De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter

The De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter first flew in 1965 and is still in production to this day. The type is used as a Short Take Off and Landing utility aircraft and airliner which can land on very short airfields and unprepared airstrips. The type has been popular with Arctic and Antarctic survey missions as a support aircraft operating from ice runways, a version is also available with floats for operating from water. De Havilland ended production of the series 300 Twin Otter in 1988 however Viking Air purchased the rights to the aircraft and began production of the modernised series 400 Twin Otter in 2010 and have since purchased the rights to the de Havilland Canada name.

De Havilland Canada offers the Twin Otter to military and law enforcement customers as the Twin Otter Guardian 400. The Guardian is configured as a medium-range specialist surveillance and Search & Rescue in austere environments. The aircraft can be fitted with radar and electro-optical sensors or alternatively can be configured to carry stretchers. The aircraft is also multi-role and can be configured with floats or skis as and when required.

De Havilland Canada will be providing their Twin Otter Guardian 400 for static display at this year’s Air Tattoo.

Photo Credit: Kev Storer