I see no reason why the UK should not be proud of colonial history.

The aircraft was locally built for local conditions and being able to use some components and a lot of know how from the Dove made it happen when otherwise it may not have been possible at that time.

It should not be a case where only the superior or pretty get saved. It is workhorses like the Drover that much of history is truly built upon and the Flying Doctor Drover is like a BOAC VC 10, TWA Constellation or RAF Spitfire in that is an iconic operator/airframe combination.

If this was not in the UK it is unlikely one would ever come here. Well. it is her and is a part of history albeit indirect but worthy to should how a very successful light twin, Dove, formed the basis for a very successful adaption in the colonies.

Type census as Jan 2014

http://www.oldprops.ukhome.net/Drover%20Photographs.htm

Air UK F.27-100

Air Anglia were building the fleet at a time when the type was at it’s most popular and -200 were hard to get. So they bought two -100 to convert to -200

G-STAN was done but G-SPUD was found to be unsuitable and not done. It spent the remainder of it’s life as the owners sole -100

When Manx Airlines was formed by Air UK (as AA and BIA had become), and BMA, G-SPUD was sent as a part of the initial fleet becoming G-OMAN. Later, it re-joined the main Air UK fleet as G-BLFJ. Affectionately known as ‘Fruit Juice’ it was very popular with cabin crew as the lower powered Darts were quieter than the rest of the fleet.

It was cancelled withdrawn from use 6th January 1997

It’s not marked On His Majesty’s secret Service

The Secret is handwritten as a separate entity

Ryanair my well use 180/200 seat TP if they were available.

Where the TP is supreme is on medium/ shorter sectors.

Most intercity flights in Europe could be by TP.

If Ryanair did use huge TP, there would be an almighty backlash, but, yes, they would still outsell at the same levels.

Image has been a problem, but I don’t really know, or, at least, I’m not convinced that it was not more of the airline perceiving something that was not really as big an issue as they made out, or perhaps an excuse for operating something they preferred even at extra cost. Flybe seems to be moving away from the Embraer’s and back to the Dashes in part.

If it were about economics most of the e jets would be gone an flown by TP

The problem is selling the image to the public.

The Vanguard for example enabled BEA to cut fares and was phenomenally fuel efficient in it’s day, but the pax wanted jets and so the Comet and Trident were the main force losing money hand over fist.

OK, different conditions and figures today, but, the Jet versus TP is still that same problem now as it was then.

TP are considered old fashioned and Jets New

The DC 9 did have the ventral airstairs at first but later they tended to be built without.

http://www.abpic.co.uk/images/images/1137832M.jpg

Not all One-Elevens had the stairs. Braniff new builds did not and some execs were built without

The stairs were not pioneered by the Caravelle. AFAIK the first was the Martin 202

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/photos/0/4/9/0115940.jpg