Peace bird makes final flight to become new teaching tool
LONDON, ONT They call it a “peace bird” and it’s seen a lot of action in 30 years and 25,000 flights, including war zones such as Afghanistan.
But on Monday, the de Havilland Dash 7 landed for the final time at London International Airport to become a teaching tool for Fanshawe aviation students.
The Dash 7 was donated to the Norton Wolf School of Aviation by Trans Capital Air Ltd., a Torontobased company that does charter flights for United Nations peacekeeping and relief missions.
The Dash 7 (technically a DHC7) was assembled in 1985, one of only 113 built by de Havilland before it moved on to the betterknown Dash 8. Its short takeoff and landing capability made it useful for remote locations.
“It’s a showcase of Canadian technology perfectly suited for the Canadian bush airfields and similar airfields around the world,” said Trans Capital Air CEO Antoine Pappalardo.
The plane donated to Fanshawe was purchased in 1987 by a Colombian coal company and used as a corporate aircraft for 20 years.
In 2006 Trans Capital Air bought the plane to use in its overseas UN missions. For three years it was based in Kabul, Afghanistan, and used to transport election monitors, aid workers and civilian police. It was also used for medical and evacuation missions.
After returning for some maintenance in Toronto, it was moved to Monrovia, Liberia, for a similar peacekeeping mission.
“This aircraft has done a lot of loving and had a lot of loving from the men and women who flew and maintained it,” said Pappalardo.
The interior cabin of the plane and the cockpit shows the wear and tear of thousands of flights.
But it’s a treasure to Fanshawe aviation maintenance students like Kat Wheatcroft.
“We have heard rumours since December. I can’t wait to get my hands on it,” said Wheatcroft.
The Dash 7 becomes the 19th aircraft and the second-largest in the school’s collection after a Boeing 727 that was donated in 2015. The smallest are two-seater aircraft and helicopters.
The aircraft are used by 240 avionics and maintenance students who take them apart, replacing and refurbishing components in classroom exercises.
Stephen Patterson, director of Fanshawe’s flight school, said the donation gives students experience on a classic Canadian aircraft.
“It’s one of the best known airplanes in Canada — a real workhorse, and this one has a cool history,” said Patterson.