First new-built Twin Otter since 22 years...

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Stratofreighter
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First new-built Twin Otter since 22 years...

Post by Stratofreighter »

...should make her first flight somewhere this February! "Entirely new-built" that is... :wink:
http://www.timescolonist.com/business/T ... story.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
First Twin Otter built in 22 years ready for first official test flight

Viking Air confirms first test flight for its dependable workhorse

February 12, 2010

The first Twin Otter aircraft built in 22 years will get wind under its wings sometime next week.

Viking Air, the Victoria-based company that has resurrected the rugged de Havilland plane, confirmed the first official test flight will take place in the skies over Calgary -- although the time, day and other details of the flight plan are a closely guarded secret.

Viking hopes to earn certification from Transport Canada and the European Aviation Safety Agency in about 90 days and start delivering the 19-seat Twin Otters later this year.

Viking flew a prototype version of the new Twin Otter over the Saanich Peninsula in October 2008 to test the engines, avionics and landing gear. Next week's flight, however, marks a more significant aviation milestone because the aircraft is entirely new, with more than 200 modifications from the original.

Each of the new planes is worth about $4 million. Viking has bookings for more than 40 of the aircraft -- almost all to overseas customers -- creating a manufacturing backlog to the end of 2012 or early 2013, said Murray.

Viking plans to build 12 to 18 of the aircraft over the next two years and then assess production schedules based on orders.

Murray said 10 of the DHC-6 Series 400 planes are in the final stages of assembly at the company's Calgary plant, while the development of components for other planes continues daily at Viking's 11,000-square-metre facility at Victoria International Airport

The first order is for Swiss-based Zimax Aviation, which is using the plane for oil and gas exploration in Angola. Air Seychelles has the next two, followed by five planes ordered by Trans Maldivian Airlines, and then one for the air force of the United Arab Emirates.

The most recent orders in October were from Russia and Libya. Moscow-based Vityaz Avia Corp., which has agreed to purchase two of the planes configured for commuter service, will be the first Twin Otter operator in Russia. Petro Air, which serves the oil and gas industry in Libya, also ordered a Series 400 Twin Otter to go with their fleet of nine legacy Twin Otters.

A report by the BBC, quoting The Straits Times website, said Vietnam had reached agreement to buy three amphibious Twin Otters from Viking for use by its navy in maritime patrols. The news agency said the planes will be equipped with radar and likely support a fleet of six Russian-made Kilo-class submarines, a sale the Vietnamese finalized with Moscow in December. The website said the Twin Otter deliveries were due to start in 12 to 18 months.

Another company, Logan Air, which flies passengers between Scotland and beach runways on the Hebrides island of Barra, said it may cancel the service because of its aging Twin Otter fleet.

Logan Air told the newspaper Scotland On Sunday that even if it placed an order with Viking Air immediately, it would not be able to secure any new planes until 2015.

Viking acquired the rights to de Havilland's heritage brands of planes -- DHC-1 through DHC-7 but better known by names like the Otter, Beaver, Caribou and Buffalo -- in 2006 from Bombardier.

Viking has indicated to the federal government that it can replace the current Buffalo fleet of rescue aircraft for half the cost of the proposed Italian-designed plane, the C27J, built in a U.S. plant. Although Ottawa appears to be re-evaluating its requirements, Viking is currently focused on the Twin Otter.
November 2024 update at FokkerNews.nl....
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Re: First new-built Twin Otter since 22 years...

Post by CURAviation »

Nice to see the Twin Otter coming with a new generation model and flying soon. I hope to see this new generation variant in the Caribbean as well some.

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Re: First new-built Twin Otter since 22 years...

Post by Sowald »

Not the best picture, since it was taken when the sun was starting to go down.
But it is a pic of one of the new Twotters.
Taken in front of the Viking hangar in Calgary.
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Re: First new-built Twin Otter since 22 years...

Post by Stratofreighter »

And it has flown last Tuesday! :D
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/20 ... ortie.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
DATE:17/02/10

SOURCE:Air Transport Intelligence news

Twin Otter Series 400 completes maiden sortie

By Mary Kirby

Twenty-two years after de Havilland Canada ended production of the Twin Otter turboprop, the first new-build model, Viking Air's DHC-6 Series 400, has successfully completed its maiden sortie.

The twin-engined aircraft, bearing serial number MSN 845, took its initial flight on 16 February from Viking's final assembly facility in Calgary, Alberta and "performed exactly as expected", says Viking manager of flight operations Steve Stackhouse, who piloted the aircraft along with Viking president and CEO David Curtis.

The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34-powered aircraft has been registered in Canada as C-FMJO in honor of Michael J Orr, a former Viking board member, who was an avid supporter of the plan to re-start Twin Otter production.

Orr passed away on 10 October 2006. "In keeping with Viking tradition of naming aircraft, 'Mikey' has been fondly added to the nose of MSN 845," says Viking.

Canadian certification of the Series 400 is imminent and deliveries to customers will begin "shortly", says the firm.

Launch customer Zimex Aviation of Switzerland will receive the first production aircraft, which is configured with a commuter interior and will be used throughout North Africa servicing the oil and gas industry.

Other non-military customers for the Series 400 include Trans Maldivian Airways, Air Seychelles, Petro Air, Avwest, Loch Ard, Maldivian Air Taxi, Air Loyaute, Air Moorea, Harbour Air Malta, and Vityaz.

Viking says the first ten serial numbered aircraft are at various stages of final assembly, and production "is gearing up to reach a steady build rate of one-and-a-half aircraft every four weeks".

The most notable of changes to the original design is the incorporation of the fully integrated Honeywell Primus Apex digital avionics suite and the P&W PT6A-34 engines.
November 2024 update at FokkerNews.nl....
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