De Havilland BC DH.89 Dragon Rapide

The De Havilland BC DH.89 Dragon Rapide was an eight passenger piston-engined passenger airliner built by De Havilland British Columbia between 1935 and 1946 based on the DH.89 Dragon Rapide type of DHBC's parent company, De Havilland Aircraft of the United Kingdom.

The Dragon Rapide was the first commercial aircraft built by DHBC to be exported outside of the British Empire, with examples sold to Colombia, Mexico, and the United States.

Both civilian and military variants were produced in BC.

Design & development
To differentiate it from those built in the UK, the British Columbian-built aircraft were designated DH.89C Dragon Rapide. In most respects the they were the same as the British version, but were powered by Hoffar Aero Engines' HIL-6A Hawkmoth-6 engine producing 210 hp.

Operational history
See also: DHBC DH.89 Dragon Rapide operators

Operators
Operators who took delivery of aircraft new from the factory are marked with a star (★).

Current

 * British Columbia
 * Royal BC Legion: 1 (Dominie)


 * United States
 * Private owners: 2 (Dragon Rapide) - one undergoing restoration, to fly 2023

Former

 * British Columbia
 * Air British Columbia: 5 (Dragon Rapide)
 * ★ BC Government Air Service: 8 (Dragon Rapide)
 * Canadian Pacific Air Lines: 8 (Dragon Rapide)
 * ★ Central BC Airways: 2 (Dragon Rapide)
 * ★ Ginger Coote Airways: 5 (Dragon Rapide)
 * Haida Air Charter: 1 (Dragon Rapide)
 * ★ Kootenay Airways: 1 (Dragon Rapide)
 * ★ Mackenzie Air Services: 2 (Dragon Rapide)
 * ★ Northern Air Lines: 5 (Dragon Rapide)
 * ★ Pacific Coastal Airlines: 3 (Dragon Rapide)
 * Pacific Western Airlines: 10 (Dragon Rapide)
 * ★ Peace Airways: 1 (Dragon Rapide)
 * ★ Port Alberni Airways: 1 (Dragon Rapide)
 * ★ Queen Charlotte Airlines: 4 (Dragon Rapide)
 * ★ Royal BC Air Force: 32 (Dominie)
 * ★ Royal BC Constabulary: 4 (Dragon Rapide)
 * ★ Vancouver Island Air Service: 2 (Dragon Rapide)
 * ★ West Coast Air Services: 5 (Dragon Rapide)
 * ★ Private owners: 3 (Dragon Rapide)


 * Canada
 * ★ Eldorado Radium Silver Express: 1 (Dragon Rapide)


 * Colombia
 * Avianca: 4 (Dragon Rapide)
 * ★ Servicio Aéreo Colombiano: 4 (Dragon Rapide)


 * Mexico
 * ★ Mexicana de Aviación: 3 (Dragon Rapide)


 * United States
 * ★ Inland Empire Airways: 1 (Dragon Rapide)
 * ★ Pacific Alaska Airways: 2 (Dragon Rapide)
 * Pan American World Airways: 2 (Dragon Rapide)
 * Private owners: 2 (Dragon Rapide, Dominie)

Preserved

 * Dragon Rapide C123/1937, wreckage of CF-AWR of Eldorado Radium Silver Express, stored at the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada in Winnipeg, Manitoba, for future restoration
 * Dominie C127/1937, as N36436 in civilian colours, preserved at the Aviation Museum of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
 * Dragon Rapide C132/1938, as VB-KOA in Kootenay Airways livery, preserved at Cranbrook–BC Rockies International Airport, Cranbrook
 * Dragon Rapide C133/1938, as HK-174 in Servicio Aéreo Colombiano livery, preserved at Medellín Airport, Colombia
 * Dragon Rapide C190/1941, as VB-XCN in Royal BC Constabulary livery, preserved at RBCC Museum, Chilliwack

DH.89D Dominie
Between 1935 and 1938, 32 Dragon Rapides were delivered to the Royal BC Air Force. These were essentially identical to the civilian version, but were designated DH.89D Dominie by the factory. Initially numbered H60 through H91, the RBCAF designated them '''Dominie Mk. I''' and used them in the utility transport and liaison roles, assigned to the 101 and 102 Squadrons. After the outbreak of the Second World War, fourteen were modified for use in the training of navigators and radio operators for bombers and assigned to the Advanced Flying School at RBCAF Prince George. With the introduction of a new serial numbering system in June 1942, the utility variant became the '''Dominie U Mk. I numbered BC64036 through BC64053, whilst the trainer variant became the Dominie T Mk. I''' numbered BC42070 through BC42083. The last of the trainers were retired in 1957, and the utility lasted until 1960. The last one retired was donated to the Royal BC Legion, which has kept it airworthy to the present day.

Accidents & incidents

 * 11 February 1942: RBCAF Dominie Mk. I H79 (c/n C117/1937) landed short of the runway at Creston. The left main gear strut broke and the aircraft slid onto the runway, and was written off.


 * 21 April 1943: Vancouver Island Air Service Dragon Rapide VB-VEB (c/n C74/1935), operating as Flight 17 from Powell River to Port Hardy, crashed on take-off after losing power in the starboard engine. The plane was somewhat overloaded, which resulted in the power from the remaining engine insufficient, and the aircraft stalled at an altitude of 120 feet and crashed. All six aboard were killed.


 * 24 January 1947: Eldorado Radium Silver Express Dragon Rapide CF-AWR (c/n C122/1937), while carrying a shipment of uranium concentrate from Port Radium, Northwest Territories, Canada to Port Hope, Ontario, made an emergency landing in northern Ontario after running out of fuel. The aircraft was damaged beyond economical repair. The cargo, engines, and various parts were salvaged, and the remainder was abandoned.


 * 19 November 1954: Canadian Pacific Air Lines Dragon Rapide VB-GCA (c/n C103/1936), returning to Vancouver after a period working under contract to a work camp north of New Aiyansh, flipped over on landing in heavy snow at Quesnel and was written off.