New Otters to be available!

[Dutchboy 0]

Decades after they were discontinued to make way for more modern designs, the legendary de Havilland Beaver and Otter bush planes could soon resume production. Beaver Aircraft Canada has assumed the type certificate for the aircraft -- as well as an amphibian called the Tri-Gull. The company is down to the short strokes in setting up a full-fledged manufacturing facility in a former truck factory in Kelowna, B.C. Service, engineering support and training will be done at the Vernon Regional Airport, about 35 miles from the factory. "It will be a wholly-built B.C. plane," said company spokesman Mark Sager. "We want it to be a real Canadian product."

[miked10270 0]

THat's brilliant.

I wonder how much they're going to charge? Second-hand DHC-2T's can still command in excess of $500,000 which goes to show that when something is right, it's right, and despite the best efforts of Cessna & Pilatus nothing quite does it like a Beaver (did I just say that?).

Mike.

Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable.

Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

[weid14 0]

Interesting, from what I understood, they have to move the fuel from the body to the wings of the aircraft to satisfy FAA requirements, and the wings will need some major modifications to make that happen. that is cool though, they are excellent planes.

[diverdriver 5]

Got a link to that story?

[Spy38W 0]

Quote

Got a link to that story?

Here you go captain

--
Hook high, flare on time

[riggerrob 558]

An STC is already available to install fuel tanks in the wings of Beavers. The main reason for the STC is to shift the center of gravity farther forward.
This STC is just one of dozens of STCs available for DHC-2 Beavers. Some of the STCs address long-standing maintenance issues (i.e. rusting windshield frames) while others address odd-sized cargo (extended cargo doors) or flight characteristics (i.e. Baron leading edge cuff makes stall more predictable).
Dozens of shops in British Columbia make their livings repairing, overhauling and refurbishing DeHavilland and Cessna float planes.
Considering the high cost of freshly-overhauled float planes, it only makes sense to return the better designs to production.
DeHavilland of Canada really shot themselves in the foot when they suspended bush plane production back in the 1980s. Yes, they made plenty of money building Dash 8s, but now that market is drying up. DHC would have been wiser to continue low-rate production of bush planes.
In many respects, DHC was ahead of its time with several designs. For example, its DHC-3 Otter is the same size as Cessna's biggest seller: the Caravan. Too bad the Otter was introduced long before reliable small turbo-prop engines. Now many single Otters are being retrofitted with Garrett, Walter or Pratt and Whitney turboprop engines, the same engine that powers Cessna's Caravan.
Another example of DHC being ahead of the game was its DHC-2T Turbo Beaver, the first single turbine bush plane. DHC had the right idea, but their timing was bad, Ironically, the Turbo Beaver was doomed by US Army surplus piston-engined Beavers that hit the market at the same time. At triple the cost, there was no way that Turbo Beavers could compete with US Army surplus airframes.
I wish the new venture well.
P.S. There is a DZ in Vernon.