Viking Air
A Vancouver Island flying-boat repair shop that bought the rights to de Havilland Canada’s classics, put the Twin Otter back into production after 22 years, and then took the de Havilland name itself.
Viking Air: the company and the aircraft that made its name
The flying-boat shop
Viking Air was founded in 1970 at North Saanich, on Vancouver Island, by Nils Christensen, a Norwegian-born Canadian aviator. For decades it was an overhaul and conversion shop specialising in flying boats, and it became known for keeping de Havilland Canada bush planes such as the Beaver and Otter flying, including turbine-engined DHC-2T Turbo Beavers with the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34.
The Twin Otter returns
On 24 February 2006 Viking bought from Bombardier the type certificates for every out-of-production de Havilland Canada design, from the Chipmunk and Beaver to the Twin Otter and Dash 7. At Farnborough that July it announced the Twin Otter Series 400, and in April 2007, with 27 orders and options in hand, restarted production. The demonstrator flew on 1 October 2008, the first new-build aircraft flew at Calgary on 16 February 2010, and Zimex Aviation of Switzerland took delivery that July. About 100 had been delivered by July 2016.
Becoming de Havilland
In 2016 Viking also took over the CL-215 and CL-415 water-bomber programme from Bombardier. Its owner, Sherry Brydson’s Longview Aviation Capital, had meanwhile bought the Dash 8 programme and the de Havilland Canada name, and in February 2022 Viking, Longview Aviation and Pacific Sky Training were consolidated as De Havilland Aircraft of Canada. Viking built 156 Twin Otters, which took the type to 1,000 in 2026.
Viking Air in numbers
A empresa
- Resumidamente
- Founded 1970
- Founded by Nils Christensen at North Saanich, BC
- Bought de Havilland Canada heritage type certificates in 2006
- Owned by Longview Aviation Capital
Produção
- Mais conhecido por
- DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 400
- 156 Twin Otters built by Viking
- Production of CL-415 programme acquired 2016
Hoje
- Agora
- Now De Havilland Canada
- Rebranded February 2022
- Amalgamated into Longview Aviation Capital in August 2024
Os números
- Twin Otters built by Viking
- 1562026
- Series 400 orders and options at production restart
- 272007
- Força de trabalho máxima
- 575
Every notable Viking Air aircraft
| Aeronave | Papel | Primeiro voo | Construído | Status | Observação |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viking DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 400 | 19-seat STOL utility turboprop | 2008 | 156 | Em produção | First new-build aircraft (s/n 845) delivered to Zimex, July 2010 |
| Viking DHC-2T Turbo Beaver | Bush plane conversion | Aposentado | PT6A-34 conversion of the classic Beaver |
Viking Air aircraft in the world’s air forces
1 air forces in the Order of Battle fly or flew Viking Air types. Um deles ainda tem um em serviço.
| Força Aérea | Em serviço | Anteriormente voado |
|---|---|---|
| Corpo Aéreo Irlandês | Viking 400 (DHC-6 Twin Otter) |
Where Viking Air built, who led it, what it achieved
Fábricas
- Victoria International Airport works · North Saanich, British Columbia — Headquarters; Series 400 demonstrator flew here
- Calgary plant · Calgary, Alberta — Twin Otter final assembly
Pessoas
- Nils Christensen · fundador
- Sherry Brydson · owner of Longview Aviation Capital
Viking Air, year by year
Viking Air founded at North Saanich
Buys de Havilland Canada heritage type certificates from Bombardier
Twin Otter Series 400 announced at Farnborough
Production restart announced
Series 400 demonstrator first flight
First new-build Twin Otter delivered to Zimex Aviation
CL-215/415 programme acquisition completed
Twin Otter production paused
Rebranded De Havilland Aircraft of Canada
Amalgamated into Longview Aviation Capital
Before and after Viking Air
Everything people ask about Viking Air
Who owns Viking Air?
Did Viking Air build new Twin Otters?
What happened to Viking Air?
Where was Viking Air based?
Around Viking Air
Todos os fatos foram verificados.
Verificado em 03/10/2026.