Aircraft / de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter

Apr 27, 2024
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de Havilland DHC-6-300 Twin Otter in Atlantic Canada Airlines livery, shown in side view.

The de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter is a twin-engine STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) utility aircraft developed by De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited, which was originally headquartered in Downsview, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The company’s head office was later moved to Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

de Havilland DHC-6-300 Twin Otter in Jersey European Airways livery, shown in sideview while parked on a tarmac.

DHC-6 Twin Otter production began in 1966, and the type continues to be refined and produced today. The Twin Otter is available in numerous configurations, including passenger, cargo and combi versions that can be mounted on standard wheeled landing gear, tundra tired landing gear, straight floats, amphibious floats, skis, or wheeled skis. In addition to commuter airline, utility and seaplane roles, the DHC-6 is used by several military services as well as for skydiving, scenic tours, search and rescue, and in remote Arctic/Antarctic operations.

Original production of the DHC-6 ended in 1988. A second Canadian company, Viking Air Ltd of Victoria, BC, a subsidiary of Longview Aviation, purchased the type certificates for all out of production de Havilland aircraft including the Twin Otter. Viking Air announced in 2006 that they were planning to resume production of the Twin Otter with newer engines. New generation DHC-6-400 Twin Otters began rolling off the Viking Air production lines in 2010.

By 2022 Viking Air and Longview Aviation reconstituted itself as the de Havilland Aircraft Co. of Canada, and the new de Havilland continues to produce its newest iteration of the Twin Otter, the de Havilland DHC-6 Classic 300-G.

Reference: Wikipedia.

Stats

Stats displayed are for the de Havilland DHC-6-400 Twin Otter utility aircraft.

  • Name: de Havilland DHC-6-400

  • Origin:

    • [current] Victoria-YYJ, British Columbia, Canada

    • [future] De Havilland Field-CZDH, Wheatland County, Alberta, Canada

    • [former] Downsview Airport-CYZD, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

  • Role: Twin Engine Commuter/Utility Airliner

  • First Introduction: 16 August 1966 (original) / 23 May 2010 (restart)

  • Status: In Production; In Service

  • Cockpit Crew: Two

  • Seating: 19

  • Engines: 2 x Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A

  • Cruise Speed: 182 knots (337 km/h; 209 mph)

  • Range: 1102 nmi (2041 km; 1268 mi)