(No news on Beavers... round nose or otherwise)

A Vancouver Island company has committed to resurrecting one of the most popular passenger/utility aircraft ever built. Viking Air of Saanich (near Victoria) British Columbia intends to begin building DHC-6 Twin Otter this year. Parts will be built at the Saanich plant for assembly in Calgary. The company hopes to build nine aircraft this year, 12 in 2008 and 18 in 2010 to start satisfying a pent-up demand for the rugged, STOL-capable fixed-gear turboprops that has forced prices on the used market to skyrocket in recent years. "It's a terrific opportunity," Viking vice president of finance John Morrison told the Peninsula News. "In the aviation world the Twin Otter is a very cherished icon, much like the Beaver, and that we've been given the opportunity to bring it back into production is exciting." Viking, which for decades has been one of the leading repair and modification centers for de Havilland products, obtained the type certificates for six de Havilland products, including the venerable Beaver and Otter bush planes and the Caribou, Buffalo and Dash-7 transports, but it identified the Twin Otter as the most viable for production. A meeting of potential customers for the new Twin Otter last fall suggested a worldwide market of 400 aircraft over the next 10 years. De Havilland built 844 of them until production stopped in 1988, and more than 600 Twin Otters are still in service. The new aircraft will include updated engines, avionics and other systems, but will retain the rugged versatility of the 19-passenger unpressurized original. The aircraft can operate on wheels, floats and skis.

why dont they bring the beaver back.marc n43643

Simple: A very simple two seat airplane costs near $200 K new. A four to six seat Cessna runs a half mil. A new Beaver would run on the order of three quarters to a full million. Nobody is going to buy one of them, when they can buy a refurbished old one for less than half that.

Oh, also, they haven't made those motors for well over 55 years. It would be tough to sell brand new airplanes with an overhauled engine.

MTV

How much power did the old beavers engine make? There is a russian radial engine currently in production that makes 400 HP. That seems like it might be enough for a beaver.

The R-985 made 450 horsepower in the Beaver. The Vendenyev M-14P makes 360 hp or 400 with a little extra boost. That ain't enough for a Beaver, not even close.

Also, the M-14P engine is not certificated, and never will be, my guess. So, now you'd be talking a near million dollar airplane that is experimental, exhibition. That wouldn't be very practical.

Air taxi operators, who are the power users of the Beaver, can't make enough money with that many seats to justify new equipment prices.

A Caravan can make money, but not in the off airport environment like the Beaver, due to performance limitations.

In any case, there simply isn't an engine out there of this size that doesn't say turbine all over it.

And, by the way, Viking will build you a Turbo Beaver any day you're willing to plunk down your cash deposit.

MTV

The RCMP up here just took delivery of a turb beaver fresh from Viking at a price of approximately 1.3mil. canadian.FWIW

Dean wrote:The RCMP up here just took delivery of a turb beaver fresh from Viking at a price of approximately 1.3mil. canadian.FWIW

OUCH

I attended the BC Float Plane Association last April 28 at Pitt Meadows, The main speaker was the CEO-Air Sea Lines of Greece who talked about his new company ordering 40 plus twin OTTERS from Viking to serve the thousand tourist Islands in Greece. He is convince his company will shortly be the largest sea plane company in the world. I think everyone was impressed by his presentation-- It made you want to be 20 years old and just starting to fly float planes --- also go out and buy stock in Viking. Their web site is airsealines.com...Garv