collins, and Northrop Grumman buying Orbital ATK.

Future Boeing 737 MAX7

Boeing and Bombardier has very little overlap in their product lines. This opens the possibility of Boeing buying and merging with Bombardier.

1. Boeing has no airliner offering below the MAX 7 where Bombardier has good airliners down to 50 seats.
2. Boeing has no turboprop airliners and Bombardier has the Q400.
3. Bombardier has financial capital needs, and also weak market success.
4. Bombardier recently explored a buyout deal with Airbus.

With these, there is a potential synergy in a Boeing-Bombardier. Instead of going at each other.

Basler Turbo USA is offering 2 BT-67 MPA and 2 BT-67 FLIR Gunship for the PAF LRPA Program

Basler Turbo Conversions of Oshkosh, Wisconsin USA is offering two BT-67 Maritime Patrol Aircraft plus two BT-67 FLIR Gunship for the Philippine Air Force s Long Range Patrol Aircraft acquisition program. The four BT-67 aircraft will be capable in conducting aerial maritime patrol over the EEZ, ECS and the Kalayaan Island Group of the Philippines. This offer can be an affordable and a fast implementation solution to the long running PAF LRPA acquisition saga.

Possible MPA configuration

The Basler BT-67 s affordability and capabilities as a Multi Mission Aircraft will enable the Philippines to buy more of the aircraft, or use the savings to buy other needed defense equipment. The BT-67 MPA, with additional sensors as compared to the BT-67 FLIR Gunship, can be a good long range Maritime Patrol and ISR Aircraft platform.

Basler Turbo Conversions has sold more than 63 BT-67 s worldwide so far. The Basler BT-67 has been used by the U.S.A.F. SOF Command, U.S. Department of State and U.S. Forest Service, and is widely used by the Thailand and Colombia Air Forces. Other Air Forces using the Basler BT-67 are that of Mauritania, Mali, El Salvador, and Guatemala. The BT-67 equipped with electronics, sensors and tail/nose booms has been widely used by Scientific, and Geophysical Survey companies. Commercial cargo airlines, some of which also ferry passengers in combi configuration, has attained 98% availability operating in rough areas.

FLIR Gunship

In the Philippine Air Force, the Basler BT-67 MPA and FLIR Gunship versions can supplement their other aircraft in Combat Air Support, Maritime Patrol, Transport and other missions. The Basler BT-67 has been fitted with belly hard points that can carry 11,000+ lbs while wing hard points has been certified for 100 lbs per side on wing tips, and 500 lbs per side on the outer wings. These capabilities open up opportunities for future fittings and certifications for additional sensors, and even weapons systems.

The BT-67's most important advantages are its

1. Capability - 40 troop or 18 (C-47 type) litters capacity; 10,000 lb. payload over 650 nautical miles or 2,600 lb. payload over 1875 nautical miles (with long range tanks); loiter time of over target of 10.3 hours (with 45 minute reserve, using long range tanks); and Cargo Deck of 7 feet width at floor level, 6.5 feet height, 42 feet length for a total 1225 Cubic Feet internal volume.

2. Affordability - With its low acquisition, operating and maintenance costs, coupled to its long service life, as proven in many Air Forces, is the solution to many of the Philippine Air Force's wide spectrum mission requirements.

3. Reliability - The average mission capability rate over the worldwide BT-67 fleet is at over 95% including operations in isolated areas. The U.S. Air Force BT-67 availability rate was 100% during the 3 years that they operated it. BT-67 has 98% availability rate in airliner service.

4. Deliverability - The Basler BT-67 can usually be delivered within 1 year after the contract is signed, and available via U.S. Foreign Military Sales.

5. Maintainability - Basler Turbo has eighteen 40-foot containers of parts, plus a large parts warehouse that are available within 24 hours worldwide via air courier delivery, for the past almost 30 years.

Other Basler BT-67 Advantages are

1. Fully customizable configurations as per client exact requirements.

2. Rough-field STOL in such an aircraft size with low stall speed and low approach speed suitable for Maritime Patrol.

3. Autonomous engine self-start capability for remote areas operations.

4. Industry leading service from Basler with widely-available aviation parts.

5. Easy-access service panels that allows for over-the-wing refueling and repairs eliminating the need for special equipment.

6. Engine-exhaust-vent-over-the-wing design significantly reduce IR signature to ground sensors for lowered MANPADS vulnerability.

7. Basler Turbo Conversions can service the BT-67 wherever with engine overhaul and heavy maintenance shops worldwide.

The BT-67 is fitted with all new two(2) proven reliable Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67R engines with Hartzell 5-blade aluminum reversing propeller. It has digital avionics with Full IFR Multi Function Displays, GPS, Weather radar, and HF radio, with full spectrum options available. The digital instrument panel and exterior lighting is Night Vision Goggles compatible.

The BT-67 is Stage III quiet, and certified for known ice conditions. The BT-67 also has new De-icing, Air conditioning, Stall Warning, Oxygen supply, Fire monitoring, with the engine nacelles and radome made of composite material.

Both the BT-67 Maritime Patrol version and the BT-67 FLIR Gunship version can do aerial maritime/ground monitoring and patrol, using the FLIR ball sensors that is common to both. The FLIR Gunship carries additional weapons, while the Maritime Patrol version carries additional sensors and electronics. The BT-67 can go out to the extremes of our EEZ, Kalayaan Island Group, and Philippine Rise ECS then loiter for 8 Hours.

The BT-67 FLIR Gunship version configuration is being improved by Basler Turbo with the addition of a Syzygy Weapons Interface equipped with Mission Management Software, Bus Interface to FLIR EO/IR and Rail System, Slight Alignment for use with Gun System and EO/IR, and MA4B 14" NATO Ejector Racks. This will provide more accuracy to the 20mm guns.

For the BT-67 Maritime Patrol version, Basler Turbo has configured it with a WGS Patrol Package that includes:

• Europa
• Workstations
• FLIR HD
• Selex Seaspray
• ELINT
• COMINT
• Magnetic Anomaly Detector
• Bouy Deployment System
• Bouy Transceiver System
• Downlink System
• Tactical Data Link
• AIS Receiver
• DSLR Cameras & Camcorders
• Multi Media Projectors
• BTC Installation
• Search Radar Radome

WGS Station

It also includes Ground Stations - Fixed Ground Stations, Mobile Ground Stations, and Man Portable Ground Stations.