Twin Otter Back in Production

[BLR]

Viking restarts Twin Otter production
By Kate Sarsfield

The heritage de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter is making a comeback after two decades, following a decision by Canada’s Viking Air, which owns the type certificates for seven de Havilland heritage aircraft, to restart production.

The first aircraft in this latest generation of Twin Otters dubbed the Series 400, is scheduled to enter service in late 2008.

Victoria, British Columbia-based Viking says it may restart production of the single engine DHC-3 Otter and possibly the DHC-2 Beaver following strong market demand for both aircraft.

“Our decision to restart production of the Twin Otter is based on three elements”, says David Curtis, president and chief executive of Viking Air. Having a large enough order book, board and shareholder approval and finally securing research and development (R&D) funding from the Canadian government. “We have two out of three so far and we are confident the federal government will approve the R&D funding the next 30 days,” says Curtis.

Viking had set a figure of around 12 orders as a benchmark to restarting production, Curtis says but the company has secured 27 orders and options already, half for seaplane configured Twin Otters. “Global demand for the [13-19 seat] Twin Otter has proved phenomenal,” Curtis says. “This is a very popular aircraft globally as there is no comparable model available on the market.”

A total of 844 turboprop Twin Otters were manufactured in DHC's Downsview, Toronto factory between 1965 and 1988, and more than 600 are in operation worldwide.

The Series 400 will have more powerful Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34/35 turboprops, advanced materials such as a modern composite nose section and a glass cockpit.

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2007/04/02/212989/viking-restarts-twin-otter-production.html

More info on their website.
http://www.vikingair.com/

[daveymac82c]

That's absolutely awesome. I imagine that the Twin Otter will fetch the multiple millions of dollars.

I'll be glad to see those planes increasing in numbers soon!

Thanks for the post,

Brian

[CH2Tdriver]

I have 500 hours of Tw'otter time in my log book from my commuter days. That was a fun airplane! I'd love to have the chance to fly one again.

Pete

[RMAllnutt]

This is great news. I have just returned from Alaska, and there were more DHC Beavers there than you could shake a stick at... my guess is the Beaver will go back into production as well! There is nothing to beat such well built, effective... not to mention attractive aircraft types such as these.

Cheers,
Richard

[k5083]

That really is nice to hear. I've got to get to Alaska some day; I promise you there cannot be more Beavers than I can point a camera at. I suppose that the warbird careers of Beavers and Otters are still mostly ahead of them as so many are still working aircraft. Good to know they will be in the skies for many more years.

August

[T33driver]

I promise you there cannot be more Beavers than I can point a camera at.

August

I couldn't agree more.

[Eric Friedebach]

There used to be a Beaver sitting at Geauga County Airport in Ohio. The Sherriff’ Department acquired it from the GSA. I never saw it fly, but by the mid 80s it was gone.

Take a look in T-A-P to see what they’re going for now…

I spent about 6000 hrs in the mighty "Twotter" and everytime one taxies past me now in the Herc I still stare long and hard. Of course, every other one that taxis past me in Yellowknife is one I used to fly so it's like watching some youngin' dating your ex. (sigh...) What a great ship. I'd just love to go fly skis for a weekend again. Being a 26 year old Twin Otter skipper was a great life!

(and the gunship version qualifies it for being a warbird!)

[BLR]

Wasn't it a Twin Otter from Ken Borek Air that rescued that sick scientist from the south pole a few years back? They used it because the Herc couldn't handle the severe cold temperatures.

Also, makes me wonder if the Canadian government will look at the series 400 as a replacement for the Armed Forces CC-138 Twin Otters? There's been talk for some time about replacing them but there seems to be a problem finding a suitable replacement.

For more info on the CC-138, see http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/equip/ ... ntro_e.asp

Dan are you flying a civy Herc or a DND one?

Brian....

[k5083]

Hey, here's a thought. Since the Snowbirds need new equipment and everyone would prefer that they operate a Canadian product, how about reequipping them with new-build Twotters or, better yet, Beavers.

August

[Forgotten Field]

So the important question is, for those of us who have a fetish for the military versions, when will the price drop on the old ones enough to own one without paying B-25 prices for them?

Wasn't it a Twin Otter from Ken Borek Air that rescued that sick scientist from the south pole a few years back? They used it because the Herc couldn't handle the severe cold temperatures.

Also, makes me wonder if the Canadian government will look at the series 400 as a replacement for the Armed Forces CC-138 Twin Otters? There's been talk for some time about replacing them but there seems to be a problem finding a suitable replacement.

Dan are you flying a civy Herc or a DND one?

Brian.... ]

It was a Twin Otter that went to the south pole. The guy flying it (Sean Loutitt - their chief pilot) did a fabulous job. Sean is kinda responsible for getting me in this business (we went to high school together) and that was one heck of a feat of aviating. Given the choice between an 'Otter and a Herc I'd have chosen the former too as that would have been some seriously cold trip and the DHC-6 shrugs stuff like that off pretty casually.


The Twin in this picture is one of the three that got surplused out of the CC-138 fleet. This one is CC-138 #806, now registered C-FTXQ. It was a nice airplane when I flew it, straight as a die and handled like it was on rails when you were slowed down and doing STOL work. It never had been "bent" like some of the other ones I'd flown.

Brian we have two Hercs, both L382-30's (the "Super Stretch" some call it). Basically they are C-130H-30's without paradoors. "Hercrat" who frequents this board is up north working right now and I think I go up to relieve him later this week.

Dan

So the important question is, for those of us who have a fetish for the military versions, when will the price drop on the old ones enough to own one without paying B-25 prices for them?

The nice thing about that is that once you get used to shelling out the $$$ to feed the Otter you won't even notice the fuel costs for your BT!

[daveymac82c]

Hey,

Brian, on the note of the CF replacing their Twin Otters with new Twin Otters, why can't Viking make up some new Buffalos to replace the old ones. Nothing, absolutely nothing, can replace a Buffalo for Search and Rescue Operations in British Columbia. I'm kind of affraid of what we will be getting.

Plus thems Buffs have those darn cute puppydowg noses.

Cheers,

David

[BLR]

It was a Twin Otter that went to the south pole. The guy flying it (Sean Loutitt - their chief pilot) did a fabulous job. Sean is kinda responsible for getting me in this business (we went to high school together) and that was one heck of a feat of aviating. Given the choice between an 'Otter and a Herc I'd have chosen the former too as that would have been some seriously cold trip and the DHC-6 shrugs stuff like that off pretty casually.

That was a pretty impressive feat for the crew and aircraft. For anyone interested, I found this article at http://www.usatoday.com/weather/resourc ... rescue.htm and http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2001/05/03 ... 10503.html. One thing I wasn't clear on, did they fly from their base in Alberta to the Ant-Arctic or was the aircraft based closer in South America?

The Twin in this picture is one of the three that got surplused out of the CC-138 fleet. This one is CC-138 #806, now registered C-FTXQ. It was a nice airplane when I flew it, straight as a die and handled like it was on rails when you were slowed down and doing STOL work. It never had been "bent" like some of the other ones I'd flown.

An ex-440 Squadron machine. If you look closely, you can see the air force markings on the aircraft. The current yellow and black looks kinda Air Spray(ish).

Brian we have two Hercs, both L382-30's (the "Super Stretch" some call it). Basically they are C-130H-30's without paradoors. "Hercrat" who frequents this board is up north working right now and I think I go up to relieve him later this week.

Nice ride. I'm not that familair with the Herc, is the L382 manufactured as a civilian version of the Herc or is it a remanufactured ex-military aircraft? Does the company you work for operate the Herc off skis?

Thanks much for the photos and info Dan, much appreciated.

Brian, on the note of the CF replacing their Twin Otters with new Twin Otters, why can't Viking make up some new Buffalos to replace the old ones. Nothing, absolutely nothing, can replace a Buffalo for Search and Rescue Operations in British Columbia. I'm kind of affraid of what we will be getting.

At one time there was talk of Hercs replacing the Buffalos here on the west coast, one of the reasons it fell through was because the Hercs weren't suitable for SAR in the mountains. As for the replacements for the Buffs, this is what read is the front runner http://www.c-27j.ca

I guess starting up production of the Buffs is possible if they got the orders and could convince shareholders its a good idea. I wonder if Bombardier ever considered a version of the Dash 8 that was similar in configuration to the Buff? Maybe they could call it the Moose! (not to be confused with the Murphy Moose)

All the best,

Brian....