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The De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter is a twin-engined, high-wing
utiility transport aircraft for up to nineteen passengers. The Twin
Otter may be fitted with float or ski undercarriages. In 1964, De
Havilland Canada Inc, Downsview, Ontario, started with the development
of the DHC-6 as a twin-engined replacement for the DHC-3 Otter. Built on
production tooling modified from that of the single-engined DHC-3 Otter,
the Twin Otter followed substantially the structure of its predecessor,
but had a 1,68 mtr fuselage extension, and a structturally modified wing
with chemically-milled skins. Next to this, the rear fuselage, tail, and
nose were redesigned and seating was increased to 18. The first three
aircraft had 528 hp Pratt & Whitney PT6A-6 engines, but the fourth and
subsequent aircraft standardised on the PT6A-20A. On 20 May 1965, the
prototype of this STOL (Short TakeOff and Landing) aircraft, DHC-6 Series 1
c/n 1 CF-DHC-X, flew first. Canadian type certification was received on 7 April
1966. The first six aircraft produced were designated Series 1, indicating that
they were prototype aircraft. The initial production run consisted of Series 100
aircraft, serial number seven to 115 inclusive. In April 1968, Series 200 was
introduced, starting with serial number 116. The Series 200 divers from the
Series 100 by a lengthened nose; a larger baggage compartment (except for
aircraft fitted with floats); a larger door to the rear baggage and an
improved STOL performance.In May 1969, Series 300 was introduced, beginning
with serial number 231. Both aircraft performance and payload were improved
by fitting more powerful PT6A-27 engines. This was a 680 hp (510 kW) engine
that was flat-rated to 620 hp (460 kW) for use in the Series 300 Twin Otter.
The production by De Havilland Canada of the DHC-6 at Toronto /Downsview
Airport ended in 1988 with a total of 844 DHC-6 aircraft built.
After the DHC-6 Twin Otter production ended, the remaining tooling was purchased by Viking Air
of Victoria, British Columbia, who manufactures spare parts for all of the out-of-production
De Havilland Canada aircraft. |
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On 6 December
1968, the De Havilland DHC-6-200 s/n 181 was registered 5X-UVN and flew
first at the De Havilland Canada facilities at Downsview in Ontario,
Canada, on 6 December 1968. On 21 December 19698 , the 5X-UVN was
delivered to East African Airways, Entebbe, Kenya. On 15 August 1973,
the DHC-6 was sold to Bannock Aerospace, Toronto, ON, and registered
CF-GQK. On 13 December 1973, the CF-GQK was registered with 320
Syndicate, Toronto, ON, and on 30 january 1974, leased to Survair,
Ottawa, Ontario. On18 June 1974, Survair'Twin Otter CF-GQK was damaged
in an accident at Belcher Islands. The aircraft was repaired by Innotech
Aviation and returned to service in November 1974. On 28 January 1977,
the DHC-6-200 was registered C-FGQK with 33 Leasing Ltd. as owner and as
before Survair as operator. TIn 1977, the C-FGQK was returned to the
lessor 33 Leasing Ltd. and in October 1977 flown to Uganda. On 24
October 1977, registration C-FGQK was cancelled as sold to Uganda and
the DHC-6 was registered 5X-UWV with Uganda Airlines.In August 1985, the
DHC-6 Twin Otter was registered 5Y-BEK with Sunbird Aviation Ltd, Nairobi, Kenya.
In 1987, Sunbird Aviation merged into Airkenya Aviation Ltd. and the 5Y-BEK was
registered with Airkenya Aviation. By May 2002, DHC-6 5Y-BEK was withdrawn from
use and stored at Nairobi-Wilson in Kenya. On 3 November 2004, the DHC-6-200
Twin Otter was registered N181CS in the USA with F & M Aviation,
Wilmington, Delaware. On 29 November 2005, the N181CS was registered
with Fayard Enterprises Inc., and on 22 December 2005 with Avtran LLC.
On 19 December 2007, the Twin Otter N181CS was registered with Fayard
Enterprises Inc., and the same day leased to Winair (Windward Islands
Airways International N.V.), St.Maarten. In May 2009, DHC-6 N181CS
returned to its lessor, Fayard Enterprises Inc., Franklington, NC. On 11 January 2011, the N181CS was
transferred to Rampart Aviation, with Bank of Utah Trustee as registered
owner of the aircraft. On 2 July 2014, ownership of the N181CS was
registered with FHC Group LLC, with as before Rampart Aviation LLC as
operator. In service with Rampart Aviation, Twin Otter N181CS
was modified and equipped for geophysical survey operations. When seen
at Den Helder Airport in the Netherlands, the special equiped Twin Otter
N181CS was operated by Rampart, together with its technical partner
ARKeX, Ltd. (ARKeX) on Full Tensor Gravity Gradiometry, Magnetic and LiDAR surveys. |
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