The D'havilland Heron Story
Perhaps one of you chaps could confirm (or otherwise) this recollection from the early seventies. I had a beer with an Ozz Heron pilot in Fiji who told me that under the Australian regulations on trips of a certain length he was required to take an astro shot. This despite being single pilot and no autopilot.
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Perhaps one of you chaps could confirm (or otherwise) this recollection from the early seventies. I had a beer with an Ozz Heron pilot in Fiji who told me that under the Australian regulations on trips of a certain length he was required to take an astro shot. This despite being single pilot and no autopilot.
I have just received this from a pilot who flew Herons with Fiji Airways.
Fiji Airways regional destinations in the 1960’s had no alternatives. A low range disel beacon and no night lighting or engineering facilities. Hence no night navigation needed. All flights had to carry 2 hours minimum island reserve fuel. Sometimes flight planning had to bend the rules on one leg.
The sextants were rather large – ex Qantas beasts mounted in the front escape hatch. Passenger seating was only ten with #1 seat position becoming a chart table and #2 a sideways navigators position. A drift sight was also mounted at the cabin side at #2 seat and the navigator was usually the skipper with the co pilot then doing the handling from the left hand seat. On some legs for over 5 hours – no auto pilots! Each Astro position line was the product of three two minute observations with two two minute gaps between them. All averaged out and not forgetting about 5 minutes for calculations.
Remaining pax seats become toilet at 15, galley # 14 , and #13 the TGE (travelling ground engineer) who was also the steward serving the box lunches and coffee!
The sextants were rather large – ex Qantas beasts mounted in the front escape hatch. Passenger seating was only ten with #1 seat position becoming a chart table and #2 a sideways navigators position. A drift sight was also mounted at the cabin side at #2 seat and the navigator was usually the skipper with the co pilot then doing the handling from the left hand seat. On some legs for over 5 hours – no auto pilots! Each Astro position line was the product of three two minute observations with two two minute gaps between them. All averaged out and not forgetting about 5 minutes for calculations.
Remaining pax seats become toilet at 15, galley # 14 , and #13 the TGE (travelling ground engineer) who was also the steward serving the box lunches and coffee!
Lockdown idleness has led me to a daily, rather than, mostly, week-end sweep through threads and discovered this one today. Deep joy. Scrolling down, I wondered why there was no reference to .Morton Air Services who operated both the Dove & the Heron, but, there it was.
I was a wanabee at the time & employed as a D/O at Gatters. Apart from Tommy Gun, Charlie Moss was Crewing Manager but an Ex Radio Operator . I was ordered to ready the Dove as Tom & Charles were going to get airborne for some Air Test, or something. All ready, in swept Tommy asking for the "Operations stop-watch followed by Charles carrying a headset. Blimey, off they walked from the Flight Watch Office direct to the Dove, parked outside (I ordered that ) and off they went. I wondered if we would ever see them again . Halcyon days.
I was a wanabee at the time & employed as a D/O at Gatters. Apart from Tommy Gun, Charlie Moss was Crewing Manager but an Ex Radio Operator . I was ordered to ready the Dove as Tom & Charles were going to get airborne for some Air Test, or something. All ready, in swept Tommy asking for the "Operations stop-watch followed by Charles carrying a headset. Blimey, off they walked from the Flight Watch Office direct to the Dove, parked outside (I ordered that ) and off they went. I wondered if we would ever see them again . Halcyon days.
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Have I missed a mention of the Heron which the RAF provided for the use of Gus Walker when he was Deputy C-in-C AFCENT in the late 1960s? AFAIR the Luftwaffe luckily provided a Convair as well.
The last (potentially) airworthy Heron was sold at auction in Jersey yesterday for the princely sum of £1! The new owner is now going to organise a crowd funding effort to raise money for required maintenance. Hope it works.
I'd be surprised if the target of £50k was enough to get it flying again, though I see that Plan B is to restore it as a ground exhibit, which sounds more realistic.
