New Life For Old Twin Otters

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There is new life available for old Twin Otters in the form of an STC obtained by a California aircraft modification company. IKHANA Aircraft Services at Van Nuys has received FAA approval to remanufacture the fuselages of timed-out DHC-6-100, 200 and 300 aircraft. Twin Otters, which were built in Toronto from 1965 to 1988, are among the hardest-working types in their category, and many have reached or are getting close to the 66,000-hour/132,000-cycle life limit. IKHANA’s program zero times an existing fuselage and gives it another full life limit. “This is not a standard aircraft refurbishment but an option for re-creating value by remanufacturing a previously timed out asset,” the company said in a news release. As we reported in 2008, demand for Twin Otters is such that Viking Air, of Victoria, B.C., has resumed production under the original type certificate.

Viking has taken more than 60 orders for its newly manufactured Twin Otter 400 Series, which adds some modern updates to the original design. There are new PT-6 engines and the flight deck features a Honeywell Primus flat panel. The troublesome electrical system of the original design has also been replaced. Many of the orders come from existing Twin Otter operators but the company has also sold 12 military versions to the Peruvian air force.

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