N517DF

N517DF is a Cessna O-1 Bird Dog, a single-engine piston aircraft operated by FORREST MICHAEL D. SkyMeter has tracked 24 flights totalling 10 hours of airtime via ADS-B across 2 callsigns. The most frequent segment is KRYY to KRYY. Service window in our records spans 406 days. The Cessna O-1 Bird Dog has a maximum takeoff weight of 2,400 lb, light wake category.

About the Cessna O-1 Bird Dog

The Cessna O-1 Bird Dog served as the U.S. military's primary liaison and forward air control aircraft from the Korean War through Vietnam, earning legendary status as the eyes of the battlefield. Developed from Cessna's Model 305A and entering service in 1950, the Bird Dog combined tandem seating, excellent low-speed handling, and large greenhouse windows to give observers unmatched visibility for artillery spotting, reconnaissance, and directing air strikes.

Over 3,400 were built for the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, and allied forces, with the type seeing combat across three decades. Powered by a 213-horsepower Continental O-470 flat-six engine, the Bird Dog could loiter at 45 knots for hours, operate from unprepared strips as short as 500 feet, and climb to 18,500 feet when needed.

Its rugged tube-and-fabric construction and forgiving flight characteristics made it beloved by pilots, while its ability to absorb ground fire and keep flying became the stuff of legend in Southeast Asia. Many surplus O-1s found civilian life after military service, converted for patrol, survey, and recreational flying, where their slow-flight capability and visibility remain prized. The type's military heritage and distinctive tandem configuration make it a favorite among warbird collectors and backcountry pilots today.

SkyMeter has tracked flights across airframes and operators, with the largest observed operator.