DHC-6 Twin otter

DHC-6 Twin Otter, turboprop aircraft developed by «de Havilland Canada» having a shorter takeoff and landing, and intended for passenger traffic on domestic airlines.

Excellent take-off and landing performance, the ability to land on a suitable landing area, as well as the ability to install the chassis wheelbase, ski or float base made DHC-6 Twin Otter versatile light transport aircraft.

In November 1963, the company «de Havilland Canada» started work on designing a twin-engined variant of aircraft DHC-3 Otter. Get in a subsequent designation - DHC-6. Construction of the first prototype DHC-6, began in July 1964 years.

DHC-6 Twin Otter snow

The appearance of the aircraft has undergone changes. The bow has been redesigned. The wingspan of the aircraft has been increased. The aircraft was powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprop engines with 550 hp. each. The aircraft received the shape of a strut-braced monoplane with a high-wing wing with a double-slotted flap design. The fuselage of the aircraft is all-metal with a cruciform tail unit. The landing gear of the aircraft consists of three non-retractable struts, which, if necessary, can be equipped with floats, skis, ordinary or "tundra" wheels. The new aircraft, like its predecessor, DHC-3, turned out to be a reliable, unpretentious in operation and easy to maintain aircraft with a short takeoff and run distance.

DHC-6 first took to the skies on May 20, 1965 from Downsview Airport in Ontario. During all tests, the aircraft showed excellent performance. After all the tests, the serial production of the aircraft began. The first production version of the aircraft, designated DHC-6 Series 100, has arrived at Trans Australia Airlines. Production of the DHC-6 Series 100 continued until April 1968. A total of 115 aircraft of this series were built. After that, de Havilland Canada began work on the DHC-6 Series 200. The XNUMXth Series differed from its predecessor in that it had an elongated nose, which housed an additional luggage compartment, as well as an enlarged rear luggage compartment.

DHC-6 Twin Otter salon 34

Beginning in 1969, the production of the DHC-6 Series 300 aircraft began. The aircraft of this series had an increased fuel reserve and installed new, more powerful Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-27 turboprop engines. The power of each motor was 620 hp. It also became possible to install additional fuel tanks on the wingtips. A double-wing cargo door and a separate door in the cockpit were installed on the left side of the aircraft. The nose was the same as the Series 200, except for the water variant with floats, which had the shortened nose of the Series 100.

In 1988 the production of aircraft DHC-6 was discontinued. But in the middle of the year 2007 Aircraft company «Viking Air» continued construction of these aircraft under the designation DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 400.

The new Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34 engines were installed on the aircraft of this series. Also optionally, PT6A-35 motors can be used.

In the construction of this series, composite materials were used to facilitate the structure and increase the load capacity. Beginning in 2009, DHC-6 Series 400 began to be supplied to airlines.

DHC-6 Twin Otter was admitted into a well in the following versions:

- UV-18B - aircraft supplied to the United States Air Force for practicing parachute jumping.

- UV-18A - the plane is used as the light air transporter by the US Army in Alaska.

- CC-138 - search and rescue aircraft, delivered to the armed forces of Canada.

DHC-6 Series 320 - aircraft built specifically for the Australian regional airlines.

DHC-6 Series 300M - a multi-purpose military transport aircraft

DHC-6 Twin Otter Salon