454 - C-GUZP Continues to the Marshall Islands

454 - DHC-6-300 C-GUZP Ashe Aircraft Enterprises, Calgary, AB

30-Nov-2015

• Honolulu, HI (PHNL/HNL) - Majuro, Marshall Islands (PKMJ/MAJ)

C-GUZP has departed Honolulu this morning, bound for the Marshall Islands.

96 - N901RT in Calgary and 389 - N288SA in Biak

The latest Ikhana Series 200HG™ to leave their California facility is MSN 96, N901RT which is seen below yesterday while parked on the Regent Aircraft ramp at Calgary-International. The aircraft is currently being prepared for the delivery ferry flight.  As can be seen in the picture it has been fitted with a utility interior and an Ikhana roll-up door.

MSN 96 - DHC-6-200™ N901RT
Ikhana Group Inc.
Calgary-Int'l, AB 29-Nov-2015

After a rather lengthy trip from North America to Indonesia, MSN 389 N288SA has arrived at the Frans Kaisiepo Airport in Biak. It is seen below after arrival there.

MSN 389 - DHC-6-300 N288SA
CAAMS Leasing (Dimonim Air)
Biak, Indonesia 29-Nov-2015
CAAMS Leasing Photo

454 - C-GUZP Departs North Bend for Honolulu, 96 N901RT Departs for Calgary

96 - DHC-6-200HG™ N901RT Ikhana Group Inc., Murrieta, CA

28-Nov-2015

• Caldwell-Industrial, ID (KEUL/EUL) - Calgary-Int'l, AB (CYYC/YYC)

454 - DHC-6-300 C-GUZP Ashe Aircraft Enterprises, Calgary, AB

28-Nov-2015

• North Bend, OR (KOTH/OTH) - Honolulu, HI (PHNL/HNL)

As planned, C-GUZP has departed North Bend this morning bound for Honolulu. The flight is filed at a lengthy 14 hours and 14 minutes.

96 - N901RT Set to Depart from Ikhana in Murrieta

The second of the two pending delivery flights I spoke of earlier today has now filed for departure from the Ikhana facility in Murrieta. N901RT is one of the three aircraft that were acquired from West Coast Air in Vancouver in 2014, and was subsequently upgraded to Series 200HG standard by Ikhana.

96 - DHC-6-200HG™ N901RT Ikhana Group Inc., Murrieta, CA

27-Nov-2015

• Murrieta, CA (F70) - Caldwell-Industrial, ID (KEUL/EUL)

At the moment, the aircraft is currently filed in the FAA system as N910RT rather than N901RT.

454 C-GUZP Departs Springbank on delivery to Indonesia

454 - DHC-6-300 C-GUZP Ashe Aircraft Enterprises, Calgary, AB

27-Nov-2015

• Springbank, AB (CYBW/YBW) - Spokane, WA (KGEG/GEG)
• Spokane, WA (KGEG/GEG) - North Bend, OR (KOTH/OTH)

As I alluded to in an earlier post, C-GUZP has now departed Springbank enroute to its first stop in Spokane, and then continuing on to North Bend, OR. This is the first Twin Otter for Indonesian operator Spirit Avia Sentosa, and is being ferried across the Pacific by World Wide Ferry.

The aircraft is seen below at Springbank after returning from painting in Mena, AR.

MSN 454 - DHC-6-300 C-GUZP
Ashe Aircraft Enterprises
Springbank, AB 22-Oct-2015

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

368 - C-FMRI Departs Carlsbad, NM to Show Low, AZ

368 - DHC-6-300 C-FMRI Gravitas Aviation Ltd., West Vancouver, BC

27-Nov-2015

• Carlsbad, NM (KCNM/CNM) -  Show Low, AZ (KSOW/SOW)
• Show Low, AZ (KSOW/SOW) -  Rexburg-Madison, ID (KRXE/RXE)
• Rexburg-Madison, ID (KRXE/RXE) - Springbank, AB (CYBW/YBW)

C-FMRI departed Carlsbad this morning, with stops in Show Low, AZ and Rexburg, ID and then on to Calgary. The aircraft is pictured below at Brownsville, TX yesterday.

MSN 368 - DHC-6-300 C-FMRI
Gravitas Aviation Ltd.
Brownsville, TX 26-Nov-2015
Gravitas Aviation Photo

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

Operator Updates, Delivery Flights and Photos from Australia, Canada and the U.S.V.I.

Today, a couple of catch-up items for N288SA and F-OCQZ below, with the former just needing confirmation that it has indeed arrived in Biak, and the latter a confirmation that it has completed the sector into Honiara.

The delivery of C-FMRI (see blog entry for yesterday) should continue today, departing from Carlsbad, NM en route to Calgary, while two other aircraft may also launch on delivery flights today, one from Canada, and one from the U.S.

The following pages have been updated:

• DHC-6 Operator Directory - Canada
• DHC-6 Operator Directory - Caribbean/Central America
• DHC-6 Operator Directory - U.S.A.

389 - DHC-6-300 N288SA Montecito New York LLC, Scottsdale, AZ (CAAMS Leasing)

25-Nov-2015

• Majuro, Marshall Islands (PKMJ/MAJ) - Pohnpei-Int'l (PTPN/PNI)
• Pohnpei-Int'l (PTPN/PNI) - Biak-Frans Kaisiepo, Indonesia (WABB/BIK)

I'm not 100% certain that the final leg into Biak has actually been completed, however it was filed for the 25th. The delivery flight of N288SA began in North Carolina on 16-Sep-2015.

412 - DHC-6-300 F-OCQZ Air Calin, Noumea 

24/27-Nov-2015

• Cairns, QLD (YBCS/CNS) - Port Moresby-Jackson, PNG (AYPY/POM)
• Port Moresby-Jackson, PNG (AYPY/POM) - Buka, PNG (AYBK/BUA)
• Buka, PNG (AYBK/BUA) - Honiara, Solomons (AGGH/HIR)
• Honiara, Solomons (AGGH/HIR) - Espiritu Santo-Pekoa, Vanuatu (NVSS/SON)

The Air Calin F-OCQZ has departed Cairns following a period of maintenance at Hawker Pacific. The aircraft had arrived in Australia on 01-Oct-2015.

MSN 412 - DHC-6-300 F-OCQZ
Air Calin (Air Caledonie International)
Cairns, QLD 01-Oct-2015
FNQ Skies Photo

Certainly something to brighten up an otherwise dull Russian winter, one of the two Rosneft Series 400's seen yesterday at Victoria while doing a compass swing. The other one, MSN 928 C-GFAP remains inside. Both are expected to be handed over to Rosneft before the end of the year.

MSN 931 - DHC-6-400 C-GVVA
Viking Air (Rosneft/RN Air)
Victoria, BC 26-Nov-2015
Tim Martin Photo

A nice action shot of MSN 617 C-GKBR, operated by Kenn Borek Air for Seaborne Airlines in the Caribbean.

MSN 617 - DHC-6-300 C-GKBR
Seaborne Airlines (Kenn Borek Air)
Christiansted, USVI 02-Nov-2015
Prayitno Photo

368 C-FMRI Departs México for Canada

368 - DHC-6-300 C-FMRI Gravitas Aviation Ltd., West Vancouver, BC

26-Nov-2015

• México City, DF (MMMX/MEX) - Brownsville, TX (KBRO/BRO)
• Brownsville, TX (KBRO/BRO) - Carlsbad, NM (KCNM/CNM)

C-FMRI has departed México City today on its delivery flight to Canada. This is the former XC-ALA which was acquired along with MSN 687 XC-DIO, the latter of which has already become C-FMQX.

MSN 368 - DHC-6-300 C-FMRI
Gravitas Aviation
México City, DF - 26-Nov-2015

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

792 C-GKKN becomes J8-UNI for SVG Air, and 928 C-GFAP Exits the Paint Shop

792 - C-GKKN Unity Group Ltd., Airdrie, AB

Arrived Saint Vincent on delivery to SVG Air on 23-Nov-2015, and repainted as J8-UNI by 24-Nov-2015, as seen in the photo below. The Canadian registration cancellation has yet to be processed by
Transport Canada.

MSN 792 - DHC-6-300 J8-UNI
SVG Air
Saint Vincent 24-Nov-2015
Dominique Drozak Photo

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

25-Nov-2015

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

C-GFAP has departed the paint shop in Spokane this morning, bound for Victoria.

900 N915VK at Murrieta

MSN 900, N915VK was flown down to Murrieta just over a year ago, and is seen on the ramp there last week. This is also the aircraft that did the trip down to Brazil in Aug-2014. Thanks to John Oram for the photo.

MSN 900 - DHC-6-400 N915VK
Wells Fargo Bank NW (Viking Air)
Murrieta, CA 17-Nov-2015
John Oram Photo

CAAMS Leasing Acquires Series 400 MSN 857

Rutherfordton, NC November 24, 2015

CAAMS Leasing has purchased its first pre-owned Viking DHC-6 Series 400 from Körfez Havaçilik Turizm of Turkey. MSN 857 is available for immediate long term lease. CAAMS intends to purchase an additional ten Viking Series 400 Twin Otters for its leasing portfolio in 2016.

CAAMS recently placed two Legacy DHC-6 Series 300 Twin Otters, MSN 389 and MSN 620 with Dimonim Air, operating in Papua, Indonesia. The two aircraft were leased just prior to the recent Indonesia Aging Aircraft Rule implementation, which requires newly imported aircraft to be 10 years old or less.

Kenn Borek's C-FKBU at San Juan, PR

MSN 793 - DHC-6-300 C-FKBU
Kenn Borek Air
San Juan, PR 23-Nov-2015
Juan Carlos Aponte Photo

____________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Delivery Flights Continue to South Pacific, Caribbean and Middle East

389 - DHC-6-300 N288SA Montecito New York LLC, Scottsdale, AZ (CAAMS Leasing)

22-Nov-2015

• Honolulu, HI (PHNL/HNL) - Majuro, Marshall Islands (PKMJ/MAJ)

After having filed for departure from Honolulu a few times between the 13/22-Nov-2015, N288SA flew on to Majuro, Marshall Islands on 22-Nov-2015. The trip was completed in about 12 and a half hours.

N288SA had originally departed from the Southern Cross Aviation facility in McMinville, OR on 05-Nov-2015.

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

792 - DHC-6-300 C-GKKN Unity Group Ltd., Airdrie, AB

21/22/23-Nov-2015

• Rapid City, SD (KRAP/RAP) - Topeka, KS (KTOP/TOP)
• Topeka, KS (KTOP/TOP) - Springfield, MO (KSGF/SGF)
• Springfield, MO (KSGF/SGF) - Montgomery, AL (KMGM/MGM)
• Montgomery, AL (KMGM/MGM) - Fort Lauderdale-Executive, FL (KFXE/FXE)
• Fort Lauderdale-Executive, FL (KFXE/FXE) - Providenciales, Turks & Caicos (MBPV/PLS)
• Providenciales, Turks & Caicos (MBPV/PLS) - Beef Island/Tortola, BVI (TUPJ/EIS)

C-GKKN is nearing its destination of Saint Vincent on delivery to SVG Air. The aircraft had departed from the Unity Group MRO in Airdrie, AB on 19-Nov-2015. The former MASWings aircraft arrived in Canada in Jan-2015 and was fully overhauled and refurbished in Airdrie.

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

793 - DHC-6-300 C-FKBU Kenn Borek Air Ltd., Calgary, AB

22/23-Nov-2015

• Cape Girardeau, MO (KCGI/CGI) - Albany, GA (KABY/ABY)
• Albany, GA (KABY/ABY) - Fort Lauderdale-Executive, FL (KFXE/FXE)
• Fort Lauderdale-Executive, FL (KFXE/FXE) -Nassau, Bahamas (MYNN/NAS)
• Nassau, Bahamas (MYNN/NAS) - Providenciales, Turks & Caicos (MPBV/PLS)
• Providenciales, Turks & Caicos (MBPV/PLS) - San Juan-L.M. Marin, PR (TJSJ/SJU)
• San Juan-L.M. Marin, PR (TJSJ/SJU) - Phillipsburg, Saint Maarten (TNCM/SXM)

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

920 - DHC-6-400 N903VK Bank of Utah Trustee, Salt Lake City, UT (Viking Air)

21/22-Nov-2015

• Santa Maria, Azores (LPAZ/SMA) - Palma de Mallorca, Spain (LEPA/PMI)
• Palma de Mallorca, Spain (LEPA/PMI) - Cairo, Egypt (HECA/CAI)

The delivery of N903VK to Dubai continues, with the aircraft having left the Azores for Palma, and continuing on to Cairo, Egypt.

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

792 - C-GKKN Departs Great Falls on delivery to Grenadines

792 - DHC-6-300 C-GKKN Unity Group Ltd., Airdrie, AB

21-Nov-2015

• Great Falls, MT (KGTF/GTF) - Rapid City, SD (KRAP/RAP)

On the heels of Kenn Borek's C-FKBU currently heading to Iowa, C-GKKN has departed Great Falls, MT for South Dakota. C-GKKN had arrived in Great Falls from Airdrie on 19-Nov-2015. The aircraft is bound for Grenadine Air Alliance, where it will be operated by SVG Air.

Coincidentally, although both aircraft spent their careers on different continents, they both came out of Downsview at the same time in 1982, being one unit apart (MSN 792 and 793).

The aircraft is seen below prior to departure from Canada, with the national flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

793 - C-FKBU Departs Calgary to the Caribbean?

793 - DHC-6-300 C-FKBU Kenn Borek Air Ltd., Calgary, AB

21-Nov-2015

• Calgary-Int'l, AB (CYYC/YYC) - Williston, ND (KISN/ISN)
• Williston, ND (KISN/ISN) - Spencer, IA (KSPW/SPW)
• Spencer, IA (KSPW/SPW) - Cape Girardeau, MO (KCGI/CGI)

A brief stay in Calgary for C-FKBU (having arrived there in Sep-2015) before departing this morning. The destination would appear to be the Caribbean, and given the time of year I would guess that it perhaps heading to Saint Maarten.

The aircraft is seen below, prior to taking up Canadian marks, in Sep-2015 in Calgary.

MSN 793 - DHC-6-300 CC-PQQ
Kenn Borek Air
Calgary-Int'l, AB Sep-2015
Dave Subelack Photo

First Flying's JA202D is seen below at Naha, Okinawa last week courtesy of FNQ Skies. 

MSN 916 - DHC-6-400 JA202D
First Flying
Naha-Okinawa, Japan 15-Nov-2015
FNQ Skies Photo

48 N202EH to JST Management, 851 HB-LPY to Helifix PNG & N903VK Crosses to Santa Maria

The following pages have been updated:

• Viking Series 400 Production List
• DHC-6 Operator Directory - Canada
• DHC-6 Operator Directory - U.S.A.
• DHC-6 Operator Directory - Europe
• DHC-6 Operator Directory - Australia-PNG-Oceania

48 - DHC-6-100 N202EH Skydive Factory Inc., Rochester NH

Sold to JST Management LLC, Zephyrhills, FL 01-Nov-2015

MSN 48 - DHC-6-100 N202EH
Skydive Factory
Stroudsburg, PA Aug-2007
Bill Shull Photo

851 - DHC-6-400 HB-LPY Zimex Aviation, Glattbrugg

See blog entry for 17-Nov-2015; HB-LPY arrived in Port Moresby, PNG on delivery to locally based Helifix who currently operate a fleet of Bell helicopters and a Cessna Grand Caravan. The new Twin Otter will primarily be used in support of oil & gas exploration operations in Papua New Guinea.

920 - DHC-6-400 N903VK Bank of Utah Trustee, Salt Lake City, UT (Viking Air)

20-Nov-2015

• Gander, NL (CYQX/YQX) - Santa Maria, Azores (LPAZ/SMA)

792 - C-GKKN Set to Depart from Airdrie, AB

792 - DHC-6-300 C-GKKN Unity Group Ltd., Airdrie, AB

19-Nov-2015 

• Airdrie, AB (CEF4) - Great Falls, MT (KGTF)

C-GKKN was officially imported to the country almost exactly a year ago, and arrived in Calgary, AB on 02-Jan-2015 as seen in the photograph below. Since that time it has been undergoing overhaul and refurbishing at Unity Group in Airdrie.

MSN 792 - DHC-6-300 C-GKKN
Unity Group Ltd.
Calgary-Int'l, AB 03-Jan-2015
Dave Subelack Photo

364 SE-GEE Departs Europe, Continuing Ferries for 389 N288SA, 920 N903VK, New Ident for 665 9N-AFA & A Couple of New -400's

As it happens Twin Otter fleet news from around the globe.

This is the only place worldwide that you'll find news like you see below. It takes considerable time and work to put it together virtually every day.

Please consider making a donation, or becoming an advertiser. 

364 - DHC-6-300 SE-GEE Skydive Airlines, Johanneshov

19-Nov-2015

• Altenrhein/Saint Gallen, Switzerland (LSZR/ACH) - Hurghada, Egypt (HEGN/HRG)

Today the Skydive Stockholm Twin Otter is en route from Switzerland to Egypt. This is presumably the first sector of it positioning into the Skydive Dubai facility. The Fédération Aéronautique International World Air Games are taking place in Dubai beginning on 01-Dec-2015.  Given today's routing, it would appear that ferry tanks must have been installed while in Altenrhein.

MSN 364 - DHC-6-300 SE-GEE
Skydive Airlines
Vasteras 31-Mar-2013
Hans Spritt Photo

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

389 - DHC-6-300 N288SA Montecito New York LLC, Scottsdale, AZ (CAAMS Leasing)

19-Nov-2015

• Honolulu, HI (PHNL/HNL) - Majuro, Marshall Islands (PKMJ/MAJ)

Today N288SA is scheduled to leave Honolulu for Majuro with a flight scheduled at 10 hours and 31 minutes. It had arrived in Honolulu from Oakland, CA on 13-Nov-2015.

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

665 - DHC-6-300 N105WF Southern Aircraft Consultancy, Bungay, UK

Registered 18-Nov-2015; this aircraft arrived in Altenrhein-Saint Gallen on 03-Nov-2015 as 9N-AFA. Southern Aircraft Consultancy is a specialist in Trustee services for foreign ownership of U.S. registered aircraft.

MSN 665 - DHC-6-300 9N-AFA
Air Tara (Yeti Airlines)
Lukla, Nepal Apr-2007
Steve Hicks Photo

920 - DHC-6-400 N903VK Bank of Utah Trustee, Salt Lake City, UT (Viking Air)

19-Nov-2015

• Milwaukee, WI (KMKE/MKE) - Gander, NL (CYQX/YQX)

N903VK is scheduled to fly to Gander today, although at the time of writing was coming up on about an hour past scheduled departure time. This will be sector number three on its delivery flight to Dubai which originated in McMinnville, OR. It is flying under the callsign SXA1255.

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

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

Registered 18-Nov-2015

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

Registered 18-Nov-2015

920 N903VK en route to Milwaukee

920 - DHC-6-400 N903VK Bank of Utah Trustee, Salt Lake City, UT (Viking Air)

18-Nov-2015

• Bismarck, ND (KBIS/BIS) - Milwaukee, WI (KMKE/MKE)

After landing short of the originally planned destination of Green Bay, WI yesterday, this morning N903VK is continuing on to Milwaukee, WI. At the time of writing, it is about 2/3 of the way through the 689 mile trip.

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

Two Additions for Kenn Borek Air

613 - DHC-6-300 C-FKBK Kenn Borek Air Ltd., Calgary, AB

Registered 17-Nov-2015, ex CC-ACH


906 - DHC-6-400 C-GVTU Kenn Borek Air Ltd., Calgary, AB

Registered 17-Nov-2015 - C-GVTU was delivered to Timor Leste on 28-Oct-2015 and is currently undergoing familiarization and crew training formalities prior to joining the local register. The aircraft had previously been registered to Planes & Parts Ltd. who had undertaken the ferry delivery flight from Calgary.

851 - HB-LPY Departs Indonesia for Papua New Guinea

851 - DHC-6-400 HB-LPY Zimex Aviation, Glattbrugg

5X-LPY was returned to Altenrhein back in Jun-2015 from operation in Uganda, and was subsequently restored back to HB-LPY. On 14-Nov-2015 the aircraft passed through the Maldives, as seen in the photo below.  Today, it is flight planned for the following:

17-Nov-2015

• Ambom/Pattimura, Indonesia (WAPP/AMQ)  Port Moresby-Jackson, PNG (AYPY/POM)

MSN 851 - DHC-6-400 HB-LPY
Zimex Aviation
Male, Maldives 14-Nov-2015
Maldivian Plane Spotters Photo

920 N903VK Departs McMinnville as SXA1255

920 - DHC-6-400 N903VK Bank of Utah Trustee, Salt Lake City, UT (Viking Air)

17-Nov-2015

• McMinnville, OR (KMMV/MMV) - Green Bay, WI (KGRB/GRB) Bismarck, ND (KBIS/BIS)

N903VK has departed McMinnville, OR this morning on the first leg of its delivery flight to Skydive Dubai. The aircraft is being flown by Southern Cross Aviation as SXA1255, and the initial sector to Green Bay, WI will be just over 1,700 miles. The aircraft diverted to Bismarck, ND rather than Green Bay, WI, some 700 miles short of the original destination.

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

932 C-FMJO Heads to Spokane for Painting

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

15-Nov-2015

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

For anyone following other DHC products, the Dash-7 Spotter & Archive site has been significantly updated over the past week. A total of 44 additional aircraft history pages have been added, along with 64 photographs.

Dash-7 Spotter is a combination of the news type items of a blog, along with full individual aircraft histories and photos (much like we have at Twin Otter Archive).

389 N288SA Departs Oakland for Honolulu

389 - DHC-6-300 N288SA Montecito New York LLC, Scottsdale, AZ (CAAMS Leasing LLC)

13-Nov-2015 

• Oakland-Metropolitan, CA (KOAK/OAK) - Honolulu, HI (PHNL/HNL)

N288SA is currently about 2 hours offshore the west coast of North America, en route to Honolulu. The flight is scheduled to run at just over eleven hours, and is the first trans oceanic sector on its delivery to Dimonim Air in Indonesia. 

The aircraft had positioned down to Oakland from McMinnville, OR on 05-Nov-2015.

Series 400 Movements

906 - DHC-6-400 C-GVTU Authority of the Special Administrative Region of Social Market Economy Zone 

13-Nov-2015

• Dili-Nicolau Lobato (WPDL/DIL) - Oé-Cusse (WPOC/OEC)
• Oé-Cusse  (WPOC/OEC) - Dili-Nicolau Lobato (WPDL/DIL)

The ZEESM Series 400, still registered in Canada is now operating in Timor Leste, with the flight above to and from Oé-Cusse.

920 - DHC-6-400 N903VK Bank of Utah Trustee, Salt Lake City, UT (Viking Air)

12-Nov-2015

• Murrieta, CA (F70) - Marina, CA (KOAR/OAR)
• Marina, CA (KOAR/OAR) - Medford-Rouge Valley, OR (KMFR/MFR)
• Medford-Rouge Valley (KMFR/MFR) - McMinnville, OR (KMMV/MMV)

SN 920 was delivered to Victoria on 24-Mar-2015, and was flown down to Ikhana on 17-Sep-2015 for interior and door modifications. The routing to McMinnville would seem to indicate the installation of ferry tanks at Southern Cross Aviation for the delivery flight.

931 - DHC-6-400 C-GVVA Viking Air Ltd., Sidney, BC

11-Nov-2015

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

SN 931 flew from Calgary to Spokane on 24-Oct-2015, and yesterday was delivered to Victoria following painting.

Aerocorp & Rocky Mountain Aircraft Complete G950 Upgrade for B.A.S.

The first British Antarctic Survey (BAS) DHC-6-300 to receive the upgraded Garmin G950 glass cockpit has been completed in Canada. The work was accomplished under the Aerocorp STC by Rocky Mountain Aircraft in Calgary, AB.

Before application of the STC on the remaining three BAS Twin Otters, the organization will verify the installation and functionality of the system on the single aircraft in the South Pole environment. 

BAS is confident in the success of the trial, and upon completion will seek additional funding from the U.K. government to complete the remaining three aircraft.

Update to Twin Otter Operator Listings

The Twin Otter Operator Listings for the following regions have been updated:

• Africa-Middle East
• Asia
• Australia-Papua New Guinea-Oceania
• Canada
• Europe
• Indian Ocean

First Rosneft Series 400 Seen in Spokane

MSN 928 C-GFAP was flown over to the Spokane paint facility on 16-Oct-2015, having been delivered direct from Calgary to Victoria  in primer finish back on 27-Aug-2015. As can be seen in the photo below the aircraft has now received the distinctive Rosneft yellow and red/orange scheme, and Russian registration.

Rosneft is set to begin receiving the first of ten Series 400's this year, with deliveries running through Dec-2016. As Rosneft themselves do not possess an AOC, the aircraft will be operated by independent contractors.

793 ex CC-PQQ Officially Registered to Kenn Borek Air

793 - DHC-6-300 C-FKBU Kenn Borek Air Ltd., Calgary, AB

Registered 09-Nov-2015, ex CC-PQQ (see blog entry for 06-Nov-2015)

725 C-GKBO and 732 C-GKBH Depart for Antarctica

725 - DHC-6-300 C-GKBO Kenn Borek Air, Calgary, AB

06/08-Nov-2015

• Calgary-Int'l, AB (CYYC/YYC) - Denver-Centennial, CO (KAPA/APA)
• Denver-Centennial, CO (KAPA/APA) - Galveston-Scholes, TX (KGLS/GLS)
• Galveston-Scholes, TX - Roatan, Honduras (MHRO/RTB)

732 - DHC-6-300 C-GKBH Kenn Borek Air, Calgary, AB

09-Nov-2015

• Calgary-Int'l, AB (CYYC/YYC) - Colorado Springs, CO (KCOS/COS)

Indonesia Introduces New Aircraft Age Restrictions

The Indonesian Ministry of Transport has announced additional restrictions on locally-registered aircraft. The Indonesian Civil Aviation Regulations have been amended to prohibit the import, registration and use of commercial passenger aircraft older than ten years, and freighter aircraft of more than fifteen years.

Existing commercial passenger and freighter aircraft currently in service with local operators may not exceed thirty years of age. The Indonesian carriers have been given 36 months to comply with the regulation.

At this time the effect of the regulations on the current twenty-nine locally registered Twin Otters is unknown. The only aircraft that would meet the requirements of the amendment are the Series 400 aircraft flown by Airfast Indonesia. A grounding of the remaining series 300 aircraft, even by 15-Oct-2018 would have far reaching implications to the rural air transport system in the archipelago. 

Interestingly, the state-owned aircraft manufacturer Indonesian Aerospace is expected to roll-out the first prototypes of their N219 aircraft, marketed as a "Twin Otter Replacement" in 2016. So far, the type has only seen a single confirmed order for 20 aircraft by Nusantara Buana Air. Any requirement to prohibit the operation of the older series Twin Otters would effectively force local operators to either upgrade to Viking Series 400 airframes, or acquire the Indonesian built N219. 

The Indonesian regulator has made considerable progress in enacting regulations related to ensuring local operators are financially stable, that they maintain a minimum number of aircraft, and now that those aircraft meet an arbitrary age criteria. These amendments are progress, and need to be acknowledged accordingly - however incidents and accidents continue to occur at an appalling rate. Unfortunately you can't help but wonder if these changes were really the correct priorities in improving the country's air safety.

613 CC-ACH and 793 CC-PQQ Officially Imported to Canada

613 - DHC-6-300 CC-ACH Transportes San Francisco S.A., Santiago

Officially imported to Canada 06-Nov-2015 (see blog entry for 28-Oct-2015)



793 - DHC-6-300 CC-PQQ Compania Minera Nevada S.A., Santiago

Officially imported to Canada 06-Nov-2015 (see blog entry for 21-Sep-2015)

709 CC-CHV of Aerovias DAP in Chile

Below is Aerovias DAP DHC-6-300 CC-CHV at Puerto Williams, Chile. MSN 708 still carries the original delivery scheme from 1980, which is actually that of Brymon Airways whom the aircraft was originally planned for.

Puerto Williams is located on Isla Navarino, southeast of Ushuaia, Argentina.

MSN 709 - DHC-6-300 CC-CHV
Aerovias DAP
Puerto Williams, Chile
Daniel Alejandro Jiménez Barra Photo

480 P2-SWE in full Southwest Air Colours

The last time that Southwest Air's P2-SWE was down in Australia (in Feb-2015) it had received a new tail scheme, however the fuselage remained in the old colours on the port side, and all white on the starboard. Today a more recent picture, in the final scheme, and looking very nice.

MSN 480 - DHC-6-300 P2-SWE
Southwest Air, Port Moresby
Southwest Air Photo

389 - N288SA Departs McMinnville, OR as SXA1245

389 - DHC-6-300 N288SA Montecito New York LLC, Scottsdale, AZ (CAAMS Leasing LLC)

05-Nov-2015

• McMinnville, OR (KMMV/MMV) - Oakland-Metropolitan, CA (KOAK/OAK)

After having arrived in McMinnville back on 17-Sep-2015, N288SA has today departed. Rather than a direct KMMV-PHNL route, the aircraft is first heading down to Oakland, CA prior to embarking on the journey across the Pacific. The aircraft is being delivered by Southern Cross Aviation, and is destined for Dimonim Air, in Indonesia.

MSN 389 - DHC-6-300 N288SA
Montecito New York LLC (CAAMS Leasing)
Rutherfordton, NC Sep-2015
CAAMS Leasing Photo

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

Latest Series 400's Registered, Photos from Altenrhein, Switzerland

Welcome to Utility Air of Sydney, Australia as the newest advertiser above. Utility is the exclusive distributor for Viking Air in the Pacific, and also offers a range of services including new and used aircraft sales.

The companies above represent the top suppliers and service providers in the world of Twin Otters, and this site exists and grows as a result of their support.  

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

Registered 03-Nov-2015


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

Registered 03-Nov-2015

It has been quite some time since I have featured some of the great work of Tino Dietsche, whose pictures can be seen at airpics4you.ch . His site it definitely worth checking out for a wide variety of fixed wing and helicopter photographs from Switzerland.

MSN 577 - DHC-6-300 OY-NSA
DHC6 Invest AS
Altenrhein-Saint Gallen, Switzerland 03-May-2015
Tino Dietsche Photo

MSN 184 - DHC-6-200 LN-JMP
Hoppfly A/S
Altenrhein-Saint Gallen, Switzerland 04-Nov-2014
Tino Dietsche Photo

MSN 636 - DHC-6-300 HB-LRN
Zimex Aviation
Altenrhein-Saint Gallen, Switzerland 16-Jun-2015
Tino Dietsche Photo

MSN 845 - DHC-6-400 HB-LUX
Zimex Aviation
Altenrhein-Saint Gallen, Switzerland 15-Jul-2014
Tino Dietsche Photo

MSN 845 - DHC-6-400 HB-LUX
Zimex Aviation
Altenrhein-Saint Gallen, Switzerland 09-Aug-2014
Tino Dietsche Photo