pvsjetstar
Flight Lieutenant
email: rassie6@optusnet.com.au
Posts: 97
|
Post by pvsjetstar on May 30, 2015 20:04:47 GMT 12
With all the activity occurring around New Zealand with various small carriers taking over regional routes from Air NZ, I'm surprised nobody has talked about the Viking Air DHC-6-400 with is the latest Twin Otter Variant. The aircraft has more powerful engines than the Twin Otter, a digital flight deck, it is spacious and can carry over 4,000lbs of freight in the freight configuration or can carry up to 20 passengers. The Twin Otter family has a reputation for ruggedness and versatility and would be a great replacement for there Beech 1900Ds.
|
|
|
Post by baronbeeza on May 30, 2015 21:04:40 GMT 12
The Twin Otter and the Bandeirante were both popular up in the Pacific back in the day. Those types along with the Islander served Fiji, Tonga and other Pacific countries for several decades. I am sure the newer Otters will find their way back into the market especially as the piston twins such as the Chieftain, 402 and 404 are falling by the wayside. The Islander could almost be in that category if Avgas supplies are difficult to come by. The NZ environment is different and both turbo-prop types have had restrictive almost niche routes in the past. The main problems would be the lack of pressurisation and the cycle related damage to a pair of turbine engines. The slower speeds also to an extent. The Caravan (Grand) and the PC12 both score better and apart from the obvious load capability differences seem to be more popular. The Nomad and King Air 200 were all tried by various operators along the way also but I think the new thinking regarding single engine PT-6 is now more realistic.
|
|
|
Post by isc on Jun 1, 2015 22:36:12 GMT 12
What is the insurance Co's stance on passengers and single engine aircraft. In past years many companies/goverment depts would not allow their staff (senior) fly in single engine aircraft? isc
|
|
|
Post by baronbeeza on Jun 1, 2015 22:59:21 GMT 12
That would be going back a while. A modern single turbo-prop is going to have much less chance of an engine failure than a twin to start with, somewhere in the order of two or three times less. That is for a comparable multi-turbo prop, when you start thinking of the equivalent piston twin then the single is going to be a much safer choice. On top of that trying to handle some of those twins on one engine was a real handful also, depending on the stage of flight of course. I am not so familiar with Part 125 but it may be the one they are operating under. www.caa.govt.nz/rules/Rule.../Part_125_Consolidation.pdf
|
|