Viking Air’s relaunch of the fabled Twin Otter is progressing on schedule, and the first modified airplane incorporating all the planned new features of the production airplane should fly in the fourth quarter. Delivery of the first newly manufactured and recertified Twin Otter to Swiss customer Zimex Aviation is planned for next year’s first quarter.
Viking Air has been manufacturing parts for and supporting the Twin Otter and other de Havilland airplanes for more than 15 years, including manufacturing new wings for the Twin Otter. In February 2006, Viking purchased the type certificates for the DHC-6 Twin Otter and DHC-1 (Chipmunk) through -7 (Dash 7) from Bombardier.
At first, according to Viking president and CEO David Curtis, the company’s focus was on supporting the more than 600 remaining Twin Otters of the 844 that were built until production ceased in 1988. He said that before Viking got the type certificates, people asked Bombardier why it did not return the airplane to production.
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