The D'havilland Heron Story
Gnome de PPRuNe
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Too close to Croydon for comfort
Age: 60
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Looking at Megan's link, G-ANUO is the one mounted on a plinth and masquerading as Morton's G-AOXL outside the Croydon Airport terminal - less than a mile from me...
Doing a bit of research, the Heron in Florida probably was Prinair, there were several derelict at at Opa Locka around the first time I visited in '84.
Doing a bit of research, the Heron in Florida probably was Prinair, there were several derelict at at Opa Locka around the first time I visited in '84.
I spotted this one on the ramp at Fort Pierce, FL, in 2002. I have since tried to find out what happened to it, but it appears to have stayed there, slowly deteriorating. Registration at the time was HI-582CA.
https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1392951
Having been deregistered by the FAA in 2015, its most recent owner was Air Support International, so it has more than likely been parted out by now. No sign of a Heron at KFPR on Google Earth.
I remember flying in a Heron from St Thomas to St Croix in the Virgin Islands. It had flat engines out there so had been re-engined. It was a smooth ride compared to some of the types I flew on down there. One odd thing I seem to remember is the emergency hatches were in the ceiling. Is my memory right?
Keener types than I will probably be able to research the accident!
Gnome de PPRuNe
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Too close to Croydon for comfort
Age: 60
Posts: 12,618
Received 293 Likes
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161 Posts
Having been deregistered by the FAA in 2015, its most recent owner was Air Support International, so it has more than likely been parted out by now. No sign of a Heron at KFPR on Google Earth.
https://www.google.com/maps/@27.4860.../data=!3m1!1e3
Gnome de PPRuNe
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Too close to Croydon for comfort
Age: 60
Posts: 12,618
Received 293 Likes
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161 Posts
Ah, probably cos mine's in 3D view! Presumably the imagery is older.
Gnome de PPRuNe
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Too close to Croydon for comfort
Age: 60
Posts: 12,618
Received 293 Likes
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161 Posts
C337 missing its tailplane.
[drift]I did some flying out of Fort Pierce 30 years ago in a C150 - great fun apart from a partial and temporary radio transmit problem in the Tampa Bay area, just when my chauffeur needed it most! There was a nice P-51 based on the airfield...[/correction]
[drift]I did some flying out of Fort Pierce 30 years ago in a C150 - great fun apart from a partial and temporary radio transmit problem in the Tampa Bay area, just when my chauffeur needed it most! There was a nice P-51 based on the airfield...[/correction]
Not sure if this applied in other countries, but by then in the UK all Herons operating public-transport were two-pilot a/c and the P1 had to have a SCPL or ATPL, as they all had a MTOW exceeding 12,500 lb. Our Heron 1Bs and Heron 2 were 13,000 lb and the 2Ds (certificated Performance-A) were 13,500 lb.
My first flight was in Morton Air Services' Heron G-ASUZ, on a pleasure flight from Lydd in September 1970.
I seem to remember that Morton operated six Herons from Gatwick. Weren't they somehow associated with British United?
I seem to remember that Morton operated six Herons from Gatwick. Weren't they somehow associated with British United?
My 'British Independent Airlines 1946-1976` from Aviation Hobby Shop says 'on July 1 1960 Morton became a part of the BUA Group, but...retained its identity'. I recall their LGW hangar was usually accommodating to inquisitive enthusiasts...
In May, 1979 (41 years ago!) I was undergoing conversion training onto the Dove. My instructor pointed out that the flaps were quite separate from each other and might therefore retract and extend at slightly different rates, resulting in a small rolling tendency. We also observed that as we approached the aircraft, one flap appeared to be fully down and the other one was at the take-off position. “Ah, yes; that can happen as the pneumatic pressure dissipates overnight. All will be well when we start the engines”.
I climbed into the left seat (for the first time) as my instructor occupied the right. “You don’t really need a checklist for this aircraft, as it’s very simple really”. Sure enough, in a few minutes we were waddling across the grass parking area and down the grass taxiway towards the hard runway. After take-off, ATC remarked that “one of your main-wheels is up, the other down and the nose-wheel is half way!” A quick glance at the indicator lights, as well as the mechanical indicators confirmed this. We tried switching the lights from Day to Night and back, to no avail.
“Well, we’d better select the gear down again”, opined my, by now slightly concerned, instructor. Pushing the gear selector in produced not so much as a hiss, and the indications remained as before. ATC were informed that we were returning to the circuit for further troubleshooting.
As luck would have it, there was a Severn Airways Dove approaching from the west who heard the entire exchange. “Have you checked the Master Air Valve?” came his voice over the frequency. “Aha, yes of course!”, said my instructor who pointed out to me where the control was (down by my left calf, if I remember correctly). Sure enough, it was in the “OFF” position. When selected down, there was a brief hissy pause, the triple indicator came to life and the gear slammed down, with three greens and all mechanical indicators in the right place.
Having thanked our benefactor, we continued with some training and put it down to experience. I typed out my own copy of the checklist when I got home.
There must have been just enough residual pressure in the accumulator bottle to operate the brakes, and the flaps probably “blew” up under airflow pressure. The thing that worried me afterwards was that the only thing holding the gear down during our wobbly taxi across the rough grass were the over-centre locks.
I climbed into the left seat (for the first time) as my instructor occupied the right. “You don’t really need a checklist for this aircraft, as it’s very simple really”. Sure enough, in a few minutes we were waddling across the grass parking area and down the grass taxiway towards the hard runway. After take-off, ATC remarked that “one of your main-wheels is up, the other down and the nose-wheel is half way!” A quick glance at the indicator lights, as well as the mechanical indicators confirmed this. We tried switching the lights from Day to Night and back, to no avail.
“Well, we’d better select the gear down again”, opined my, by now slightly concerned, instructor. Pushing the gear selector in produced not so much as a hiss, and the indications remained as before. ATC were informed that we were returning to the circuit for further troubleshooting.
As luck would have it, there was a Severn Airways Dove approaching from the west who heard the entire exchange. “Have you checked the Master Air Valve?” came his voice over the frequency. “Aha, yes of course!”, said my instructor who pointed out to me where the control was (down by my left calf, if I remember correctly). Sure enough, it was in the “OFF” position. When selected down, there was a brief hissy pause, the triple indicator came to life and the gear slammed down, with three greens and all mechanical indicators in the right place.
Having thanked our benefactor, we continued with some training and put it down to experience. I typed out my own copy of the checklist when I got home.
There must have been just enough residual pressure in the accumulator bottle to operate the brakes, and the flaps probably “blew” up under airflow pressure. The thing that worried me afterwards was that the only thing holding the gear down during our wobbly taxi across the rough grass were the over-centre locks.
Re "over centre locks", thats what they do on all retractable gear that I know of. You don't use Hydraulics or Air to keep the gear down.
The only Heron I worked on was G-ANNO, a series 1 with fixed gear. JF Airlines in 1973.
The only Heron I worked on was G-ANNO, a series 1 with fixed gear. JF Airlines in 1973.
Psychophysiological entity
Chris, I imagine we probably got a one-off charter that your lot couldn't do.
It's hare to believe, but this thread has possibly given me the answer. I could fly our early Heron single crew, so it must have been below twelve-five. I recall being given a mass of stainless steel pipe, a wondrous gift for anyone with a huge hobby shop in their garage, but, it had holes in it every few inches.
IT WAS THE #$%#$% FIRE SPRAY HOSE! Yes, I'm shouting. These old aircraft, reeking of petrol, had the systems taken out to reduce weight. Now I can see why it was so vital to do so.
Memories again. Two crew and we were headed back from Billund IIRC. I handed over to my young mate and settled into a snooze. I remember shouting, turn left onto one seven zero! as I commenced shut-down of number one.
Uuuuug! The engines couldn't be feathered, so the fuel pumps had to be lubricated by leaving the fuel on. Something like that. Can't quite remember. I planned to go well south before crossing the oggin, but cut the corner off more than a tad. I was brave/daft in those days.
Mate, when all was calm, said, You were snoring, how the hell did you know something was wrong? It's odd that. The head had come off a valve and was jingling away before the slight rough running, but inside one corner of my brain I was counting the engines' life-pulses. Bull-shine! I hear in chorus, but I've seen it with some of my skippers. Crap would happen, and they'd be in the loop from a snooze before I'd put my chinagraph down. Constructive fear, I'd call it.
I was given the piston. It had much the sort of pattern in the top that you'd expect.
It's hare to believe, but this thread has possibly given me the answer. I could fly our early Heron single crew, so it must have been below twelve-five. I recall being given a mass of stainless steel pipe, a wondrous gift for anyone with a huge hobby shop in their garage, but, it had holes in it every few inches.
IT WAS THE #$%#$% FIRE SPRAY HOSE! Yes, I'm shouting. These old aircraft, reeking of petrol, had the systems taken out to reduce weight. Now I can see why it was so vital to do so.
Memories again. Two crew and we were headed back from Billund IIRC. I handed over to my young mate and settled into a snooze. I remember shouting, turn left onto one seven zero! as I commenced shut-down of number one.
Uuuuug! The engines couldn't be feathered, so the fuel pumps had to be lubricated by leaving the fuel on. Something like that. Can't quite remember. I planned to go well south before crossing the oggin, but cut the corner off more than a tad. I was brave/daft in those days.
Mate, when all was calm, said, You were snoring, how the hell did you know something was wrong? It's odd that. The head had come off a valve and was jingling away before the slight rough running, but inside one corner of my brain I was counting the engines' life-pulses. Bull-shine! I hear in chorus, but I've seen it with some of my skippers. Crap would happen, and they'd be in the loop from a snooze before I'd put my chinagraph down. Constructive fear, I'd call it.
I was given the piston. It had much the sort of pattern in the top that you'd expect.
Disengage Brain.
[QUOTE=Jay Doubleyou;10733214]As far as I recall, India Four Two, the RAF never operated the Heron? The RAF always wanted it's own name for every type, even straight purchases of an existing civil model. Where the RN operated a common type with the other service, they would prefix it ""Sea" as in Sea Devon. On operational aircraft, " Sea" meant fitted with hooks and heavy duty undercarriage for shipboard flying, but in the case of the Devon/Sea Devon it was "ours not theirs"![/QUOT
i cannot understand what provoked me to post such a load of drivel! I knew GAORG well when I worked in Jersey and had a few (too few!) trips on board. The box across the aisle, over the main spar, was interesting to the inexperienced passenger! The internal fittings were beautifully original or well marched retro, big on leather by modern standards. I can't believe that I forgot about RAF Herons, when I was a lad, in the early to mid 1950s, I almost came to believe that the news readers rapid delivery ' aheronofthequeensflight' really was all one word!
If I might use this thread to indulge another de Haveland fond memory, it is the long lost habit of training new ATCOs on live aeroplanes, the CAFU Doves loaned to Bournemouth for approach radar training. Every live session had 3 trainees, one controlling, one observing in the room, and one observing from, (actually flying!) the Dove. Great fun!
i cannot understand what provoked me to post such a load of drivel! I knew GAORG well when I worked in Jersey and had a few (too few!) trips on board. The box across the aisle, over the main spar, was interesting to the inexperienced passenger! The internal fittings were beautifully original or well marched retro, big on leather by modern standards. I can't believe that I forgot about RAF Herons, when I was a lad, in the early to mid 1950s, I almost came to believe that the news readers rapid delivery ' aheronofthequeensflight' really was all one word!
If I might use this thread to indulge another de Haveland fond memory, it is the long lost habit of training new ATCOs on live aeroplanes, the CAFU Doves loaned to Bournemouth for approach radar training. Every live session had 3 trainees, one controlling, one observing in the room, and one observing from, (actually flying!) the Dove. Great fun!