Piston Powered Aircraft
At the dawn of the 21st century, piston engine aircraft still play an important part in commercial aviation. The lowest level of operators still have uses for machines such as the Islander which provide affordable access to air travel.
The quintessential piston engine airliners of the 1950's, although fewer in number, still provide enthusiasts with a thrill which the more mundane jet transports cannot. Most of those still working for a living are employed as freighters in less developed parts of the world. For many years cargoes of meat have been transported by these aircraft in South America.
Preservation groups maintain and operate Douglas and Lockheed aircraft in several countries; specialist fire-fighting companies still utilise piston engine types, although turboprop powered machines are becoming more affordable for such operations.
The ubiquitous An-2, manufactured in Russia from 1947 until 1964 when production was transferred to the Polish WSK-PZL factory, still flies the kind of services for which it was designed. Air taxi operators in Cuba and Turkey or feeder services in the Russian arctic still operate this venerable aircraft.
The following pages display an admittedly small selection of photographs of piston engine types in action. Some are plying a commercial trade, whilst others are in use as tourist or enthusiast attractions.
A page of photographs is devoted to the cargo ramp at Santo Domingo, Las Americas airport. At the time of the visit in 1995 three Constellations, several C-46 and Convair aircraft were parked inactive, while the workhorse Douglas DC-6's were still busy carrying assorted cargoes to destinations the larger carriers did not serve.
As time allows pages dedicated to one type of aircraft will be added to the portfolio.