922 C-FGAL Exits the Paint Shop in Chukotavia Colours

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

29-Apr-2015

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

Aircraft number four for Chukotavia has positioned to Victoria from the paint shop today. This aircraft also features the same scheme as carried on MSN 919, C-GFVT which was handed over in Anadyr yesterday.

MSN 922 - DHC-6-400 C-FGAL
Viking Air (Chukotavia Air Company)
Victoria, BC 29-Apr-2015
Tim Martin Photo

919 C-GFVT Arrives Anadyr on Delivery to Chukotavia

919 - DHC-6-400 C-GFVT Viking Air Ltd.

29-Apr-2015 local date

• Nome, AK (PAOM/OME) - Anadyr-Ugolny, Russia (UHMA/DYR)

After quite a few filed flight plans on Sunday/Monday that did not become active, C-GFVT safely arrived in Anadyr on delivery to Chukotavia yesterday. The aircraft can be seen below after arrival with the distinctive profile of an Antonov AN-30 behind.

The next step is expected to be the cancellation of the Canadian registration, followed by the reveal of the new identity RA-67286 under the stickers.

MSN 919 - DHC-6-400 C-GFVT
Viking Air (Chukotavia)
Anadyr-Ugolny, Russia 29-Apr-2015
Mikhail Mardamshin Photo

Maps generated by the Great Circle Mapper - copyright © Karl L. Swartz

Argentine Army DHC-6-200 Returns to Active Duty After Seven Years

AE-106, a DHC-6-200 (MSN 136) of the Argentine Army has just been rolled out of the Area de Material Quilmes base of the Argentine Air Force in Buenos Aires.

Original delivered to the Argentine Army in 1968, this marks the return to active duty after a period of seven years on the ground. The work completed brings the aircraft fully up to date, including installation of roll-up utility door. Thanks to Roberto Alarcón for the photograph below.

MSN 136 - DHC-6-200 AE-106
Ejercito Argentino/Argentine Army
Buenos Aires-Area de Material Quilmes 24-Apr-2015
Roberto Alarcón Photo

The aircraft looks as good as it did prior to leaving the factory forty-seven years ago, as seen in the photograph below.

MSN 136 - DHC-6-200 AE-100
Ejercito Argentino/Argentine Army
Downsview, ON 07-Sep-1968
Sheldon Benner Photo

27 N227WW Heads to Mexico, 221 N301CL Heads to Canada, 542 N34KH Readies for Ferry & Series 400 Movements

27 - DHC-6-100 N227WW Win Win Aviation Inc., Wake Forest, NC

25-Apr-2015

• Hot Springs, AR (KHOT/HOT) - Houston-Southwest, TX (KAXH/AXH)
• Houston-Southwest, TX (KAXH/AXH) - Brownsville, TX (KBRO/BRO)
• Brownsville, TX (KBRO/BRO) - ? - Cuautla/Huitzililla, MOR, Mexico

Win Win's recently completed N227WW has flown to Mexico to operate for Skydive Cuautla. It can be seen in the photo below after arrival.

221 - DHC-6-200 N301CL Win Win Aviation Inc., Wake Forest, NC

26-Apr-2015

• Palm Coast-Flagler, FL (KFIN/FIN) - Louisburg-Triangle North, NC (KLHZ/LHZ)
• Louisburg-Triangle North, NC (KLHZ/LHZ) - Syracuse-Hancock, NY (KSYR/SYR)

27-Apr-2015

• Syracuse-Hancock, NY (KSYR/SYR) - Bromont, QC (CZBM/ZBM)

As MSN 27 N227WW heads to Mexico, another Win Win Twin Otter heads to Canada for the season, where it is expected to join Parachutisme NouvelAir.

542 - DHC-6-300X2 N34KH Ikhana Group Inc., Murrieta, CA

Registered to D.P. Acquisitions Inc., Wilmington, DE 24-Apr-2015. N34KH will be the first delivery of Ikhana's Twin Otter X2; the aircraft is currently being prepared for departure from Murrieta.


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

27-Apr-2015 (local date)

• Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia (WBKK/BKI) - Jakarta-Halim, Indonesia (WIHH/HLP)

After having arrived in Kota Kinabalu on 21-Apr-2015, C-FMJO received the necessary clearances to fly to Jakarta, and arrived there yesterday on delivery to Airfast Indonesia. The next step should see the cancellation of the Canadian registration shortly.

Maps generated by the Great Circle Mapper - copyright © Karl L. Swartz

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

26-Apr-2015 

• Nome, AK (PAOM/OME) - Anadyr-Ugolny, Russia (UHMA/DYR)

After sitting out the weekend in Nome awaiting the reopening of the Anadyr airport on Monday C-GFVT filed for the next sector several times yesterday, with departures at 17:35, 19:00 and 22:00. At this point I'm not certain whether they have actually departed, as there is nothing indicating they have.

The aircraft is pictured below prior to leaving Anchorage to Nome, with thanks to Kevin Fortney.

MSN 919 - DHC-6-400 C-GFVT
Viking Air (Chukotavia Air Company)
Anchorage, AK 23-Apr-2015
Kevin Fortney Photo

Maps generated by the Great Circle Mapper - copyright © Karl L. Swartz

923 - DHC-6-400 C-FVGY Viking Air Ltd., Sidney, BC

26-Apr-2015

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

Yesterday C-FVGY flew to Spokane for painting, which also means that MSN 922 C-FGAL should also be ready to leave Spokane for Victoria soon as well.

Latest Series 400's Join the Canadian Register

925 - DHC-6-400 C-GNVA Viking Air Ltd., Sidney, BC

Registered 20-Apr-2015


926 - DHC-6-400 C-GUVT Viking Air Ltd., Sidney, BC

Registered 20-Apr-2015

919 C-GFVT Contines to Nome and Anadyr for Chukotavia

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

23-Apr-2015 

• Anchorage, AK (PANC/ANC) - Nome, AK (PAOM/OME

C-GFVT has filed to continue on to Nome and Anadyr, and is expected to depart Anchorage shortly.

New Scandinavian Twin Otter Operation, New Look for 27 N227WW & 919 C-GFVT Arrives Anchorage

Twin Otter Seaplane Service from Aarhus to Copenhagen, Denmark

As covered in the blog entry for 02-Jan-2015, the former Iranian NAFT DHC-6-300 EP-IOP was registered to  DHC6 Invest A/S on 09-Dec-2014 as OY-NSA.  The aircraft was flown to Dubai, UAE by 08-Dec-2014, and as it turns out had remained there until now. Yesterday it finally departed from Dubai, bound for Switzerland where it will be overhauled.

The new operator has received the necessary approvals, and hopes to begin operations in early 2016 between Aarhus-East Port, and Copenhagen-Trekroner Fort. The principals behind the company include Rune Balle, Lars Erik Nielsen and Lasse Rungholm.

This will be the second new Twin Otter floatplane operation to start in Europe, following the successful launch of Croatia's European Coastal Airlines in 2014.

MSN 577 - DHC-6-300 EP-IOP
Iranian NAFT Airlines

Below is a recent photograph of DHC-6-100 MSN 27, N227WW which has been fully overhauled and rebuilt by Win Win Aviation. The aircraft had originally arrived, via road from North Carolina in Apr-2014.

MSN 27 - DHC-6-100 N227WW
Win Win Aviation
DeKalb, IL Apr-2015
Win Win Aviation Photo

A nice shot of DHC-6-200 N469TS (MSN 149) being operated by Skydive Houston back in 2011.

MSN 149 - DHC-6-200 N469TS
Desert Sand Aircraft Leasing Inc.
Houston-Eagle Lake, TX 25-Jul-2011
Steve O'Brien Photo

Air Labrador's C-GKSN came out of the paint shop in Arkansas in March without titles, however as can be seen in the photo below they have now been applied.

MSN 493 - DHC-6-300 C-GKSN
Air Labrador
Goose Bay, NL 22-Apr-2015
Air Labrador Photo

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

22-Apr-2015 

• Victoria, BC (CYYJ/YYJ) - Prince Rupert, BC (CYPR/YPR)
• Prince Rupert, BC (CYPR/YPR) - Juneau, AK (PAJN/JNU)
• Juneau, AK (PAJN/JNU) - Anchorage, AK (PANC/ANC)

C-GFVT continued on to Anchorage yesterday, ending the first day of its delivery flight to Chukotavia in Anadyr, Russia. Although there is no flight plan as of yet, I'd expect to see one later today for Anchorage-Nome-Anadyr as it should need to get into Anadyr prior to the weekend, and it is Friday there already.

919 C-GFVT Departs Victoria for Prince Rupert & Juneau

As noted in yesterday's blog entry, C-GFVT had originally filed for departure on 21-Apr-2015, to Sandspit, however it did not actually depart. This morning it did depart from Victoria, except with a routing change to Prince Rupert instead. It has since re-filed for the next sector on to Juneau, AK.

As I mentioned yesterday, the fairly short stage lengths would suggest that it does not have ferry tanks installed. I'd expect the next routing to be on to Anchorage, Nome and Anadyr over the next couple of days.

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

22-Apr-2015 

• Victoria, BC (CYYJ/YYJ) - Prince Rupert, BC (CYPR/YPR)
• Prince Rupert, BC (CYPR/YPR) - Juneau, AK (PAJN/JNU)

MSN 919 - DHC-6-400 C-GFVT
Viking Air Ltd. (Chukotavia Air Company)
Victoria, BC 21-Apr-2015
Tim Martin Photo

Maps generated by the Great Circle Mapper - copyright © Karl L. Swartz

27 N227WW Heads South, and 919 C-GFVT Heads North

27 - DHC-6-100 N227WW Win Win Aviation Inc., Wake Forest, NC

21-Apr-2015

• DeKalb-Taylor, IL (PDKB/DKB) - Rolla/Vichy, MO (KVIH/VIH)
• Rolla/Vichy, MO (KVIH/VIH) - Mountain View, AR (7M2)

After having been working out of Skydive Chicago over the weekend, N227WW has returned to DeKalb, and is continuing south through Missouri and Arkansas.


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

21-Apr-2015 Planned, then did not operate

• Victoria, BC (CYYJ/YYJ) - Sandspit, BC (CYZP/YZP)

C-GFVT has filed for departure from Victoria this afternoon, initially bound for Sandspit in the Haida Gwaii. The aircraft can be seen below, in its specially designed Chukotavia Air Company scheme. 

We'll tell by the continuing route to Anadyr, but given the initial en route stop in Sandspit it is possible the aircraft is being delivered without ferry tanks installed.

914 C-FMJO Continues to Malaysia

320 - DHC-6-300 C-FBHV Avmax Aircraft Leasing Inc., Calgary, AB

21-Apr-2015 Planned

• Calgary, AB (CYYC/YYC) - Great Falls, MT (KGTF/GTF)

C-FBHV is flight planned for a trip down to Great Falls this morning.


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

21-Apr-2015 

• Taipei, Taiwan (RCTS/TPE) - Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia (WBKK/BKI)

Maps generated by the Great Circle Mapper - copyright © Karl L. Swartz

MSN 897 C-GVKI has recently been transferred back to amphibious floats, as it continues the next phase of support work on the Series 400 Full Flight Simulator project. The aircraft had returned from Ottawa in late March where the first phase had been completed in cooperation with the National Research Council of Canada.

MSN 897 - DHC-6-400 C-GVKI
Pacific Sky Aviation Ltd.
Victoria, BC 20-Apr-2015
Tim Martin Photo

914 C-FMJO Continues to Seoul and Taipei, Wipaire Announcement

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

19/20-Apr-2015 

• Vladivostok-Knevichi, Russia (UHWW/VVO) - Seoul-Gimpo, South Korea (RKSS/GMP)
• Seoul-Gimpo, South Korea (RKSS/RMP) - Taipei, Taiwan (RCTS/TPE)

MSN 914 - DHC-6-400 C-FMJO
Viking Air Ltd.. (Airfast Indonesia)
Taipei, Taiwan 20-Apr-2015
Jeff Chang Photo

Maps generated by the Great Circle Mapper - copyright © Karl L. Swartz

Wipaire Welcomes Bill Pike as Leesburg Service Center General Manager

South Saint Paul, Minnesota, April 19, 2015 – Wipaire, Inc. is pleased to welcome Bill Pike as the general manager of Wipaire’s Leesburg, Florida service center.  Bill joins Wipaire after 20 years of military aviation maintenance management and 15 years of civilian aviation management.  He will be responsible for the general operations of Wipaire’s service center at the Leesburg International Airport.

“We’re excited to bring Bill on board,” stated Paul Wells, Vice President of Aircraft Services.  “The general manager position requires a well-rounded individual who can manage our team, interface with customers, and keep the facility running.  Bill brings extensive experience in both military and civilian roles along with a strong aviation background.”

Bill is a certificated Airframe & Powerplant mechanic and private pilot.  He holds a bachelor’s degree in professional aeronautics and a master’s degree in aeronautical science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. 

Wipaire’s Leesburg service center was established in 2013 to offer a convenient new location for customers based in the southeastern United States and the Caribbean.  The facility is a Viking Factory-Endorsed Service Center with capacity for aircraft ranging in size from the Aviat Husky to the Viking Twin Otter. 

About Wipaire, Inc.

For over 55 years, Wipaire has been engineering and manufacturing a full line of aircraft floats for all sizes of aircraft from the Piper Cub to the Viking Twin Otter, including most single engine Cessna aircraft.  In addition, Wipaire has engineered over 100 Supplemental Type Certificated modifications for improved performance, convenience, and reliability. As a leading aircraft service provider, Wipaire offers maintenance, avionics installation and repair, custom interior design and installation, and exterior paint refinishing all in one convenient location. Wipaire is recognized for its quality products and engineering expertise worldwide.

620 N888PV Departs Rutherfordton, NC

620 - DHC-6-300 N888PV Montecito NY LLC, Scottsdale, AZ (CAAMS LLC, Rutherfordton, NC)

18-Apr-2015

• Rutherfordton, NC (KFQD/FQD) - Greensboro-Piedmont Triad, NC (KGSO/GSO)
• Greensboro-Piedmont Triad, NC (KGSO/GSO) - Rutherfordton, NC (KFQD/FQD)

Today N888PV has departed the CAAMS facility in Rutherfordton, and positioned over to Greensboro before returning to Rutherfordton once again. This aircraft is ultimately destined for an Indonesian operator. 

914 C-FMJO to Vladivostok, 923 C-FVGY in Calgary and Gum Air in Suriname

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

17/18-Apr-2015 

• Anadyr-Ugolny, Russia (UHMA/DYR) - Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia  (UHPP/PKC)
• Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia  (UHPP/PKC) - Vladivostok-Knevichi, Russia (UHWW/VVO)

Maps generated by the Great Circle Mapper - copyright © Karl L. Swartz

MSN 923 C-FVGY is seen below undergoing post production work at Calgary in preparation for ferry to Spokane for painting.

MSN 923 - DHC-6-400 C-FVGY
Viking Air Ltd.
Calgary, AB 15-Apr-2015
Mike MacKinnon Photo

A couple of shots from Suriname, courtesy of Gum Air's website

MSN 601 - DHC-6-300 PZ-TBW
Gum Air
Paramaribo-Zorg en Hoop, Suriname
Gum Air Photo

MSN 646 - DHC-6-300 PZ-TBY
Gum Air
Air-to-Air Over Suriname
Gum Air Photo

914 C-FMJO Departs Anchorage for Anadyr, Russia

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

15-Apr-2015 

• Anchorage, AK (PANC/ANC) - Anadyr-Ugolny, Russia (UHMA/DYR)

Maps generated by the Great Circle Mapper - copyright © Karl L. Swartz

Ikhana Readies First Twin Otter X2 for Delivery

The first delivery of a Twin Otter X2 is imminent from Ikhana Group in Murrieta, as MSN 542 is prepared for its ferry across the Pacific. An official press release is forthcoming, however in the meantime a shot of the aircraft outside their California facility.

MSN 542 - DHC-6-300 (X2) N34KH
Ikhana Group Inc.
Murrieta-French Valley, CA - Apr-2015
Ikhana Aircraft Services Photo

914 C-FMJO Heads to Indonesia On Delivery to Airfast

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

13-Apr-2015

• Victoria, BC (CYYJ/YYJ) - Comox, BC (CYQQ/YQQ)

14-Apr-2015

• Comox, BC (CYQQ/YQQ) - Anchorage, AK (PANC//ANC)

C-FMJO has departed Comox today, bound for Anchorage, AK. The aircraft is en route to Jakarta, Indonesia on delivery to Airfast. It is the third example for the Indonesian carrier, with the original and second aircraft having been delivered in 2012 & 2013.

The aircraft is seen below on arrival from the paint shop back in Jan-2015.

MSN 914 - DHC-6-400 C-FMJO
Viking Air Ltd. (Airfast Indonesia)
Victoria, BC 08-Jan-2015
Tim Martin Photo

Former Seaborne Twin Otters at CAAMS Rutherfordton, NC

All three of the former Seaborne Airlines wheel equipped Twin Otters are seen below at the CAAMS MRO facility in North Carolina. The first shot with all three aircraft, while the second features N888PV as it is made ready to be ferried to Jakarta's Halim Airport on delivery.

MSN 389 DHC6-300 N288SA, MSN 524 DHC-6-300 N251SA & MSN 620 DHC-6-300 N888PV
Montecito NY LLC
Rutherfordton, NCApr-2015
CAAMS Photo

MSN 620 - DHC-6-300 N888PV
Montecito NY LLC
Rutherfordton, NC Apr-2015
CAAMS Photo

Transwest Air's New Scheme on C-FPGE

Although I uploaded another shot of the new Transwest scheme about three weeks ago, here is a newer one, under better lighting. 

MSN 197 - DHC-6-200 C-FPGE
Transwest Air
La Ronge, SK Apr-2015
Transwest Air Photo

921 C-GVAT Arrives in Victoria

MSN 921 C-GVAT arrived in Victoria yesterday (as noted in the blog entry for 10-Apr-2015).

MSN 921 - DHC-6-400 C-GVAT
Viking Air Ltd.
Victoria, BC 10-Apr-2015
Tim Martin Photo

921 C-GVAT Exits Paint Shop in Spokane

921 - DHC-6-400 C-GVAT Viking Air Ltd,., Sidney, BC

10-Apr-2015 

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

144 F-GHRK Heads into Icarius at Tallard for Maintenance

It has certainly been one of the quietest weeks in some time, with very little to report on. Friday can often be a busier day, so hopefully that may be the case for today. In the meantime, with thanks to the Icarius Aerotechnics Facebook page, a photo from their facility at the Gap/Tallard airport in France where F-GHRK has arrived for work.

MSN 144 - DHC-6-200 F-GHRK
Samevi 98 S.L.
Gap/Tallard, France 10-Apr-2015
Icarius Aerotechnic Photo

With it being rather quiet here at TwinOtterSpotter, I have been able to continue working on preparing additional images for TwinOtterArchive, as well as finishing up a detailed spreadsheet style database on all Twin Otters for a corporate client. 

Here are a few of the photos that will be uploaded at TwinOtterArchive soon:

MSN 543 - DHC-6-300 PJ-WIF
Winair
Saint Maarten
Photographer Unknown

MSN 550 - DHC-6-300 CR-CAX
TACV Cabo Verde
Praia 21-Mar-1984
Photographer Unknown

MSN 552 - DHC-6-300 9U-BHA
Air Burundi
Shoreham, UK Oct-1977
Photographer Unknown

MSN 559 - DHC-6-300 N74GC
Grand Canyon Airlines
North Las Vegas, NV Aug-1988
Photographer Unknown

244 N244AD Cancelled to Switzerland, 388 N94AR heads across the Pacific, Smokejumpers to Base & N153QS moves to Pohnpei

The extent of the damage sustained in the ground collision between N30EA and N70EA at Sebastian, FL on 09-Feb-2015 can be seen in the photos below. Both aircraft are currently under repair.

244 - DHC-6-300 N244AD Texas Air Services, Dickinson, TX

Registration cancelled 02-Apr-2015 on export to Switzerland; expected to become HB-LRJ although this has yet to appear on the Swiss FOCA database.


388 - DHC-6-300 N94AR Twin Otter International, Las Vegas, NV

03-Apr-2015

• Camarillo, CA (KCMA/CMA) - Hilo, HI (PHTO/ITO)

This week two of the U.S. Forest Service Twin Otters have positioned to the McCall, Idaho smokejumper base in preparation for the fire season.

437 - DHC-6-300 N143Z U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Fire & Aviation, Boise, ID

06-Apr-2015

• Twin Falls-Magic Valley, ID (KTWF/TWF) - McCall-Municipal, ID (KMYL/MYL)

803 - DHC-6-300 N141Z U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Fire & Aviation, Boise, ID

07-Apr-2015

• Ogden-Hinckley, UT (KOGD/OGD) - McCall-Munipal, ID (KMYL/MYL)

N153QS continues to travel around Micronesia, moving from the Marshall Islands to Pohnpei over last weekend.

869 - DHC-6-400 N153QS Wells Fargo Bank NW, Salt Lake City, UT

04-Apr-2015

• Majuro, Marshall Islands (PKMJ/MAJ) - Kosrae (PTSA/TTK)

05-Apr-2015

• Kosrae (PTSA/TTK) - Pohnpei-International (PTPN/PNI)

New Japanese Registrations for 915 & 916, New Photo of 919 C-GFVT for Chukotavia

244 - DHC-6-300 N244AD Texas Air Services Inc., Dickinson, TX

Is expected to become HB-LRJ (if required) for flight testing purposes during its stay at RUAG in Switzerland, before being delivered to European Coastal Airlines as 9A-TOB. Prior to delivery the aircraft will be placed on floats, and repainted.

915 - DHC-6-400 JA201D First Flying/Dai-Ichi Koku Kabushiki-Gaisha, Osaka

Registered Mar-2015

916 - DHC-6-400 JA202D First Flying/Dai-Ichi Koku Kabushiki-Gaisha, Osaka

Registered Mar-2015

MSN 915 DHC-6-400 JA201D and MSN 916 DHC-6-400 JA202D
First Flying
Kagoshima, Japan Mar-2015
Sterling Glessing Photo

Tim was able to catch MSN 919 under better conditions yesterday. In addition to improvement in the weather, the aircraft has also had the primer patch on the lower fuselage repainted.

MSN 919 - DHC-6-400 C-GFVT
Viking Air Ltd. (Chukotavia)
Victoria, BC 31-Mar-2015
Tim Martin Photo