New Otter Flys

[DBCOOPER 5]

Plagiarized from the AOPA web site.



New production Twin Otter in the air
By Alton K. Marsh

With Transport Canada certification nearing, the first new-production DHC-6 Series 400 Twin Otter has taken its initial flight from Viking’s final assembly facility in Calgary, Alberta.

It is the first new production Twin Otter since de Havilland Canada ended production in 1988. Sold to launch customer Zimex Aviation of Switzerland, the first Twin Otter is equipped with Honeywell’s Apex IFR digital flight deck. The aircraft is to be used throughout North Africa servicing the oil and gas industry.

“This is a significant milestone, not only for Viking and our entire team, but also for our many customers,” commented company official David Curtis. “Flying the first new Twin Otter in 22 years is the culmination of many months of hard work and determination by our staff and supply chain partners.”

The first production aircraft has registration number C-FMJO in honor of Michael J. Orr, a former member of Viking’s board of directors. Orr was a strong supporter of the plan to re-start Twin Otter production. He died in 2006. In keeping with Viking tradition of naming aircraft, “Mikey” has been fondly added to the nose. Several of Orr’s family attended the first flight.

Viking announced the production relaunch of a modernized Twin Otter in March of 2007 with the introduction of the DHC-6 Series 400 model. It features a modernized flight deck and added safety systems. The main change is the addition of the Honeywell Primus Apex digital avionics suite, and Pratt and Whitney PT6A-34 turbines.

February 18, 2010

Replying to: Re: Stall On Jump Run Emergency Procedure? by billvon

If the plane is unrecoverable then exiting is a very very good idea.

[Anvilbrother 0]

Sweet!. When I first heard they were going to do the -400 series I contacted Viking and told them how much we skydivers love otters, and they even sent me 2 hats with a twin otter and their name on it!

Postes r made from an iPad or iPhone. Spelling and gramhair mistakes guaranteed move along,

[pirana 0]

So any of the aircraft buffs out there know how this new version of the Otter stacks up against a PAC fuel efficiency-wise? Will it still burn twice as much fuel as a PAC to get to altitude?

" . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

[CygnusX-1 43]

The first new otter off the production line and it's not even used for skydiving? PTTTH, let us know when the first one is sold to a DZ. Now that will be news.

[BillyVance 34]

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The first new otter off the production line and it's not even used for skydiving? PTTTH, let us know when the first one is sold to a DZ. Now that will be news.

They are going to be quite expensive brand new.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[NovaTTT 2]

"Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

[PhreeZone 20]

The Golden Knights have 1 or 2 of them on order.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[BillyVance 34]

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The Golden Knights have 1 or 2 of them on order.

Of course they do, courtesy of our tax dollars.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[totter 2]

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let us know when the first one is sold to a DZ

Being that the standard, no bells & whistles, -400 starts at 2.5 million I doubt that there will be any DZ operators buying one in the near future. Other than the G. Knights.

Of course it will burn more fuel than the PAC, simple math. 1 < 2. But, it does come standard with -34s and I believe that you are able to pull 60 psi of torque on take-off and 65 psi once the props are pulled back.
It will climb like a raped ape and with 5 more jumpers sitting much more comfortably

[tdog 0]

I wonder how many of the parts will work on the old otters - meaning, can DZs now buy parts, perhaps cheaper, because they are in production????

[vpjr 18]

Nearly all the parts will be the same rivet for rivet. Just building new ones since production stopped in the 80s. They state some lighter composite parts, avionics, -34s.

[riggerrob 643]

Viking has been building PMA parts for many years now.
By the time they finish overhauling a DeHavilland airplane (Beaver, single Otter, Twin Otter, etc.) that has been flying off of salt water, it is less than half original by weight.
With so many PMA parts available, after a whiel it makes more sense to build new airplanes from scratch.

[BrianM 1]

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Sweet!. When I first heard they were going to do the -400 series I contacted Viking and told them how much we skydivers love otters, and they even sent me 2 hats with a twin otter and their name on it!

The Victoria, BC Viking facility is right beside our DZ, and a few of the local jumpers work there. They already know how much jumpers like the Otter!

"It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

[INSANEDADDY 0]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2vwMg8Q7uw

You dont't get to choose how you're going to die. Or when.......You can only decide how you're going to live........NOW.
-BASE 1605 Night BASE 227

[BrianM 1]

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2vwMg8Q7uw

That's the plane that our jump plane taxies past all the time. A real beauty! Not one of the new ones, by the way, it's one of the DHC ones that has been upgraded.

"It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

[pchapman 279]

Anyone know more about improvements to the Otter?
What I've seen or what's at Viking's page is a bit limited.

Sure there's the glass cockpit, cool for pilots and saving weight.

Maybe better composite and plastic panels?

But is there anything new for owners and maintainers? Any annoying AD's cleared up? Better component life? Maintenance headaches reduced? Safety improvements?

This is the type of stuff one doesn't typically know as a skydiver.

[jumpoutnow 0]

I would like to see the overall condition of a PAC after having the amount of time a Twin Otter has endured.

Many of the Twin Otters have 30,000+ flight hours.

I know of one that has 52,000+ flight hours and it flies great.

I don't think a Twin Otter can be beat!!

People are crazy. Cuz there's more of 'em.

[Andrewwhyte 1]

No question the otter is more robust. That doesn't change the fact that you need to pay the carrying cost for your capital every year.

[ZigZagMarquis 9]

I think its cool that the Otter is back in production, but I'd guess it will be a long time before any of these new ones show up at a DZ near you... unless its one of the new ones the Knights are getting.

I saw an article recently too on this and was a bit disappointed to see the low numbers of orders Viking has for new Otters. I hope it picks up a bunch.

Also, if and when some of these new birds show up at dropzones, I wonder how the maintainability of all that expensive glass cockpit stuff will work out for your average dropzone owner? For that matter, I wonder how that will go for new Otters operating in the bush? One of those electronic gizmo's takes a dump on you and then what do you got? I hope they've considered that and have some redundancy?

[BrianM 1]

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I saw an article recently too on this and was a bit disappointed to see the low numbers of orders Viking has for new Otters. I hope it picks up a bunch

They've already sold more than they expected to - and a lot more than the conservative number their business case was based on. I hope they continue to sell lots, of course, but so far they are doing quite well.

"It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

[ZigZagMarquis 9]

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I saw an article recently too on this and was a bit disappointed to see the low numbers of orders Viking has for new Otters. I hope it picks up a bunch

They've already sold more than they expected to - and a lot more than the conservative number their business case was based on. I hope they continue to sell lots, of course, but so far they are doing quite well.

Geeze? What was their business case? I don't have the article handy I ready, but want to say they had orders for less than 10 new Otters?

[BrianM 1]

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Geeze? What was their business case? I don't have the article handy I ready, but want to say they had orders for less than 10 new Otters?

Last I heard they had orders for more than 40, and that was several months ago.

"It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

[ZigZagMarquis 9]

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Quote

Geeze? What was their business case? I don't have the article handy I ready, but want to say they had orders for less than 10 new Otters?

Last I heard they had orders for more than 40, and that was several months ago.

That sounds much better.

I must have gotten some bad gouge.