Board of Trade Doves
 

Until the early 70’s, the Board of Trade had a fleet of DH Doves. I believe they were used for initial CAFU IR tests. Were they used for anything else? Were all tests done in these or did schools like Hamble and Oxford use their own twins? Were the tests free, or subsidised at all?

They were regularly deployed to Bournemouth to provide live training for ATCOs at the Colllege of Air Traffic Control.

I remember them at Hurn (Bournemouth) until about 1967.
There would often be 2 in the circuit being controlled by trainee controllers. There were different radio frequencies for their use and we would listen in while they were being "talked down".
I can't remember if this was PAR or SRA.
When the Doves went Air Gregory Twin Comanches took over until simulators were used.
I think the Doves were based at Stansted along with the 2 HS748s used for ILS calibration.

I believe that Doves were used in the early trials of the Telecroscope, an optical device for calibrating Cat III ILS.

In the early 70s the Doves at Hurn were used in ATCO training for both general radar work as well as SRAs. I flew as a "safety pilot" a few times and it was great fun as we flew over the sea to wave top height to drop out of radar cover! Although Minair pilots usually flew them, there were also one or two ancient BOAC types who were keeping their hands in and were an absolute joy to fly with.

So am I wrong about them being routinely used for IR tests?

The Dove fleet dated mainly to the mid fifties, replacing a fleet of Airspeed Consuls. I don't know whether, in the early days, they were used for initial IR tests in addition to the activities already described in this thread. By 1967, and probably earlier, the schools were providing their own aircraft for the IR tests.

A sad end!

Photos: De Havilland DH-104 Dove 6 Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net

Well remembering there were 'standard' airways routes for IRTs from Stansted, I would guess this was their primary use, but as HD says, they were great fun to fly as 'Safety Pilot' on your Approach Radar courses, especially when one of your colleagues on the course gave a 'wrong direction' turn eg if you were heading 170 and the controller said 'turn left heading 180' the pilot would do just that without querying direction of turn!!

A less sad end !!!! A CAFU Dove is preserved in AirSpace at Duxford.

See De Havilland DH.104 Dove 6, G-ALFU, CAA (Duxford Aviation Society) for an image........

Planemike

Nice pic Planemike. Obviously a low pass with a very high shutter speed to stop the props!!

During my IRE/TRE Course at Stansted in May 1975 I flew two CAFU Dove 6's, G-ANUT and G-ANUU

CAFU Doves
 

I did my first I/R on a CONSOl with 2 Stage Amber and my IRE on a Dove both at Stansted

I can remember G-ANUT and G-ANUW (or 'UU?) parked at Biggin near Fairflight's hangar (I think) on one of my first visits in the mid-70s, still intact and presuambly for spares recovery. Sad end, but good that Duxford has kept one intact.

Flight in a Dove is on the "to do" list!

Off topic but anyone know how many are left flying in the world and if it would be possible to go fly one in the UK? Heard so many nice things about their flying qualities and some not so kind words about the engines.

I have no connection or direct experiences with these companies but see Conciair.co.uk and Fly in the de Havilland Dragon Rapide
for possible flights in a Dove

G-APDK

This was taken at Keith Fordyce's aviation museum in Devon in the mid 80s

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h269/wub_01/Dove.jpg

Caernafon Aircraft museum has a Dove and a Prentice I think

Frank leopald

Kemble airfield, 18th September, Dove/Devon VP981.

Battle of Britain Weekend Pleasure Flights

I'm not connected with Classic Flight, but I know plenty of very happy customers of theirs....

Spoil yourself :)

...and there's another example up at East Fortune. Wish I'd kept a record of the few flights I got during my APC RAD in '73. :ok:

The doves and princes [?], mainly Stansted based, were used for navaid testing until replaced by AV748s.
Helen