de Havilland Herons
AIREHEAD
Last I heard CLZ was with the Queen Victoria Museum in Launceston as a spare/reserve for CLV which was to go on display. If CLV is still in storage has CLZ indeed been scrapped?
Rgds
Last I heard CLZ was with the Queen Victoria Museum in Launceston as a spare/reserve for CLV which was to go on display. If CLV is still in storage has CLZ indeed been scrapped?
Rgds
From the other side of the world - the Heron operated the scheduled service to the beach at Barra in the Outer Hebrides for sixteen years from 1955 - and countless air ambulance flights all over Scotland.
Had to be fixed undercarriage and washed down after every Barra flight because of salt water.
Had to be fixed undercarriage and washed down after every Barra flight because of salt water.
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Didn't Connellan have a bunch of them at ASP? Seem to recall a film of their conversion process from Gypsies to Lycos, and some film of landing Herons right next to Ayers Rock.
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Eddie Connellan had his own private strip next to the Rock when it was known as the Rock. It was very close to where the walk to the top commences. From memory it was also close to the place where dingos eat babies.
He kept it exclusive so that he had a monopoly on air tourism to the Rock. It went out of use at the time that the Rock became Yulara and the commercial airport was built.
He kept it exclusive so that he had a monopoly on air tourism to the Rock. It went out of use at the time that the Rock became Yulara and the commercial airport was built.
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In the 70s American tourists loved the Heron flight from ASP to ISA. If the connection had been reliable at ISA with Bush Pilots to CNS TAA wouldn't have started the F27 ASP CNS service.
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The Connair Herons went all the way ASP-ISA-CNS.
Bush Pilots from ISA to CNS was via Doomagee, Mornington, Karumba and Normanton. We did some DC-3 tourist flights ASP to CNS after Connair shut shop.
Bush Pilots from ISA to CNS was via Doomagee, Mornington, Karumba and Normanton. We did some DC-3 tourist flights ASP to CNS after Connair shut shop.
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Aviation Art
Acrylic on stretched canvas 40cm x 50cm.
VH-CLV in the mid 1970s. A time when the big red monolith was known as Ayers Rock,traditional land custodians of alleged indigenous appearance were known as aborigines and girl flight attendants were called hostesses.
Eddie Connellan (founder of Connellan Airways/Connair) fought for about 8 years to get approval to put his airstrip next to the rock. He put the airstrip in in 1959,& it operated til 1980 when due to cultural & environmental concerns it was moved to the present site.
The old airstrip is still visible just to the north of the rock. VH-CLV was chartered by Ansett Airlines of NSW to provide 4 flights per week from Sydney to Lord Howe Island. The charter was for 5 months. Imagine the crews used to desert,heat,red dust & flies,suddenly operating over vast areas of water,in humidity to an island surrounded by a turquoise lagoon.
Good old Charlie Lima Victor, looks very smart.
The pneumatic system is in good condition, no undercarriage legs hanging down.
One can thank Mr Riley for coming upwith the idea of replacing the underpowered Gypsy Queens with the Lycoming IO-540's.
Imagine if Connair had converted a few of the airframes into the Saunders Turbine Heron.
The pneumatic system is in good condition, no undercarriage legs hanging down.
One can thank Mr Riley for coming upwith the idea of replacing the underpowered Gypsy Queens with the Lycoming IO-540's.
Imagine if Connair had converted a few of the airframes into the Saunders Turbine Heron.
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Heron at Barra
Scotbill
Thanks for posting that picture of the Heron at Barra. It combines a beautiful location with great scenery, and brings back some memories for me.
The D.H. Heron was my first Airfix model (1968), and I flew out of Barra in a Loganair Twin Otter back in 1990.
Good times.
Dingbat
Thanks for posting that picture of the Heron at Barra. It combines a beautiful location with great scenery, and brings back some memories for me.
The D.H. Heron was my first Airfix model (1968), and I flew out of Barra in a Loganair Twin Otter back in 1990.
Good times.
Dingbat
Looks very 'Viscount-ish' also:-)Thread Starter
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Last I heard CLZ was with the Queen Victoria Museum in Launceston as a spare/reserve for CLV which was to go on display. If CLV is still in storage has CLZ indeed been scrapped?
Some nice photos being posted!
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Indeed a gentleman's aircraft. The non-steerable nose wheel made life difficult for new recruits. Endorsement training was interesting until the steering was managed.
The pnuematic system for brakes and flaps was different. With 60 degrees of flap extended at low weights, you could approach slower than a Cessna 182. The system had a dump valve so that in the event of a go round, the flap would retract to the take off setting in 3 - 5 seconds. One had to manage the trim change with dexterity.
Engine failures were not a problem, and I have experienced an inboard failure past V1 with the FO flying. He did not notice it, as there was no swing, only a slight reduction in performance. It only became evident to him when the lack of fuel pressure on #3 was pointed out.
As part of the command endorsement, a two engine out (on the same side - at zero thrust settings) was carried out from 500', after full flap had been selected. It was quite a wrestle, but the aircraft would do it albeit very slowly.
In cruise flight, trimmed out, you could roll the aircraft to 45 degrees and take your hands and feet off the conrols, and it would continue in the turn.
Another difference was in the main undercarriage legs, these had rubber blocks rather than oil/air oleo's. This was a throw back from the requirement for the Mosquito to use the minimum amount of metal in the structure.
The brake bags were rubber which fitted into the brake drums. Two bags provided main and emergency braking. After use of the brakes, once parked, the FO use to leave the cockpit and chock the wheels so the brakes could be released to stop the hot drum heating up the brake bags. Air leaks were common with only a air compressor on engines #1 & 4, it took a while to get the pressure up. In the cruise the master air valve could be turned off to help retain pressure.
The undercarriage system had mechanical pins which backed up the undercarriage warning lights. The main wheel pins were on the wing above the undercarriage, and the nose wheel indicator was in the cockpit floor alongside the centre pedestral.
Spar life was 15000 hrs, and when Connellan did the spars, they also carried out the Riley modification. At 30000 hrs the spar centre carry through section had to be replaced. I was told that Airlines of Tasmania investigated doing it, but the million plus dollar price changed their mind. I understand that KAM in Caloundra was retired at 29,999 hrs 30 mins, but its retirement was kept low keyed by AOT management.
The re-engining program in Australia used Lycoming IO-540's derated. Prinair in South America used GSIO - 480's and GTIO-540's in their conversions, no doubt, due to the hot and high strips they flew into.
The pnuematic system for brakes and flaps was different. With 60 degrees of flap extended at low weights, you could approach slower than a Cessna 182. The system had a dump valve so that in the event of a go round, the flap would retract to the take off setting in 3 - 5 seconds. One had to manage the trim change with dexterity.
Engine failures were not a problem, and I have experienced an inboard failure past V1 with the FO flying. He did not notice it, as there was no swing, only a slight reduction in performance. It only became evident to him when the lack of fuel pressure on #3 was pointed out.
As part of the command endorsement, a two engine out (on the same side - at zero thrust settings) was carried out from 500', after full flap had been selected. It was quite a wrestle, but the aircraft would do it albeit very slowly.
In cruise flight, trimmed out, you could roll the aircraft to 45 degrees and take your hands and feet off the conrols, and it would continue in the turn.
Another difference was in the main undercarriage legs, these had rubber blocks rather than oil/air oleo's. This was a throw back from the requirement for the Mosquito to use the minimum amount of metal in the structure.
The brake bags were rubber which fitted into the brake drums. Two bags provided main and emergency braking. After use of the brakes, once parked, the FO use to leave the cockpit and chock the wheels so the brakes could be released to stop the hot drum heating up the brake bags. Air leaks were common with only a air compressor on engines #1 & 4, it took a while to get the pressure up. In the cruise the master air valve could be turned off to help retain pressure.
The undercarriage system had mechanical pins which backed up the undercarriage warning lights. The main wheel pins were on the wing above the undercarriage, and the nose wheel indicator was in the cockpit floor alongside the centre pedestral.
Spar life was 15000 hrs, and when Connellan did the spars, they also carried out the Riley modification. At 30000 hrs the spar centre carry through section had to be replaced. I was told that Airlines of Tasmania investigated doing it, but the million plus dollar price changed their mind. I understand that KAM in Caloundra was retired at 29,999 hrs 30 mins, but its retirement was kept low keyed by AOT management.
The re-engining program in Australia used Lycoming IO-540's derated. Prinair in South America used GSIO - 480's and GTIO-540's in their conversions, no doubt, due to the hot and high strips they flew into.
Thanks 'dog' it's always interesting reading when someone knows what they are talking about, brings back a lot of ugly memories for me, the Dove, same diff
.Using assy pwr & full rudder in a x/wind T/off you almost never needed to touch the airbag brakes, just as well as there was barely enuf air left to pull the gear up after a looooong taxi
Putting those damn U/C locking pins in place up under the wheel wells when finished for the day/night left one looking like a member of the B&W minstrel show ! Drain the air tanks during a pre flight?......hahahah what a joke, more oil than air, now I know where that saying came from....oil over air
!
Wmk2
.Using assy pwr & full rudder in a x/wind T/off you almost never needed to touch the airbag brakes, just as well as there was barely enuf air left to pull the gear up after a looooong taxiPutting those damn U/C locking pins in place up under the wheel wells when finished for the day/night left one looking like a member of the B&W minstrel show ! Drain the air tanks during a pre flight?......hahahah what a joke, more oil than air, now I know where that saying came from....oil over air
!Wmk2
Heron trivia
Dog One
Not all the Herons in Australia were so agricultural. the two operated by Heron Airlines both had Air/oleo struts. They were also fitted with air operated disc brakes. The oleo struts were are an optional d' havilland mod for the USA market to get certification above 12500lbs. The Discs were originally off the HP137 (early type J31) and the early HS125 and were introduced by Prinair as an STC.
These mods made the aircraft more usable, especially when long taxiing was involved the brakes didn't fade.
You are right about performance, lose an engine on a Riley conversion and you barely noticed it. Even in cruise you only lost about 8 - 10 kts. Unfortunately not the same with the Gypsy model, they had bracket propellors that didn't feather. Add this to the under power of only 1000hp and you could have a handfull on take off. In cruise the Gypsy was the sweetest aircraft to fly, even with on engine windmilling.
Spare life under the D'havilland system was 15,000 then an ultimate life of 30,000. But Prinair convinced the FAA that these aircarft were capable of exceeding this and introduced an STC which allowed the aircraft to go to 45,000 and ulimately 60,000 hours. When Prinair finally sucumb to Chapter 10 bankruptcy their lead aircarft was approaching 42,000 hours.
The comment about what if Eddie Connelan had converted his Herons to the Saunders PT6 type! That would have been something the ST27 was one of the best aircraft for its day, unfortunately the Canadian Government had to choose between the DHC6 or the ST27 when it came to providing development funds - the ST27 lost out.
One thing not many people know is the derevation of the EMB110 bandit. The Embrarer people obtained a Heron from the local Brazillian Operator TACOM and reverse engineered great sections to produce what we now know as the Bandit.
Not all the Herons in Australia were so agricultural. the two operated by Heron Airlines both had Air/oleo struts. They were also fitted with air operated disc brakes. The oleo struts were are an optional d' havilland mod for the USA market to get certification above 12500lbs. The Discs were originally off the HP137 (early type J31) and the early HS125 and were introduced by Prinair as an STC.
These mods made the aircraft more usable, especially when long taxiing was involved the brakes didn't fade.
You are right about performance, lose an engine on a Riley conversion and you barely noticed it. Even in cruise you only lost about 8 - 10 kts. Unfortunately not the same with the Gypsy model, they had bracket propellors that didn't feather. Add this to the under power of only 1000hp and you could have a handfull on take off. In cruise the Gypsy was the sweetest aircraft to fly, even with on engine windmilling.
Spare life under the D'havilland system was 15,000 then an ultimate life of 30,000. But Prinair convinced the FAA that these aircarft were capable of exceeding this and introduced an STC which allowed the aircraft to go to 45,000 and ulimately 60,000 hours. When Prinair finally sucumb to Chapter 10 bankruptcy their lead aircarft was approaching 42,000 hours.
The comment about what if Eddie Connelan had converted his Herons to the Saunders PT6 type! That would have been something the ST27 was one of the best aircraft for its day, unfortunately the Canadian Government had to choose between the DHC6 or the ST27 when it came to providing development funds - the ST27 lost out.
One thing not many people know is the derevation of the EMB110 bandit. The Embrarer people obtained a Heron from the local Brazillian Operator TACOM and reverse engineered great sections to produce what we now know as the Bandit.
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Those of you who flew the Heron will remember that there was an emergency escape hatch fitted in the roof of the rear cabin.
Years ago we had a pilot in Air Pacific who was in the habit of removing the hatch to improve ventilation whilst sitting on the ground at out stations.
On one particular flight to Savusavu, on Vanua Levu he had replaced the hatch just prior to boarding the passengers but he had overlooked securing the locking mechanism.
Take-Off at Savusavu is to seaward, and becoming airborne the flight path is immediately over the fringing reef.
Just after lift off the inevitable happened – the hatch departed from the aircraft. On being informed by one of the passengers that there was now a gaping hole in the roof of the aft cabin area, our intrepid aviator circled back over the airfield and spotted the hatch floating on the reef about 50 yards off shore - fortunately it was low tide.
A quick circuit was carried out and the aircraft taxied to the far end of the runway, engines were shut down and after a quick word to his passengers our enterprising aviator stripped to his jockey shorts and promptly waded out and recovered the hatch, which to his relief was undamaged.
With the hatch now correctly installed and locked, and our pilot back in uniform, the flight re-departed and continued on its merry way to Suva.
Unfortunately this aviator is no longer with us, but if there is an after-life I am sure he would be smiling at the memory of this incident.
Years ago we had a pilot in Air Pacific who was in the habit of removing the hatch to improve ventilation whilst sitting on the ground at out stations.
On one particular flight to Savusavu, on Vanua Levu he had replaced the hatch just prior to boarding the passengers but he had overlooked securing the locking mechanism.
Take-Off at Savusavu is to seaward, and becoming airborne the flight path is immediately over the fringing reef.
Just after lift off the inevitable happened – the hatch departed from the aircraft. On being informed by one of the passengers that there was now a gaping hole in the roof of the aft cabin area, our intrepid aviator circled back over the airfield and spotted the hatch floating on the reef about 50 yards off shore - fortunately it was low tide.
A quick circuit was carried out and the aircraft taxied to the far end of the runway, engines were shut down and after a quick word to his passengers our enterprising aviator stripped to his jockey shorts and promptly waded out and recovered the hatch, which to his relief was undamaged.
With the hatch now correctly installed and locked, and our pilot back in uniform, the flight re-departed and continued on its merry way to Suva.
Unfortunately this aviator is no longer with us, but if there is an after-life I am sure he would be smiling at the memory of this incident.