Niche airline operators eye the versatile Twin Otter

New Delhi: India’s niche airline operators have shown interest in the Twin Otter small aircraft that has the unique ability to operate from land, water or snow and also has applications in the defence sectors.
“Companies like Pawan Hans and (regional airline) Air One, as also corporates like Essar and Religare, have expressed interest in the Twin Otter and we are taking this forward,” Madhav B. Lokur, who represents the aircraft’s Canadian manufacturer Viking Air in India, told IANS.
“Given its versatility, we also think that the aircraft would be a tremendous asset for the armed forces,” he added.
The new Series 400 aircraft is an improvement over the rugged and reliable Series 300 with a few major and hundreds of upgrades utilising today’s technology like latest avionics, new material for airframe, new engine and a glass cockpit, Lokur explained.
“It can be fitted with standard wheel gear, intermediate floatation gear for operations in rough field environments, straight and amphibious floats or skies. Within a day, the aircraft can be modified from floats to wheel gear and vice versa,” Lokur explained.
Capable of operating from runways as short as 1,500 feet, the Twin Otter can be configured for a variety of roles ranging from a 19-seater passenger aircraft to serving as a maritime surveillance platform.
05/04/10 Vishnu Makhijani/IANS/Sindh Today

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Categories: Foreign Apr 2010, Indian Aviation- In General Apr 2010, New Apr 2010