Skydive Dubai, a local commercial parachuting company, is shortly to take delivery of a Viking Twin Otter Series 400. That makes Skydive Dubai the first commercial customer in the Middle East for the reborn Twin Otter 400. The sale was undertaken through Veling Tayara, a subsidiary of Mauritius-based airline leasing firm Veling and Viking’s exclusive sales representative for the Middle East and Turkey.

Skydive Dubai already operates a fleet of older Twin Otters, and expects the new aircraft to arrive in time for the World Air Games, which are being held here in Dubai starting November 30. As well as various parachuting disciplines, the games cover many other air sport categories, such as aerobatics, ballooning, gliders, microlights and model flying.

Viking has already achieved a significant sales success in the UAE with the delivery of nine Series 400 Twin Otters to Global Aerospace Logistics of Abu Dhabi. The first aircraft was delivered in 2013 and the final one was handed over in February this year. GAL provides the aircraft under a multi-year contract to the UAE government, primarily for operations by Joint Aviation Command in the support of special forces. The aircraft were supplied with IFG (intermediate flotation gear) that permits their use from loose sand surfaces.