Flying the de Havilland Heron

This section details the flying characteristics of the de Havilland Heron model by Dee Waldron. He has in fact produced two models - the DH114-2B and DH-114 2D. Their difference is in the engines. A third type, the DH114-1, can be emulated by making the landing gear inoperable.

The history of the de Havilland Heron is interesting. It is surely the world's smallest four-engine airliner ever. But why? Well, following the immense success of the pre-war de Havilland Dragon Rapide, de Havilland produced a modern looking replacement under the name Dove. In looks it was a great advance, but in reality it was just window dressing - the same basic piston-engines with wooden propellers powered the aircraft. Perceived demand for slightly higher capacity brought about the Heron, with an extended fuselage and two extra engines of the same type.

But before you start, you need to shoe-horn yourself into the cockpit.

The cockpit

A picture at Airliners.net looking forward on a Prinair Heron. Handy that the co-pilot was so small!

This marvellous view of the cockpit of the preserved Jersey Airlines Heron must have been taken with an extremely powerful wide-angle lens. Compared with other photographs at Airliners.net, this cockpit looks far more original than many, although notice that it is not configured to be flown by the co-pilot as there are just radios where his dials and indicators would be. This is the photograph I based my panel on.

The controls

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There are no surprises to the controls if you are familiar with flying the default piston-engined aircrafts in Flight Simulator 2004. However, a personal dislike of icons dotted around the panel means that you need to know the hotspots to click the mouse on if you want to use the pop-up panel features. They are quite simple to use when you get the hang of things:

Hotspot Key combination Pop-up
Left-hand window pillar Shift - 2 Radios
Left-hand wiper motor boss Shift - 3 Autopilot
Right-hand wiper motor boss Shift - 4 RPM and Carburettor Heat
Centre window pillar Shift - 5 Magnetos

Almost every function on the panel can be made using the mouse, if you are so inclined.

We've defined three types of Heron that should all fly differently. Information about their flight characteristics seems contradictory at many internet sources, so a little bit of intuition has to be used. Curiously, nearly all available information applies to aircraft with retractable gear, so there is little to show how the Heron 1 flew.

What is listed below is based on a combination of researched information and how the model actually performs. It is not necessarily accurate or factual. However, I have seen it said that its performance as a type 2B is extremely accurate, which is certainly an excellent start.

General characteristics

Note that it appears that the RPM settings are two-position only on the real aircraft - Full or 1800.

The flaps are fierce, and the small aircraft will respond heavily. It is best to only use flaps on approach - at other times keep the speed up.

You have an autopilot to use if you wish, but be prepared for the aircraft to wallow badly if changing course.

I note that the engines run very hot during climb on the simulation. I do not know what the cooling arrangements were on the real aircraft.

De Havilland Heron 1

Stage RPM MP Knots Notes
TAKE-OFF FULL FULL 79 Flaps 20°
+10% (20 notches) trim
CLIMB FULL 23 110 600 fpm
CRUISE 1800 21 130 (TAS)  
DESCEND 1800 12 110 + 600 fpm
HOLDING FULL 17 110 No flaps
APPROACH FULL 13 95 Flaps stage 1 (20°)
APPROACH FULL 15½ 85 Flaps stage 2 (60°)
TOUCH DOWN     70-75  

All of the above figures may need adjusting slightly to suit your flight - they are based on a flight of about one hour departing with about 30% fuel.

De Havilland Heron 2B

Stage RPM MP Knots Notes
TAKE-OFF FULL FULL 79 Flaps 20°
+10% (20 notches) trim
CLIMB FULL 21-23 110 700 fpm
CRUISE 1800 21 160-166 (TAS)  
DESCEND 1800 12 130 + 700 fpm
HOLDING FULL 18 130 No flaps
APPROACH FULL 13 95 Flaps stage 1 (20°)
APPROACH FULL 15½ 85 Flaps stage 2 (60°)
TOUCH DOWN     70-75  

All of the above figures may need adjusting slightly to suit your flight - they are based on a flight of about one hour departing with about 30% fuel.

De Havilland Heron 2D

The 2D model, with more powerful engines, should perform quite differently. But it doesn't in the simulator, as the Flight Dynamics appear to be the same as the 2B.

For the moment, therefore, please use the reference for the 2B.

Other liveries

All other liveries for the Dee Waldron model are compatible with the Three Herons panel, although many distributed as the 2B model are really of the Mk 1 type with fixed undercarriage. They can be matched to the FDEs of my Mk1 Heron. Here is a chart showing all the genuine liveries I have come across. There are also a few ficticious liveries around.

Livery Author Notes Filename
Air Ivoire
F-AOPO
Tom Gibson/Mike Stevens Heron 1 ai2k45.zip (California Classic)
Allegheny Commuter
N14FB
Henry William Heron 2B alghero.zip (AVSIM)
All Nippon Airlines
JA6153*
Henry William Heron 1 anahero.zip (AVSIM)
Altair
VQ-CJS
Ismet Mustafic, Dee Waldron & Chris Evans Heron 1 heron_vh-cjs.zip (AVSIM)
BEA
G-ALZL
Henry William Heron 1 vsophero.zip (AVSIM)
BEA
G-ANXB
Henry William Heron 1 bea2her.zip (AVSIM)
(same livery as mine)
BEA Scottish
G-ANXB
Henry William Heron 1 beahero.zip (AVSIM)
Braathens SAFE
LN-NPI
Henry William Heron 2B braaohero.zip (AVSIM)
Braathens SAFE
LN-SUR
Henry William Heron 2B braanhero.zip (AVSIM)
British United Island Airways
G-ANWZ
Mike Stevens Heron 2 ai2k45.zip (California Classic)
Cambrian Airways
G-ANCI
Mike Stevens Heron 1B ai2k45.zip (California Classic)
Channel Airways
G-AXHF
Rolf Annen Heron 1 channelairheron.zip (AVSIM)
Dragon Airlines
G-ANYJ
Mike Stevens Heron 2 ai2k45.zip (California Classic)
Executive Air
G-AROS*
Mike Stevens Heron 2B? ai2k45.zip (California Classic)
Falcks Flyvetjeneste
OY-ADV
Tom Gibson Heron 2B ai2k45.zip (California Classic)
Fiji Airways
VQ-FAX
Tom Gibson/Mike Stevens Heron 1B ai2k45.zip (California Classic)
Ghana Airways
9G-AAA
unknown Heron 2D †
ai2k45.zip (California Classic)
Gulf Air
G-APKU
Mike Stevens Heron 1B ai2k45.zip (California Classic)
Hawaiian Air Transport Service
N16721
Henry William Heron 2B hatshero.zip (AVSIM)
Illini Airlines
N3999A*
Mike Stevens Heron 2A ai2k45.zip (California Classic)
Islands Air Dee Waldron Heron 2B
Cannot trace this aircraft - imaginary livery?
Dh114-2b.zip (Dee Waldron)
Itavia
I-AOZM
Henry William/Nikko Yaginuma Heron 1B ai2k45.zip (California Classic)
Jersey Airlines
G-AORG
Ismet Mustafic, Chris Evans Heron 2B g-aorg.zip (AVSIM)
Jersey Airlines
G-AORG
Carlos Marrero Heron 2B the_jersey_airlines.zip (AVSIM)
Jersey Airlines
G-AORG
Henry William Heron 2B jerhero.zip (AVSIM)
Japan Helicopter & Aeroplane Transport
JA6153*
Tom Gibson Heron 1B ai2k45.zip (California Classic)
Leeward Islands Air Transport
VP-LIA
Mike Stevens Heron2 ai2k45.zip (California Classic)
Martins Air Charter
PH-VLA
Mike Stevens Heron 2D † ai2k45.zip (California Classic)
Manx Airlines
G-AOZM
Mike Stevens Heron 1B ai2k45.zip (California Classic)
Mercury Airlines
G-AOZN
Mike Stevens Heron 1B ai2k45.zip (California Classic)
Metropolitan Air Movements
G-AOGU
Mike Stevens Heron 2D † ai2k45.zip (California Classic)
North-South Airtlines
G-ANCI
Mike Stevens Heron 1B ai2k45.zip (California Classic)
NZNAC
ZK-BBQ
Henry William Heron 1 ai2k45.zip (California Classic)
Prinair
N551PR
Carlos Marrero Heron 2D dh114_prinair.pr.zip (AVSIM)
Prinair
N551PR
Carlos Marrero and Thomas De Jesus Heron 2D depr.zip (AVSIM)
Prinair
N571PR
John D Heron 2D heron_114.zip (AVSIM)
Prinair
N571PR
John D. Mack Heron 2D heron2.zip (Flightsim)
Prinair
N571PR
Carlos Marrero and Thomas De Jesus Heron 2D heron3.zip (Flightsim)
Prinair
N575PR
Carlos Marrero Heron 2D dh114-heron_prinair2.zip (AVSIM)
Prinair
N575PR
Carlos Marrero Heron 2D heron3.zip (Flightsim)
Prinair
N581PR
Carlos Marrero Heron 2B pnr1142b.zip (Flightsim)
Prinair
N581PR
Carlos Marrero Heron 2B dh114-2b.zip (AVSIM)
prinair2.zip (Flightsim)
Prinair
N583PR
Carlos Marrero and Thomas De Jesus Heron 2D depr.zip (Flightsim)
Royal Air Force
VP965
Henry William Heron 2B rafbher.zip (AVSIM)
Royal Air Force Henry William Heron 2B rafhero.zip (AVSIM)
Royal Navy Henry William Heron 2B rnhero.zip (AVSIM)
Royal Navy
XR441
Jaap de Baare Heron 2B sea_heron.zip (AVSIM)
Shell Refining & Marketing
G-ANUO
Jaap de Baare Heron 2D
(modelled as 2B)
heron_shell.zip (AVSIM)
Sierra Leone Airways
9L-LAG
Tom Gibson Heron 1B ai2k45.zip (California Classic)
Silver City Airways
G-AOZM
Mike Stevens Heron 1B ai2k45.zip (California Classic)
Sudflug Süddeutsche Fluggeschaft
D-CASE
Henry William Heron 2B sudhero.zip (AVSIM)
Swift Aire
N412SA
? Heron 2D ?
Swift Aire
N1420Z
Dee Waldron Heron 2D Dh114-2d.zip (Dee Waldron)
TAG Airlines
N3999A*
Mike Stevens Heron 2A ai2k45.zip (California Classic)
Transpac
F-OANQ
Tom Gibson/Mike Stevens Heron 1B ai2k45.zip (California Classic)
Transportes Aereos da Guinea Portuguesa
CR-GAO
Mike Stevens Heron 2 ai2k45.zip (California Classic)
Transportes Aereos da India Portuguesa
CR-IAB
Mike Stevens Heron 2 ai2k45.zip (California Classic)
Transportes Aereos de TimorCR-TAI* Mike Stevens Heron 2D † ai2k45.zip (California Classic)
Transporters Aereos Sao Tome
CR-SAB
Mike Stevens Heron 2 ai2k45.zip (California Classic)
Turk Hava Yollari
TC-HIZ
Mike Stevens Heron 2B ai2k45.zip (California Classic)
UAT
F-OANS
Tom Gibson/Mike Stevens Heron 1 ai2k45.zip (California Classic)
West African Airways Corporation
VR-NAQ
Mike Stevens Heron 2 ai2k45.zip (California Classic)

Note that those shown at California Classic are part of a large AI package - to use them as flyable aircraft you will need to extract them manually.

* - aircraft has been painted with wrong registration
† - incorrectly uses 2B model

dDe
Heron Airlines Heron at Sydney Bankstown