D.H. HERON G-AORG – DUCHESS OF BRITTANY flew for twenty five minutes a few months ago out of Coventry. During the flight test, number one developed a vibration and had to be shut down. Absolutely no problem as we still had the other three running normally. Back at base we found one cylinder on number one had split and is undergoing replacement. It was easier to replace this one cylinder rather than completely refurbish one of our three time expired engines. Number one still has about three hundred hours left on it.
The only other original D.H.Heron in the world is/was N82D based in Oregon. Happy Miles who owned the aircraft sold it to the Colombians. Sadly the pilot who collected the aircraft on 1 November 2014, despite warnings, suffered a prop separation on number three which hit number four, leaving the two starboard engines out. The aircraft crash landed on Santa Cruz-Viru Viru runway, leaving it very broken, beyond repair. It is believed no money had changed hands!
This sad news means that G-AORG is the only original D.H. Heron left in the world, still flying.

G-AORG – JUST TO KEEP YOU ALL UP TO DATE. THE FLYING DUCHESS SHOULD BE OPERATIONAL IN 2014. OUR GREATEST PROBLEM HAPPENED IN 2012 WHEN DE HAVILLAND SUPPORT, AT DUXFORD, CLOSED DOWN AND WE WERE LEFT WITH NOBODY TO SUPPORT US. WITHOUT SUPPORT THE CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY WOULD NOT GIVE US A C OF A. WE HAVE, AT LAST, FOUND A COMPANY TO TAKE OVER AND ALL BEING WELL WE WILL BE BACK IN THE AIR VERY SOON. UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE SUFFERED TIME EXPIRATION ON THE WINGS AND PROPS WHICH WILL HAVE TO BE DEALT WITH AGAIN WITHOUT ANY FLYING! WILL NO DOUBT HAVE TO ‘PASS THE HAT’ AROUND THE OWNERS AGAIN!