As testing of the new DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 400 proceeds, manufacturer Viking Air says it’s confident the floatplane will be ready for delivery this summer. The aircraft, which first flew in October, began water testing in November. An evaluation of the aircraft’s air data attitude and heading reference system proved flawless, according to Steve Stackhouse, Viking’s manager of flight operations. Viking launched the Series 400, which is equipped with the Honeywell Primus Epic avionics suite, in 2007.

The company provides OEM support for the worldwide fleet of de Havilland heritage aircraft. In November, Maldivian Air Taxi (MAT), the world’s largest operator of heritage Twin Otters, ordered two of the new 400-series aircraft for its fleet, which provides service to Indian Ocean locations. Viking says it has orders for approximately 40 of the new Twin Otters.