#worldofaviation

Basler BT-67 Desert Air

Registration: N115U Type: BT-67 Engines: 2 × PW PT6A-67R Serial Number: 33567 First flight: 1945

Desert Air Alaska, a small airline based at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, specializes in cargo and charter flights, delivering goods to the most remote northern regions. Their mission is simple: to support life in isolated communities where planes are often the only link to the outside world. They’re one of Alaska’s 135 small cargo airlines.

What makes Desert Air unique is its fleet. No shiny new jets here – just time-tested machines built for the harsh conditions of the “snowy state.” I wrote about this airline a couple of years ago, highlighting their DC-3, a plane over 80 years old that’s still flying commercial routes. Since then, their fleet has grown. True to form, Desert Air’s new additions are almost DC-3s – but not quite.

If the DC-3 is a classic, the Basler BT-67 is its modern remix. Built from the DC-3 airframe, the BT-67 is fully overhauled at Basler Turbo Conversions in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It’s powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67R turboprop engines, giving it impressive thrust and the ability to fly faster and farther than the original. The fuselage is lengthened, the wingspan extended, the airframe reinforced, and the avionics upgraded to modern standards. It’s still a DC-3 at heart but with a 21st-century edge. Desert Air uses the BT-67 for demanding tasks – hauling heavy cargo, operating in extreme weather, and even special missions like scientific research or polar deliveries.

Our poster features a true sky veteran. Its story began in June 1945, when it first took flight as a Douglas DC-3. Nearly half a century later, in 1991, it was reborn as a Basler BT-67 after a major overhaul, with a second “debut” flight in July that year. During its “second youth,” it served with the U.S. Forest Service. Last year, despite its advanced age, it proved its worth flying in Alaska’s challenging climate.

Airbus A320neo avianca

Registration: HK-5360 Type: A320-251N Engines: 2 × CFMI LEAP-1A26 Serial Number: 10342 First flight: Nov 20, 2020

Avianca, founded as SCADTA on December 5, 1919, is the second oldest airline in the world after KLM. It is Colombia's largest airline and the country's main carrier. It has been a member of the Star Alliance since 2012.

Having celebrated its centenary, Avianca almost immediately faced great difficulties. In 2020, when the world changed under the pressure of pandemic restrictions, Avianca almost immediately lost most of its passenger traffic. In March of the same year, flights were suspended. The airline filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Many analysts predicted the collapse of Avianca, but contrary to forecasts, it resisted and emerged from bankruptcy proceedings in December 2021.

To survive in difficult conditions, Avianca has reconfigured its business by switching to a low-cost business model and optimizing its fleet. Finally in October 2023, the company rebranded and changed its name from Avianca to avianca. This small, at first glance, renaming, nevertheless succinctly reflects the changes that the airline has experienced over those three years, and now it is fully consistent with the slogan "Now the sky belongs to all of us". At the same time, avianca presented its updated livery in which the new Airbus A320neo aircraft were painted. The plane on our poster is one of them.

Airbus A380 Asiana Airlines

Registration: HL7634 Type: A380-841 Engines: 4 × RR Trent 972-84 Serial Number: 179 First flight: Dec 17, 2014

Asiana Airlines is a South Korean airline headquartered in Seoul, founded in 1988. It began operations in 1991 and soon became the largest airline in South Korea. Asiana operates more than 90 international and 14 domestic passenger routes, as well as 27 cargo routes to major cities in Asia, Europe and North America. The company is a member of the Star Alliance.

The Asiana Airlines fleet has wide–body Airbus A330, A350 and Boeing 777 aircraft, which are used for long-haul flights, as well as narrow-body Airbus A320 and A321 for shorter routes.

A special place in the Asiana fleet is occupied by the largest aircraft, the Airbus A380. Their large capacity helps the airline cope with the huge passenger traffic in some destinations, the densest of which is Los Angeles. These winged giants travel overseas twice a day, providing over 30,000 seats per month.

In total, the airline operates six A380 aircraft, and in addition to Los Angeles, these aircraft operate flights to Narita and Kansai airports in Japan. And although these routes are much shorter, the high density of their passenger traffic makes it possible to fully load such giants as the A380.

All Superjumbos have 12 first class suites, 66 business class seats and 417 standard economy class seats, which ensures a comfortable journey in any direction.