AIR International – June 2018

(Jacob Rumans) #1
http://www.facebook.com/airinternationalmagazine http://www.airinternational.com | 27

SCENE


Twin Otter evolution


The Twin Otter utility turboprop,
produced in Canada by Viking
Aircraft, is poised for further
development. Viking Aircraft
Executive Vice-President, Sales and
Marketing Rob Mauracher told AIR
International upgrades are set to be
introduced to the Series 400 model.
He said: “We’re looking at reducing
the direct operating cost, reducing
the cost of maintenance, increasing
the reliability and expanding the
use envelope.”
Although he gave no specific details,
Mauracher said the intention is to
introduce a higher gross weight,
allowing operations with a full
cargo and passenger payload in
comparison to the current version,
where he said the landing gear
penalises payload. More details
about the upgrades will be released
later this year.
Viking Aircraft acquired the type
certificates and production rights
for the Twin Otter in 2006 as part
of an acquisition from Bombardier
of the Chipmunk, Beaver, Otter,
Caribou, Buffalo and Dash 7
type certificates. This established
Viking’s specialism of providing
product support for legacy de

Havilland Canada piston and
turboprop aircraft.
Viking launched its new iteration
of the Twin Otter, the Series 400,
in 2007 and began producing the
upgraded aircraft at its Victoria

International Airport facility in
British Colombia the following
year. The 140th Series 400 is now
coming up on the production line,
Mauracher said. Viking produces
the Twin Otter Series 400 at a

rate of around 15 aircraft a year,
although the rate moves up and
down as required depending on the
number of orders in backlog. Twin
Otters are now operational in 32
countries. Mark Broadbent

Twin Otter Series 400s have
been produced by Viking
Aircraft since 2008 and the
company is planning further
improvements. Viking Aircraft

Flybe focuses on Q400


Flybe is to focus its fleet on
the Bombardier Dash 8 Q400
turboprop and divest its larger
regional jets. Europe’s biggest
regional airline by both fleet
size and passengers carried has
completed a strategic fleet review,
from which it has concluded the
Canadian turboprop “is the best
core aircraft” for its current and
future needs.
Flybe’s strategy is to reduce its
overall fleet size from the peak of
85 aircraft reached in May 2017 to

a target of around 70 aircraft by
early 2020, and to concentrate on
profitable routes only. A statement
from the airline said: “The Q400
is faster than the alternative
turboprops, with a performance
close to jet aircraft over the
relatively short sectors that Flybe
operates. In addition, with excellent
operating economics, including
turboprop fuel efficiency, it is
cheaper to operate than similar-
sized jet aircraft and has a much
smaller noise footprint.”

The Q400s have a relatively young
average age, just over ten years, and
Flybe says that where economical
the service lives of these aircraft will
be extended to “save considerable
capital expenditure... by avoiding the
requirement to acquire new aircraft”.
A consequence of the focus on
the Q400s is that the airline’s nine
Embraer E195 jets will be phased
out of service, although it will take
on four previously ordered E175s (to
take its fleet to 15) due for delivery
in 2019. These will be delivered with

new winglet technology to reduce
fuel consumption. However, apart
from these aircraft, the airline said it
is “not planning any additional new
aircraft orders for the foreseeable
future”. Flybe Chief Executive
Officer Christine Ourmières-
Widener said the strategy of
focusing on Q400s is intended to
“make the business demand driven
rather than capacity led” and “will
be the optimum required for our
specific regional route network”.
Mark Broadbent

Dash 8 Q400 G-JECY (c/n 4156) is one of 52 examples of the turboprop operated by Flybe, which is divesting most of its regional jets to focus on the type. Flybe
Free download pdf