Saunders Aircraft ST-27 Serial # 14095 / ST27/009 C-GCML

Saunders Aircraft ST-27-100  # 009 C-GCML started out as a De Havilland Heron DH114 serial # 14095.
This Heron 14095 was manufactured in 1955-1956 and was registered to Vickers Armstrong in the UK on February 2, 1956 as G-AOGW. In 1960 Vickers Armstrong became the British Aircraft Corporation.

De Havilland Heron 14095 G-AOGW 1964 by Dave Welch

UK CAA registry for De Havilland Heron 14095 G-AOGW

De Havilland Heron 14095 G-AOGW , July 1972  post by Chris England

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De Havilland Heron 14095 G-AOGW , July 1972  post by Chris England

The UK branch of Saunders Aircraft Corporation Canada acquired De Havilland Heron 14095 in 1972, was we believe this Heron flown to Gimli, Manitoba, Canada in 1973?

page 2 - UK CAA registry for De Havilland Heron 14095 G-AOGW

The conversion of Heron 14095 in a Saunders Aircraft ST-27 009 was completed in May 1974.

photo of Saunders Aircraft ST-27 data plate 14095ST27/009 courtesy of the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre

A big thank-you to Alan Lukala of the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre for sending these scans of ST-27's 14095/ST 27/009 log book. 

scan of Saunders Aircraft ST-27 14095ST27/009 log book courtesy of the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre

To follow the history of Saunders Aircraft ST-27 009 we use Joop Gerritsma's Saunders Aircraft article in the Canadian Aviation Historical Society winter 1979   to provide us an outline of the air operators that operated ST-27 14095/ST27-009.



Upon completion of the ST-27 conversion, ST-27 009 was leased to  Skywest Airlines  of Manitoba / Saskatchewan in the registration mark of C-GCML. Skywest was to lease two ST-27's, 002 and 009, for their air operation, however this government run airline did not get off the ground.

Saunders ST-27 009 in Skywest colours - photo via Martin Wienert

After the lease with Skywest Airlines fell apart because of government bureaucracy, ST-27 009 was leased in 1976 to Patricia Air Transport out of Sioux Lookout, Ontario,  and later in 1977, ST-27 009 was leased to St. Andrews Airways.

Saunders ST-27 CF-LOL in St. Andrews Airway colours, we think ST-27  009 C-GCML would have been in the same paint scheme - photo found on the internet, credit to ?

In 1978 Saunders ST-27 009 C-GCML was leased to Otonabee Airways, and then later was bought by Air Otonabee in 1979 in the Saunders Aircraft bankruptcy sale.

Saunders ST-27 CF-CNT in Otonabee Airways colours, we think ST-27 009 C-GCML would have been in the same paint scheme - photo on the internet.

In 1979 Saunders ST-27 009 was leased by Otonabee Airways  to Northward Aviation based in Whitehorse, Yukon.

Northward Aviation hangar, Whitehorse YK Star photo 1979-06-28

 After Northward Aviation went bankrupt in 1980, ST-27 009 was returned to Otonabee Airways and put into storage. In 1982 the aircraft was sold to Voyageur Airways operating out of North Bay Ontario.

ST-27 009 C.GCML with Voyager Airway, photo by Chet Eleveld

ST-27 009 C-GCML ~1985 at North Bay, photo by Steen Jensen

a page from Steen Jensen's log book, showing trips piloting  ST -27 009 C-GCML, photo by Steen Jensen

Joop Gerristma shows ST-009 C-GMML was retired in 1990 with 8913.6 hours on the airframe and were put into storage.

In 1994 Voyageur Airways donated Saunders Aircraft ST-27 009  C-GCML to the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, where ST-27 009 is now on public display.