The DHA-3 MK 2 Drover is a small transport aircraft built by de Havilland Australia (DHA). Design work began in 1946 to replace the widely used de Havilland Dragon biplane in Australia. The aircraft was developed from the two-engine British-built de Havilland Dove but was modified for the rugged Australian environment, notably featuring a trimotor configuration and a fixed tailwheel landing gear, differing from the Dove’s retractable nose gear.
De Havilland Australia manufactured the Drover between 1949 and 1953, with 20 units built. The DHA-3 MK 2 designation was applied to Mk. 1F aircraft that were modified with slotted flaps for improved take-off and landing performance. The type entered service with the Australian Department of Civil Aviation in 1949 and was heavily utilized by primary users like the Royal Flying Doctor Service, where the Mk 3 variant (often converted from the Mk 2) was configured for medical staff and stretcher patients.
Detailed maintenance across this aircraft requires specialized height access solutions. A range of platforms and stands, including the Reach Deck Platform, Modular Stepover Platforms, Super Trestle Scaffold, Ultraraise, and Easyraise, facilitate methodical servicing across all key sections. These products support essential access to the Nose Section (including the Windshield and Cockpit) and the Landing Gear. They also address maintenance needs in the Forward Fuselage (such as Cabin Access), the Middle Fuselage (like the Wing Box and Fuel Tanks), and the Tail Section (Empennage) for work on the Vertical and Horizontal Stabilizers.
