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Viking Air

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This article is about the Canadian aircraft manufacturer. For other companies with similar names, see Viking Aircraft.
Viking Air Limited
Company typeCorporation
IndustryGeneral Aviation
Founded1970; 54 years ago (1970)
Headquarters
North Saanich, British Columbia
,
Canada
Key people
David Curtis (President and CEO)
ProductsDHC-2T Turbo Beaver
DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 400
Number of employees
575[1]
Websitewww.vikingair.com

Viking Air Ltd. is a manufacturer of aircraft, as well as aircraft parts and systems, based in North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada. The company produces new versions of the DHC-6 Twin Otter, upgraded versions of the DHC-2 Beaver, spare parts for older de Havilland Canada aircraft, and components for Bell Helicopter Textron. Its President and CEO since at least May 2005 is David Curtis.[2] The company is managed by Longview Aviation Capital.[3] Longview Aviation is owned by Sherry Brydson, granddaughter of Roy Thomson and cousin of David Thomson, the largest family fortune in Canada.[4]

History

The company was established in 1970 by founder, Nils Christensen, doing overhaul, maintenance and conversions to all types of aircraft but specializing in flying boats.[5] In 1983, Christensen acquired the exclusive rights from de Havilland Canada to manufacture spare parts and to distribute the DHC-2 Beaver and the DHC-3 Otter aircraft. He retired as president of Viking Air in 1987.[6]

In May 2005, the company subsequently purchased the parts and service business for all the older de Havilland Canada aircraft from Bombardier Aerospace.[2]

On February 24, 2006, Viking purchased the type certificates from Bombardier for all the discontinued de Havilland Canada designs: the DHC-1 Chipmunk, DHC-2 Beaver, DHC-3 Otter, DHC-4 Caribou, DHC-5 Buffalo, DHC-6 Twin Otter and DHC-7 Dash 7.[7] The still in production DHC-8 Dash 8 was not included then.

Viking Air has also held the type certificate for the Trident TR-1 Trigull since 2006.[8] By owning the type certificates, Viking can manufacture and sell new aircraft. Since 2008, Viking has been producing its own version of the DHC-6 Twin Otter, and repairs the DHC-2 Beaver.

On June 20, 2016, Viking announced the acquisition of the worldwide amphibious aircraft program from Bombardier, including the type certificate for the CL-215, CL-215T and CL-415 Waterbombers.[9][10] The acquisition was finalised on 3 October.[11]

On November 8, 2018, it was announced that Bombardier would be selling its Q400 program to Viking Air, as well as its assets and intellectual properties for the Dash 8 which includes the -100, -200 and -300 models. The deal also includes the rights to the de Havilland name and trademark, bringing the entire de Havilland product line under the same banner for the first time in decades. The transaction will close sometime in the second half of 2019.[needs update][12][13]

New production

First flight of the Series 400 on October 1, 2008
DHC-6 Series 400 on display at the 2010 Farnborough Airshow

On April 2, 2007, Viking announced that with 27 orders and options in hand, it was restarting production of the Twin Otter with more powerful Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34/35 engines.[14] The first flight of the Series 400 technical demonstrator took place on October 1, 2008 at Victoria International Airport.[15] In February 2010 the first new production Twin Otter Series 400 equipped with Honeywell's Primus Apex IFR digital flight deck and configured with a commuter interior took its first flight.[16] The DHC-6-400 series Twin Otter design has all around better performance, it includes more power, space, and now can haul up to 4,280 lbs of freight.[citation needed]

Viking Air also produces upgraded DHC-2 Beavers fitted with a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34 turboprop engine called the DHC-2T Turbo Beaver.

In December 2008, Viking Air indicated their intention to put the DHC-5 Buffalo series back into production in Canada at their home factory in North Saanich or in Calgary, Alberta. A potential new production Buffalo would have had Pratt & Whitney Canada PW150 turboprops, a glass cockpit, enhanced vision and night vision goggle capability. The company proposed the aircraft as a replacement for the Royal Canadian Air Force fleet of existing DHC-5As but the aircraft was not included in the final assessment in 2016 which chose the EADS CASA C-295.[17] [18]

In September 2017, Viking Air announced that it would begin talking to potential customers interested in the CL-415 "SuperScooper" Waterbomber aircraft, with the potential of the company reviving production of the aircraft if it finds demand.[3]

Products

Remanufactured Beavers by Viking Air, upgraded with a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34 680 hp (507 kW) turboprop engine.

First delivered in July 2010, powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34 or optional PT6A-35 Hot & High Performance engines, and available on standard landing gear, straight floats, amphibious floats, skis, wheel skis, or intermediate flotation landing gear.

Remanufactured CL-215 Scoopers, featuring Pratt & Whitney Canada PW123AF turboprop engines and EFIS avionics suite.[19]

Proposals

Proposed redesigned new production version to be built by Viking Air. NG is the company marketing term indicating Next Generation.

Future products

In November 2018 Longview Aviation Capital, parent of Viking, acquired the rights to the Bombardier Dash 8 program and the in-production Q400.[20] The company announced it would continue its production at the Downsview site.[21] Production of the Q400 will have to eventually move as Bombardier had previously sold the plant, land and airstrip. The current lease expires at the end of 2021.[21]

See also

References

  1. ^ strategis.gc.ca: "Canadian Company Profiles – Viking Air Limited – Company information", retrieved 26 May 2014
  2. ^ a b "Viking Air acquires assets of Bombardier". Wings Magazine. 5 May 2005.
  3. ^ a b "Varcoe: Viking Air building case for water-bomber manufacturing in Calgary". Calgary Herald. 8 September 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  4. ^ David Ebner (Nov 8, 2018). "Longview Aviation revenue set to take off with Bombardier Q400 turboprop acquisition". Globe and mail.
  5. ^ "Nils Christensen". Helicopters Magazine. September 25, 2008.
  6. ^ "Member Profiles". Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame. 2015.
  7. ^ Viking Air Limited (February 23, 2006). "Viking Acquires Type Certificates for de Havilland Canada Heritage Aircraft from Bombardier" (Press release).
  8. ^ Transport Canada (Feb 6, 2006). "Type Certificate A-119".
  9. ^ Viking Air (2016-06-20). "Viking Air Limited Acquires Worldwide CL-415 Waterbomber Program from Bombardier" (Press release).
  10. ^ "Viking Air to buy type certificates for Bombardier amphibians". Flightglobal. 2016-06-21.
  11. ^ "Viking completes acquisition of Bombardier's amphibious aircraft programme". Flight Global. 3 October 2016.
  12. ^ Longview Aviation Capital Corp. (8 November 2018). "Longview Aviation Capital Corp. Acquires Dash 8 Program from Bombardier Inc" (Press release).
  13. ^ "Bombardier to sell Q400 programme". Flightglobal. 8 November 2018.
  14. ^ Viking restarts Twin Otter production April 2, 2007
  15. ^ First Flight For New Twin Otter A "Boring" Success Archived October 2, 2008, at the Wayback Machine October 01, 2008
  16. ^ First Flight For New Twin Otter AvFlash News, February 27, 2010
  17. ^ Niles, Russ. "Viking Proposes Resurrection Of DHC-5 Buffalo". avweb.com, December 2008. Retrieved: 13 September 2009.
  18. ^ https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/fixed-wing-search-planes-1.3885653
  19. ^ "CL-215T and CL-415EAF Aircraft". Viking Air. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
  20. ^ https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeremybogaisky/2018/11/08/bombardier-selling-q400-turboprop-line-cutting-5000-jobs-as-it-moves-to-strengthen-balance-sheet/#5ac1b8a91736
  21. ^ a b Trevor Zeck, Longview Communications (November 8, 2018). "Longview Aviation Capital Corp. Acquires Dash 8 Program from Bombardier Inc" (Press release). Retrieved November 12, 2018.

External links

External reading

  • Sean Rossiter The Immortal Beaver: The World's Greatest Bush Plane , Douglas & McIntyre, 2005 ISBN 1-55054-724-0,
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