In 1946 the de Havilland Canada company surveyed 80 veteran Canadian bush pilots to advise on specifications of a future utility transport for use in Northern and Arctic conditions. Punch provided input ranging from recommending an all-metal airframe, and the location of the battery removal hatch to providing doors on both sides of the fuselage for ease of docking. After consultation with company executives, Dickins joined the de Havilland Aircraft Company as a consultant. His expertise was called upon as the postwar design of the Chipmunk trainer came into fruition as a production aircraft. In 1947, as Director of Sales of de Havilland Canada, Punch was instrumental in launching the Beaver bushplane.