Small · ICAO DHC6

De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter

The de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter is a rugged twin-engine turboprop built specifically for short takeoff and landing (STOL) performance on tiny, unprepared airstrips. It can be fitted with wheels, skis, or floats, making it equally at home on gravel runways, snow, or water. That versatility has made it a favourite for remote Arctic and island communities, as well as for parachuting and scientific research flights. Though the original design dates to the 1960s, Viking Air restarted production of an updated version in 2010, decades after the last classic model was built.

De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter, example photo from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: aeroprints.com · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Did you know?

The Twin Otter was purpose-built for short-field takeoffs and landings, and Viking Air restarted its production in 2010.

Specifications

Length15.8 m (52 ft)
Wingspan19.8 m (65 ft)
Height5.9 m (19 ft)
Maximum passengers19
Persons on board20
Maximum take-off weight5.6 t
Range770 NM (1,426 km)
Maximum speed170 kt (315 km/h)
Stall speed74 kt (137 km/h)
Service ceiling25,000 ft (7,620 m)
Optimum ceiling21,000 ft (6,401 m)
Rate of climb1,600 ft/min (8.1 m/s)
Take-off distance366 m (1,201 ft)
Landing distance590 m (1,936 ft)
Fuel capacity1,200 l
Engines2x PT6A
Units built1,000

Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.

In CatchFlights

In CatchFlights the De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter starts as a Uncommon catch. The tier is an editorial judgement of how special a sighting of this type is. The more often you catch it, the closer it moves to Common for you.

A catch counts for the manufacturer De Havilland Canada, the DHC-6 Twin Otter family and the model in your collection, and the daily Type Rating quiz asks about the types of each family.

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