Air Seychelles set to get new Twin Otter in December |16 October 2009

Air Seychelles originally placed an order for two new Twin Otter DHC-6 Series 400 aircraft. However, due to the slowdown in traffic, the national airline has decided to delay a decision on the second plane for now.

Initially, both aircraft were due to be delivered earlier this year but there have been production delays.

Viking Air’s head of business development, sales and marketing, Beth Shrieves, who is coordinating the project team in British Columbia, Canada, has given an update of the 400 Series programme, saying:

“The new Twin Otter is in stage 9 on the assembly line with the fuselage, wings, undercarriage and empennage all completed.

Installation of the final wiring, systems and engines is now underway.”

She added that the flight deck (cockpit) comes fitted with the latest system of digital avionics and is close to being finally approved by the Federal Aviation Agency and the Canadian Civil Aviation Authority.

Meanwhile Air Seychelles’ own project team, based in its technical operations department, is in weekly contact with Viking Air in preparation to visit the new plane for final inspections and acceptance.

As the avionics suite on the flight deck is of the latest standard, both flight and engineering crew will have to undergo a comprehensive training programme during the first few weeks of its arrival here.

A digital flight deck, compared with the current analogue instruments, will enhance the operation of this aircraft. The training will be supplied by Viking Air on site at Air Seychelles’ technical operations hangar.

Air Seychelles’ executive chairman Captain David Savy said: “We are looking forward to receiving the new Twin Otter aircraft, which will be an enhancement to our current fleet. Acquiring the second aircraft will depend on how well the domestic sector performs.”

Air Seychelles will also be taking delivery of two brand new B787-900s in 2013.