Douglas DC-6
Douglas · piston, 4 engines · ICAO DC6
The Douglas DC-6 has the greatest length and the longest wingspan among the 120 piston aircraft on this site, and the highest maximum takeoff weight among the 116 piston aircraft on this site with a published figure. The runner-up in length and maximum takeoff weight, the Convair CV-440 Metropolitan, trails by 27.0% and 156.0%. The runner-up in wingspan, the Douglas DC-3, trails by 23.4%. The DC-6’s wingspan stops 0.5 ft short of the 118 ft line where Design Group IV begins.
Airport design codes
- III
Design Group III. Set by the wingspan; the tail height alone would give Group II.
- B
Approach Category B. From its FAA reference approach speed of 108 kt (band 91 to 120 kt).
Gear and weights
| Cockpit to main gear | 30.8 ft | 9.4 m |
|---|---|---|
| Span-to-length ratio | 1.17 | |
| Max. takeoff weight | 107,000 lb | 48,534 kg |
| Max. landing weight | 88,200 lb | 40,007 kg |
| Main gear code | D | |
| Taxiway Design Group | 3 | |
| ICAO wake category | Medium |
Where it sits
The DC-6 also has the widest main gear and the tallest tail among the 120 piston aircraft on this site, and the 4th-highest wingspan-to-length ratio in Design Group III (77 types). It also has the 2nd-highest FAA reference approach speed among the 120 piston aircraft on this site (the input for its Approach Category). Among the 28 four-engine types (the input for its Approach Category), it has the 2nd-lowest FAA reference approach speed. Among the 117 piston aircraft on this site with a published figure, it has the 3rd-longest wheelbase. Among the 28 four-engine types, it has the 3rd-shortest wheelbase. By length it falls between the Avro RJ100 and the Boeing 737-200.
Main gear 28.5 ft wide (8.7 m), 24% of the span; wheelbase 30.8 ft (9.4 m), 31% of the length.
US records: 1,644 US flight-plan operations in FY2024; 30 on the US register.
Closest in size on this site
Source: FAA Aircraft Characteristics Database, October 2024 release. How we measure.