De Havilland BC DH.90 Dragonfly

The De Havilland BC DH.90 Dragonfly was a six passenger piston-engined passenger airliner or mail plane built by De Havilland British Columbia between 1937 and 1939, derived from the the DH.90 Dragonfly luxury touring biplane of DHBC's parent company, De Havilland Aircraft of the United Kingdom.

It is a derivative of the earlier DH.89 Dragon Rapide, somewhat smaller and with wings slightly swept back.

Design & development
The original British version, the DH.90A Dragonfly, was a four-passenger luxury touring biplane derived from the design of the DH.89 Dragon Rapide. When the Royal Mail of British Columbia expressed interest in a new, fast mailplane, DHBC adapted the DH.90 design for the air mail role. Designated the DH.90B Dragonfly, nearly half of the sixteen built were delivered to the Royal Mail; likewise without passenger accommodation other than four removable jump-seats were the four built for the Royal BC Constabulary. Four were built for airlines with accommodations for six passengers, and one was built as an executive transport for the BC Electric Company.

The British-made DH.90A was powered by two 130 hp De Havilland (UK) Gipsy Major I engines, but those built in British Columbia were powered by Hoffar Aero Engines' 165 hp HB-6A Dragon VI-M engine.

Operational history
''See also: DHBC DH.90 Dragonfly operators

Only four of the sixteen Dragonflies built were used in commercial service. All four eventually ended up with Pacific Western Airlines, with the last two being withdrawn in 1961. The Royal Mail operated them, including float-equipped ones, until 1973; the Royal BC Constabulary used their two landplane versions until 1977, whilst the two floatplanes remained in use until 1980 and 1982 respectively. The BC Hydro & Power Authority operated theirs until 1983.

The last flying example, owned by a private individual in Hope, made its last flight in 1994. It was officially struck from the register in 1997 and remained derelict at Hope Airport until it was scrapped in 2017.

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

Former

 * British Columbia
 * ★ B.C. Electric/B.C. Hydro & Power Authority: 1
 * Pacific Western Airlines: 4
 * Port Alberni Airways: 1
 * ★ Royal BC Constabulary: 5
 * ★ Royal Mail of BC: 7 (3 on floats)
 * ★ Skeena Air Transport: 3
 * Private owners: 1


 * Canada
 * Canadian Pacific Air Lines: 1
 * ★ Yukon Southern Air Transport: 1

Preserved

 * C131/1937, as VB-XCD in Royal BC Constabulary colours, at the BC Aviation Museum