Page 83 - World Airnews Magazine March 2020 Edition

NEWS DIGITAL NEWS DIGITAL

10 YEARS ON AND STILL GOING 400 Twin Otter, we proudly send our best infrastructure support, environmental marked the first time Vietnam’s ministry of
“As a launch customer of the Series
monitoring, cargo, maritime surveillance,
defence had acquired aircraft of any type
wishes to Viking on the 10th birthday of medevac, parachute, industrial support, from a western-based manufacturer as well
STRONG the Series 400 as well as the upcoming private VIP, and commercial seaplane as initiating the formation of the Navy’s
first fixed-wing Air Wing.
operations.
50th birthday of Viking itself,” commented
Daniele Cereghetti, CEO for Zimex Aviation. Among the list of Series 400 Twin Otter The Series 400 Twin Otter has now been
Viking Air marks Series 400 Twin He added, “MSN 845 has been reliably, customers, the largest fleet operator is type certified by 32 different regulatory
Otter’s first flight economically and safely serving our the Fuerza Aerea Del Peru (Peru Air Force) bodies, including Transport Canada, the
European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA),
with 12 Viking-built aircraft based in Iquitos
organisation in various special missions in
Africa and the Middle East. These missions that provide environmental patrol and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA),
are primarily dedicated to providing critical infrastructure support to remote the Russian Interstate Aviation Committee
humanitarian aid and industrial support in communities in the Amazonian region of Aviation Register (IACAR), and the Civil
the oil and gas sector. After 4,250 cycles, north east Peru. Aviation Authority of China (CAAC).
we are looking forward to many more MASwings, a subsidiary of Malaysia The CAAC certification is noteworthy
happy landings with MSN 845.” Aviation Group (MAG), is the largest as Viking was the first company to
On the occasion of the 10th anniversary commercial operator of Series 400 Twin benefit from a Bilateral Aviation Technical
of the Series 400 Twin Otter’s first flight, Otters with six aircraft accumulating 60,000 Arrangement (BATA) between Canada and
Viking president & CEO David Curtis said, flight hours in commercial service providing China signed in 2015 that opened the doors
“It’s hard to believe it has been ten years a vital lifeline to remote rural communities to the vast Chinese market for the Series
since that memorable day I was able to in Borneo. 400 Twin Otter.
witness MSN 845’s first flight from the Other commercial operators of the Since its first flight ten years ago, the
cockpit’s right seat. When I take a moment Series 400 include Air Seychelles, Fiji Link, Series 400 fleet has accumulated nearly
to reflect on the Series 400 programme First Flying (Japan), Aurora Airlines and 300,000 flight hours and over 500,000
from the launch to where we are now ChukotAVIA (Russia), Daily Air (Taiwan), cycles providing essential services to
celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Tara Air (Nepal), Reignwood Aviation remote communities around the world.
maiden flight, I am truly amazed at what (China), and Loganair (UK) whose operation Viking is now building its 156th produc-
Viking has accomplished.” is world-renowned for landing on the tion aircraft that will bear manufacturer’s
In the past 10 years, Viking Series 400 beaches of Barra, Scotland. serial number MSN 1000 marking it as the
Twin Otters have been exported to 37 One of the more notable operators of 1000th Twin Otter to be built since the
countries around the world in various Series 400 Twin Otters is the Vietnam Navy, design was first introduced by De Havilland
roles including regional commuter, critical whose purchase of six aircraft from Viking Canada in 1965.. Q
Pictured above: The inaugural flight of Viking’s first production Series 400 Twin Otter,
MSN 845, took place on February 16th, 2010 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Canada factory shut down its production Five months after its first test flight and
line in 1988 after 844 legacy Twin Otters just two weeks after receiving Transport
Ten years ago, Viking’s first production were produced. Canada type certification, Viking delivered
Series 400 Twin Otter, manufacturer’s Viking launched its Series 400 production its first Series 400 production aircraft to
launch customer Zimex Aviation at the
serial number (MSN) 845, took its maiden programme in 2007 as a natural progres- 2010 Farnborough International Airshow.
flight in the skies above the company’s sion from acquiring the type certificates Since delivery, MSN 845 has borne
for the out-of-production De Havilland
final aircraft assembly facility in Calgary, Canada fleet (DHC-1 through the DHC-7) Swiss-registration HB-LUX and has been
Alberta. after receiving overwhelming demand and providing essential humanitarian relief and
MSN 845 was the first Twin Otter aircraft operator support for a new-build Twin corporate charter services in Africa and the
to be built since the original De Havilland Otter. Middle East.

MSN 845, bearing Swiss Registration HB-LUX, is photographed in Kajjansi, Uganda where it Viking’s first production Series 400 Twin Otter, MSN 845, helps provide
provides industrial support to the oil and gas sector. Photo credit Zimex Aviation humanitarian aid in Africa. Photo credit Zimex Aviation

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