Aircraft Movements

890 - DHC-6-400 C-FMJO Viking Air Ltd., Sidney, BC

Registration cancelled 31-Jan-2014. The aircraft was noted yesterday at Victoria using the radio callsign N400GZ, and is expected to depart for modifications in the U.S.A. shortly. Following this, it will be delivered to the United Arab Emirates.

The registration N400GZ has not formally appeared on the FAA system as of today, however it does remain as a reservation to Ground Zero Solutions of Alexandria, VA who facilitate trade with the U.A.E. They handled the transaction for the first Series 400 delivery, MSN 876.

Photo Update

A nice couple of Series 400's from Victoria yesterday courtesy of Tim Martin:

MSN 867 - DHC-6-400 N869VK
Viking Air
Victoria, BC 30-Jan-2014
Tim Martin Photo

MSN 892 - DHC-6-400 C-FVIK
Viking Air
Victoria, BC 30-Jan-2014
Tim Martin Photo

Aircraft Movements

882 - DHC-6-400 C-FAFI Viking Air Ltd., Sidney, BC

30-Jan-2014 

• Memphis, TN (KMEM/MEM) - Titusville-Spacecoast, FL (KTIX/TIX)

C-FAFI has landed safely at Titusville, FL and positioned into a newly constructed, and so far unmarked hangar there. 

The picture below was taken shortly after arrival there this afternoon. If you compare this photograph with the one further down the blog, you'll note that the stickered Canadian registration has been removed.

MSN 882 - DHC-6-400 C-FAFI
Viking Air
Titusville, FL 30-Jan-2014
Nigel Prevett Photo

Aircraft Movements

882 - DHC-6-400 C-FAFI Viking Air Ltd., Sidney, BC

29-Jan-2014 

• Great Falls, MT (KGTF/GTF) - Omaha, NE (KOMA/OMA)
• Omaha, NE (KOMA/OMA) - Memphis, TN (KMEM/MEM) 

C-FAFI departed from Great Falls this morning, bound for Omaha, NE and has now flown on to Memphis, TN. The aircraft is also now filed under the registration, rather than the VKN882 ident it used on the first sector to Great Falls.

In Croatia, European Coastal Airlines appears to be progressing towards start up of Twin Otter operations in May 2014. Their website can be seen at:

http://www.ec-air.eu/en/home/

Aircraft Movements

120 - DHC-6-200 N718KW Warren Transportation LLC, Dallas, TX

27-Jan-2014

• Veracruz, Mexico (MMVR/VER) - Brownsville, TX (KBRO/BRO)
• Brownsville, TX (KBRO/BRO) - Addison, TX (KADS/ADS)

The Warren DHC-6-200 N718KW has now completed the annual trip back to the U.S. as it has done at this time for the past three years. The aircraft normally resides in Honduras.


893 - DHC-6-400 C-GFVT Viking Air Ltd., Sidney, BC

26-Jan-2014

• Calgary, AB (CYYC/YYC) - Spokane, WA (KGEG/GEG)

Aircraft Movements

As I remember was the case last year at this time, not too much activity in Twin Otter world. Today at least a few items to report:

First off, a beautiful shot of MSN 882, which is ultimately destined for the U.A.E. taken at Victoria yesterday by Tim Martin.

MSN 882 - DHC-6-400 C-FAFI
Viking Air Ltd.
Victoria, BC 23-Jan-2014
Tim Martin Photo

892 - DHC-6-400 C-FVIK Viking Air Ltd., Sidney, BC

22-Jan-2014

• Spokane, WA (KGEG/GEG) - Victoria, BC (CYYJ/YYJ)

896 - DHC-6-400 C-GLVA Viking Air Ltd., Sidney, BC

Registered 21-Jan-2014


897 - DHC-6-400 C-FGAL Viking Air Ltd., Sidney, BC

Registered 21-Jan-2014


898 - DHC-6-400 C-GFAP Viking Air Ltd., Sidney, BC

Registered 21-Jan-2014


The aircraft below was noted outside the Hevilift engineering facility at Cairns, QLD a couple of days ago. No one is quite sure of the identity so far.

Information Required

While working on the airframe history for MSN 610 at TwinOtterArchive, I've encountered a bit of a timeline issue that needs to be clarified. If any readers can shed any light on the subject, it would be greatly appreciated!

MSN 610 was operated by Milne Bay Air in Papua New Guinea circa 1994 as P2-MBT, before going to Goroka Air Services in 1997 as P2-MRN. Reports indicate that by early 2001 it was being operated by Sabang Merauke Air Charter (SMAC) of Merauke, Indonesia as PK-ZAP and was involved in a runway excursion incident at Ninia, Indonesia 02-Feb-2001. From there reports seem to indicate that it was then operated by Asmat Air. By 2004 it was noted in a dismantled state  "with a colourful tail" inside the Air Regional hangar at Madang, PNG.

The undated pictures below show the aircraft at Madang, PNG. It would appear that by the strapping still around the fuselage it had been placed in its current location by a) a crane, or b) via helicopter sling load. The description above of a "colourful tail" match the photographs - so it is presumably in 2003 or 2004.

What is causing the problem is that the colours on the aircraft in the photographs doesn't tie up with the timeline of an accident that occurred in 2001. We know that PK-ZAP flew for quite some time in the basic Goroka Air Services scheme while operated by Asmat Air (who had a common owner with Air Regional) - so it probably didn't carry the pictured scheme until maybe 2002/2003.

Questions:

1) When did Goroka Air Services cease operations?

2) Was the aircraft ever actually operated by Sabang Merauke Air Charter?

3) Did the accident reported on 02-Feb-2001 actually occur?

4) What are the circumstances that caused the damage in the pictures above?

5) Last report of the aircraft is 2004 - where it this airframe currently, and what is the status?

Aircraft Movements

564 - DHC-6-300 YJ-AV11 Air Vanuatu, Port Vila

New registration above now known, ex N564DH

Aircraft Movements

272 - DHC-6-300 C-GBEB Province of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB

18-Jan-2014

• Springbank, AB (CYBW/YBW) - Winnipeg, MB (CYWG/YWG)

MSN 272 - DHC-6-300 C-GBEB
Province of Manitoba
Springbank, AB 18-Jan-2014
Mike MacKinnon Photo

434 - DHC-6-400 C-FDHT Viking Air Ltd., Sidney, BC

19-Jan-2014 Planned

• Phoenix-Deer Valley, AZ (KDVT/DVT) - Reno, NV (KRNO/RNO)
• Reno, NV (KRNO/RNO) - Victoria, BC (CYYJ/YYJ)

The Series 400 engineering testbed appears to have completed its duties at the Honeywell facility in Deer Valley, and will be heading back to Victoria. The aircraft had been in Arizona since 09-Dec-2013 testing the newly installed Honeywell autopilot software.



823 - DHC-6-300 N823X Transport Services LLC, Birmingham, AL

18-Jan-2014

• West Georgia Regional, GA (KCTJ/CTJ) - Fort Lauderdale-Int'l., FL (KFLL/FLL)

The Drummond Company N823X is flight planned for departure from the ASI facility at West Georgia Regional this afternoon bound for its base in Colombia. The aircraft had arrived at ASI on 01-Dec-2013.

Information Required

529 - DHC-6-300 9M-MDZ MASWings, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia

This aircraft was originally delivered to Aero Contractors Nigeria in Mar-1977, and was transferred to Schreiner in the Netherlands in 2000. In Jul-2000 it was sold to Malaysian Airlines as 9M-MDZ.

Although there are many photographic records of the other Malaysian Twin Otters, the last time 9M-MDZ was photographed was way back in 2003. It also doesn't seem to appear on any other records since that era as well.

Is anyone able to shed some light on the current whereabouts, or fate of this aircraft?

Aircraft Movements

276 - DHC-6-300 C-GKSQ Kenn Borek Air, Calgary, AB

Registered 17-Jan-2014, ex P2-KSQ. As with 373 below, this aircraft has received a new registration upon its return to Canada from Papua New Guinea. It had previously carried the Borek & Binder series C-FBBA

before going to Papua New Guinea in 2012 (from Sri Lanka)

373 - DHC-6-300 C-FKBX Kenn Borek Air, Calgary, AB

Registered 14-Jan-2014 - note that this brings MSN 373 into the standard "KB" registration series. It was previously C-FASG before going to Papua New Guinea in 2012.

Aircraft Movements

373 - DHC-6-300 P2-KSP Hevilift, Waigani (Kenn Borek Air)

Officially imported to Canada 14-Jan-2014 with no Canadian registration marks so far. P2-KSP returned to Calgary from Papua New Guinea on 23-Dec-2013.


845 - DHC-6-400 HB-LUX Zimex Aviation/Kampala Aero Club, Kajjansi, Uganda

15-Jan-2014

• Entebbe, Uganda (HUEN/EBB) - ? - N'djamena, Tchad (FTTJ/NDJ)

HB-LUX has apparently positioned over to the Republic of Tchad today; given the distance between Entebbe and N'djamena I am guessing there was a fuel stop en route somewhere.

Photo Update

MSN 891 - DHC-6-400 C-GUVA
Viking Air Ltd.
Victoria, BC 13-Jan-2014
Tim Martin Photo

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Aircraft Movements & Photo Update

A great shot from Dave Subelack of MSN 382 TC-SBA upon its return to Kenn Borek Air.

MSN 382 - DHC-6-300 TC-SBA
Seabird Airlines (Kenn Borek Air)
Calgary, AB 12-Jan-2014
Dave Subelack Photo

434 - DHC-6-400 C-FDHT Viking Air Ltd., Sidney, BC

Just updating for the records, C-FDHT continues to be working out of the Deer Valley Airport in north Phoenix, AZ, where it has been since 09-Dec-2013 in support of the installation of Honeywell autopilot software.

The aircraft is flying most days on local test hops in the corridor between Phoenix and the Flagstaff area under the Viking callsign VKN434/Truenorth434

723 - DHC-6-300 N723AR Twin Otter International, Las Vegas, NV

13-Jan-2014

• Goose Bay, NL (CYYR/YYR) - Bangor, ME (KBGR/BGR)

Aircraft Movements

857 - DHC-6-400 TC-KHC Korfez Havacilik, Istanbul

11-Jan-2014

• Istanbul-Ataturk, Turkey (LTBA/IST) - Sofia, Bulgaria (LBSF/SOF)
• Sofia, Bulgaria (LBSF/SOF) - Belgrade, Serbia (LYBE/BEG)

12-Jan-2014

• Belgrade, Serbia (LYBE/BEG) - Bratislava-Stefanik, Slovakia (LZIB/BTS)
• Bratislava-Stefanik, Slovakia (LZIB/BTS) - Altenrhein, Switzerland (LSZR/ACH)

888 - DHC-6-400 C-GVOT Viking Air Ltd., Victoria, BC

11-Jan-2014

• Victoria, BC (CYYJ/YYJ) - Seattle-Boeing Field, WA (KBFI/BFI)
• Seattle-Boeing Field, WA (KBFI/BFI) - Redding, CA (KRDD/RDD)
• Redding, CA (KRDD/RDD) - Murrieta-French Valley, CA (F70)

MSN 888 has departed Victoria on the first leg of its positioning flight down to the Ikhana Group facility at Murrieta-French Valley, CA. This is the next aircraft destined to the U.A.E. Air Force.

Aircraft Movements

193 - DHC-6-200 N3434 Aerohio Aviation LLC, Wilmington, DE

Registered to First Coast Air Charter LLC, Jacksonville, FL 09-Jan-2014.

First Coast Air Charter LLC has the same prinicipals  and address as TEAM JAS Aviation in Jacksonville. MSN 193 crashed at Rittman, OH 04-Jun-2005.

MSN 193 - DHC-6-200 N3434
Loonair Leasing Photo

723 - DHC-6-300 N723AR Twin Otter International, Las Vegas, NV

10-Jan-2013

• Iqaluit, NU (CYFB/YFB) - Goose Bay, NL (CYYR/YYR)

Aircraft Movements

181 - DHC-6-200 N181CS Rampart Aviation, Franklinton, NC

08-Jan-2014

• Lyon-Bron, France (LFLY/LYN) - Luton, UK (EGGW/LTN)
• Luton, UK (EGGW/LTN) - Wick, UK (EGPC/WIC)

723 - DHC-6-300 N723AR Twin Otter International, Las Vegas, NV

03-Jan-2014

• Amsterdam, Netherlands (EHAM/AMS) - Prestwick, UK (EGPK/PIK)

09-Jan-2014

• Sondre Stromfjord, Greenland (BGSF/SFJ) - Iqaluit, NU (CYFB/YFB)

892 - DHC-6-400 C-FVIK Viking Air Ltd., Sidney, BC

09-Jan-2014

• Calgary, AB (CYYC/YYC) - Spokane, WA (KGEG/GEG)

Legacy Series Avionics Upgrade

Aerocorp Avionic Solutions Inc out of Calgary, Alberta is in the final stages of STC approval for the Garmin G950 in the DHC-6-300 Aircraft. The prototype aircraft is serial # 766 which is to be delivered to PT Air Born Indonesia on lease from Unity Aviation Ltd.

The installation includes interface to the STEC 65 autopilot as well as CVR, HF, ADF, DME, Rad Alt. The G950 is basically a Garmin G1000 system without the Autopilot. 

Inquires can be sent to Joshua Fox - jfox@aerocorpavionics.com

Aerocorp Avionics
1-1060 McTavish Road NE
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
T2E 7G6
(403) 717-9730 - Cell (403) 540-6690
Fax: (403) 717-9733
jfox@aerocorpavionics.com
www.aerocorpavionics.com

Aircraft Movements

382 - DHC-6-300 TC-SBA Seabird Airlines, Istanbul

06-Jan-2014

• Malmo, Sweden (ESMS/MMX) - Keflavik, Iceland (BIKF/KEF)

Now that the Seabird Airlines Twin Otter fleet had risen to four examples, it is time for the first aircraft to return to Canada, reducing the number to three. Not certain as yet whether the aircraft is returning for overhaul only, or permanently.

719 - DHC-6-300 C-GNFZ PAL Airlines, St. John's, NL

04-Jan-2014

• Rome-Griffis, NY (KRME/RME) - Frenchville, ME (KFVE/FVE)

Aircraft Movements & Photo Update

719 - DHC-6-300 C-GNFZ PAL Airlines, St. John's, NL

04-Jan-2014

• Columbus, OH (KCMH/CMH) - Rome-Griffis, NY (KRME/RME)

C-GNFZ is currently on the approach to Rome, NY after arriving from Columbus, OH. The track prior to that would appear to have begun in Arkansas. Given the routing, I think it is safe to assume that this is the aircraft that was ferried down to Mena, AR & arrived there on 22-Nov-2013 (which was noted in the blog entry for that same date).

891 - DHC-6-400 C-GUVA Viking Air Ltd., Sidney, BC

31-Dec-2013

• Portland, OR (KPDX/PDX) - Victoria, BC (CYYJ/YYJ)

C-GUVA was positioned up to Victoria from Portland on 31-Dec-2013 - it had arrived in Portland from Spokane the previous day.

The Yemenia Joint Venture Twin Otter 7O-ADH is pictured below out for engine runs at Bern, Switzerland in Dec-2013. This aircraft has been present there for attention by RUAG Aerospace since at least May-2013. Thanks to Ian Leinhard for permission to use his photograph.

MSN 764 - DHC-6-300 7O-ADH
Yemenia Joint Venture
Bern, Switzerland 11-Dec-2013
Ian Lienhard Photo

Incident Report

556 - DHC-6-300 TI-BFN Nature Air, San Jose

Damaged on landing at La Fortuna, Costa Rica 02-Jan-2014. The aircraft was arriving on a scheduled flight from San Jose, and there were no injuries. TI-BFN has only been in Costa Rica since early Nov-2013. Further details will be added when available.

MSN 556 - DHC-6-300 TI-BFN
La Fortuna, Costa Rica 02-Jan-2013
LatinAmericanAirlineNews Photo