The Future is Now
It's not often that Airliner World features rotary aircraft, but there's something a little different going on in Vancouver.
Helijet or Harbour Air. Which Way to Fly?
There are 2 regular airline services flying between Victoria’s and Vancouver’s harbours. Both harbours are Transport Canada certified airports, with designated water “runways”. You can fly fixed-wing on Harbour Air’s 14 passenger DeHavilland Canada DHC-3 Turbine Otters or 18-seat DHC-6 Twin Otters. Or you can take a helicopter – Helijet flies 12-seat, twin-engine, Sikorsky S-76s or 4-seat Bell 206L LongRangers. Which way to go? Let’s have a look at the two airlines.
Viking Air and the New Twin Otter Series 400
AvGeeks know that there are a few airplanes that are in the "Love ‘em, can’t replace ‘em!" category. The venerable Douglas DC-3 is one. Never duplicated, and still flying, even though the last DC-3 rolled off the assembly line in 1947. The deHavilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter is another. Amazing Short Take Off and Landing (STOL) capability, twin bulletproof Pratt & Whitney Canada turboprops, decent cruise speed, has 19 seats, or it can carry a whack of cargo. But now, Victoria-based Viking Air has restarted production of the Twin Otter, as a new and improved airplane!