A 1954 de Havilland DH-114 Heron has been listed for sale by Platinum Fighter Sales, bringing another example of the postwar British airliner onto the market. The Heron first flew in 1950 and was developed from the smaller de Havilland Dove, but with a longer fuselage and four engines instead of two. It was designed as a simple, durable aircraft for short regional routes, with a low-wing layout and tricycle landing gear. Production ran into the early 1950s, with 149 aircraft built, many of which were exported and operated across different parts of the world.
The aircraft currently on offer, registered as N415SA, has accumulated approximately 21,000 hours total time on the airframe. It is powered by four Lycoming IO-540 engines as part of a later conversion from the original Gipsy engines, a modification that improved both performance and reliability. The engines have 896, 1,140, 1,654, and 864 hours since major overhaul, respectively, with compressions reported at 70 or better. All four propellers have 365 hours since overhaul. This aircraft has been converted to the DH-114-2X standard, replacing the original engines with American-built Lycoming units and three-blade, full-feathering Hartzell propellers. The change improves both performance and day-to-day reliability. The avionics fit is fairly straightforward, with a Trig VHF radio, ADS-B transponder, and a localizer with glideslope. In service, the aircraft cruises at around 170 knots and typically burns between 50 and 60 gallons of fuel per hour.
Early DH-114 Herons were originally limited to 15,000 hours on the wing spars, after which many were taken out of service. That changed in the 1970s when U.S. operator Swift Aire Lines introduced an FAA-approved life extension modification, known as a spar strap, developed by Winters Engineering. The modification was installed across its fleet, including N415SA, and increased the allowable airframe life to 30,000 hours. It remains recognized by the FAA, as well as the UK CAA and EASA, allowing the aircraft to continue operating within those limits. N415SA currently sits at around 20,000 hours total time.
The aircraft is configured to carry up to 15 passengers, along with a flight attendant and two pilots, and features large cabin windows. It is certificated at 11,499 pounds and can be operated by a single pilot without the need for a type rating. The aircraft is currently based in Sweden, where it is stored in a heated hangar and has undergone recent inspection and repair work. According to Platinum Fighter Sales, this particular Heron is believed to be the last flying example of the type. Originally delivered to Turkish Airlines in the 1950s, the aircraft later operated with regional carriers in the United States and Hawaii. Over its lifetime, it has crossed both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans twice.
In recent years, while based in Sweden, the aircraft has undergone a detailed inspection and repair program aimed at returning it to flight-ready condition. The work included bringing the airframe and engines into compliance with all applicable airworthiness directives and modifications. The aircraft has remained active since its construction in the United Kingdom in 1954. The aircraft is currently available through Platinum Fighter Sales for $269,000. For more information on this aircraft, click HERE.
