COVER STORY ULTRA LONG-HAUL BACK TO THE FUTURE The return of with a capital ‘D’

by HOWARD SLUTSKEN

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e Havilland is back, a newly resurrected company that is celebrating its ties to the past while it looks to the future. Now under the umbrella of Longview Aviation Capital, what was previously the Bombardier Q400 regional has been Drestored to its original designation, the Dash 8-400. The “Q” is gone. – or DHC – will go forward as a new brand that respects the legacy of aviation pioneer Sir , who established the Canadian division of the British company in 1928. Alaska Airlines’ regional “We’re the new stewards of the brand. However, carrier, , is one we’re differentiating it by reintroducing the well- of the largest operators of the De Havilland Canada known name with a capital “D,” said Dave Curtis, Dash 8-400. Executive Chair, Longview Aviation Capital, in an HOWARD SLUTSKEN interview with World of Aviation.

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Longview concluded its acquisition strengths – and weaknesses Canada’s WestJet Encore beginning with the 1908 flight of of the program from Bombardier in – of Canada’s aviation industry. only flies the De Havilland Alexander Graham Bell’s Silver Dart in Canada Dash 8-400, with June 2019, including the Dash 8 final But before looking to the future 47 aircraft in the fleet. The Baddeck, Nova Scotia. assembly line in , and Curtis of DHC, it’s important to understand airline flies regional routes, With close ties to the United knew that the DHC brand was a key the past. coast-to-coast. Kingdom, famous aero-marques HOWARD SLUTSKEN component of the agreement. The realities of Canada’s massive including A.V. Roe, Bristol, Hawker “Frankly, as part of our geography made it a natural incubator Siddeley, de Havilland and Vickers negotiations with Bombardier, we for aviation. Despite having the eventually set up shop in Canada. made it clear that obtaining the de United States as an influential Over 11,000 aircraft were Havilland name was critical to the next-door neighbour, Canada’s manufactured in Canada during deal,” he said. “We’ve got 1,300 new innovative sector developed employees that came across from independently. Bombardier, and I can tell you that Although there have been the love for the brand at this site (in missteps along the way, the country’s The realities of Toronto) is incredible.” aerospace manufacturers continue Canada’s massive geography It took more than 25 years and a to be a key component of the world’s very circuitous path before the way aviation landscape. made it a natural incubator was paved for the return of the DHC Canada has a rich aviation heritage brand, a path that speaks to the dating back well over a century, for aviation

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Short-Take-Off-and-Landing (STOL) Jazz Aviation operates Air props and powerful Pratt & Whitney Dash 7 and regional Dash 8 turboprop Canada Express (below), Canada turboprop engines, an active another Canadian operator rounding out the DHC lineup of the Dash 8-400. Bottom: noise and vibration system was until the company’s purchase by is based at installed. in 1986. the compact Billy Bishop Pilots, in an updated cockpit Toronto Island Airport (YTZ) In 1992, acquisition-hungry in downtown Toronto. with digital displays, cruise the Bombardier bought DHC from Boeing. HOWARD SLUTSKEN technologically-advanced, speedy By that time, only the Dash 8 remained turboprop at 25,000 feet. in production in Toronto, with the Bombardier now had the combo 37-seat -100 series, and the 50-seat of its industry-changing CRJ-series -300 series. of regional jets and the Q400 to meet Under Bombardier, the Dash 8 airlines’ fleet requirements, from evolved into the larger 75-seat Q400, regionals to mainline carriers. with the “Q” for “Quiet.” To reduce in- But the -based airframer cabin noise from the large, six-bladed aspired – and struggled – to evolve into

World War II, from trainers to fighters and bombers, from Tiger Moths to Hurricanes, Mosquitos and Lancasters. Post-war, the Canadian industry was at the forefront of global aeronautical technology with designs such as ’s Arrow and Jetliner. But while neither of those remarkable aircraft entered production, the legendary planes of de Havilland Canada have endured for over 70 years. The DHC-2 Beaver first flew in 1947, leading to the larger Otter and then the turboprop-powered Twin Otter in 1965. DHC’s Caribou and Buffalo transports began flying in the late 1950s and 1960s, with the

THEWOFA.COM WORLD OF AVIATION 65 something greater, an objective that operating costs and a lower noise An early morning arrival It would be five years from the would eventually bring de Havilland profile by the addition of a gear system of a Harbour Air DHC-2 launch of the program before the Beaver, at YVR’s floatplane Canada back to the commercial that allowed engine’s core and fan to terminal on the Fraser River. first flight test CS100 became airborne, aircraft business. spin at different speeds. ALL PICTURES THIS SPREAD, and then almost three more years After a decade-long gestation From launch, the CSeries faced HOWARD SLUTSKEN before the plane entered service with to bring a new larger to extreme competitive pressure from SWISS International Airlines, in market, Bombardier announced the and Boeing. Both the US July 2016. launch of the 100- to 130-seat CSeries and European planemakers worked Boeing also filed a US trade at the 2008 Farnborough Air Show. to block the CSeries from getting a complaint – ultimately rejected – that The new jet would be one of the foothold with airlines, having decided would have placed tariffs of nearly first to fly with the advanced Pratt to re-engine their single-aisle aircraft 300 per cent on any CSeries delivered & Whitney geared engine, with new technology engines in 2010 to US airlines. which promised greatly reduced and 2011. Bombardier had burned through billions of dollars – including significant government funds – during the plane’s development and was left with a stagnant order book that Beechcraft 1900 Leasing didn’t begin to get traction until early 2016 with orders from Delta and . But the strategic damage caused by the trade complaint and the plane’s protracted development had been done. Ultimately, to save the program, Bombardier entered into a CSeries partnership with Airbus, transferring the manufacturing and marketing responsibilities for the jet to the European airframer. That agreement Awesome Aviation was closed in July 2018, and the CSeries was soon renamed the +61 (8) 6189 0700 . [email protected] In the meantime, the Q400 had awesomeaviation.net languished and lost marketshare to its main competitor, the ATR-series

66 WORLD OF AVIATION ISSUE 001 DE HAVILLAND BACK TO THE FUTURE A Seair DHC-2 Beaver heads off to a destination in British Columbia’s Gulf Islands, while (right) A Harbour Air DHC-3T turbine Otter departs YVR’s floatplane terminal From launch, the CSeries faced extreme competitive pressure from Airbus and Boeing

of , a joint venture between production DHC models, from the Airbus and Italy’s Leonardo. DHC-1 Chipmunk post-WWII trainer Bombardier, now focused on its through to the DHC-7 Dash 7. The only line of Global, Challenger and plane missing from the list was the business aircraft, looked to sell the Dash 8. Q400 program – and there was a buyer By holding the TCs, Viking had in the wings. the ability to restart production of any Out on Canada’s West Coast, of the legacy de Havilland Canada Limited had long been a aircraft. After an extensive market maintenance and overhaul facility, analysis, the updated Viking Twin and authorised parts supplier for DHC Otter Series 400 twin-turboprop was Beavers, Otters and Twin Otters. launched. More than 125 of the STOL The Victoria, British Columbia- utility planes have been delivered to Above: Harbour Air flies Below and right: The based company had gone one step operators in 33 countries since 2010. the Canadian flag with this prototype DHC Dash 7 further in 2006 when it purchased In 2016, Longview Aviation Capital brightly painted DHC-3T STOL is in the turbine Otter at YVR’s Canada Aviation and the Type Certificates (TC) from was established to manage Viking, floatplane terminal. Space Museum in Ottawa Bombardier for all the out-of- flight-training operation Pacific Sky

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1928 1970 De Havilland Aircraft Viking Air established 1986 1992 Company of England 1947 at Victoria International De Havilland Canada Boeing sells DHC establishes DHC in First flight of the Airport, British sold to Boeing assets to Bombardier Toronto. DHC-2 Beaver. Columbia. Commercial Aircraft. Aerospace.

1942-45 1965 1984 1988 In WWII, DHC builds First flight of the DHC-6 Dash 8-100 regional Boeing shuts down 1,133 DH Mosquitos, Twin Otter. turboprop airliner enters production of the DHC “The Wooden Wonder.” service. Buffalo, Twin Otter and Dash 7.

Aviation, and a newly-created finance, The newly renamed Dash 8-400 it to recapture the 50- to 60-seat leasing and aircraft trade-in company. will continue to be produced at DHC’s turboprop market. What I’m really That same year, Longview /Toronto, plant excited about under Longview is that purchased the manufacturing and through 2023, when the factory’s we already have, in the very short design rights to the amphibious current land lease agreements expire. period of time of owning this business, CL-215, CL-215T and The 600th Dash 8-400 was started to have these discussions.” CL-415 series of water bombers. The recently delivered to Ethiopian DHC is also looking at a 50- to 65- company has launched a conversion Airlines, and a 90-seat version is now seat three-class configuration for the program for the piston-powered CL- available to airlines. current Dash 8-400, which Young said 215, turning the aircraft to a highly- With a backlog of 46 aircraft – could replace the 50-seat class of older upgraded, turboprop-powered CL- about a year of production – what’s in regional jets. 415EAF – Enhanced Aerial Firefighter. the future for DHC’s large turboprop Longview is also evaluating a new program? production CL-515. Look back 20 years to the initial With Viking and Longview’s focus concepts for the aircraft, for an answer. The 600th Dash 8-400 on this diverse and iconic group of “I was part of the original design Canadian aircraft, it seemed to be team of this airplane,” said Todd was recently delivered to a logical extension of the company’s Young, Chief Operating Officer, DHC. Ethiopian Airlines, and a 90- strategy, when, in November 2018, “When we designed the aircraft, it was it was announced that Bombardier designed with two things in mind. seat version is now available would sell the “Q” turboprop program One was to stretch it to a 100-seat to Longview. turboprop and the other was to shrink to airlines

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2016 2018 Longview Aviation Longview purchases “Q” 2006 Capital established, turboprop program from Viking acquires Type 2008 purchases line of Bombardier, as part of Certificates for legacy Bombardier launches ex-Canadair aerial Bombardier’s exit from DHC aircraft. CSeries program. firefighters. commercial aircraft.

1998 2007 2010 2018 2019 First flight of the Dash Viking launches the First delivery of the To save the CSeries De Havilland Canada 8-400 “Q400.” updated Twin Otter Viking Twin Otter program, Bombardier is re-established and the Series 400 program. Series 400. and Airbus’ joint venture Q400 is renamed the closes, with Airbus in Dash 8-400. control of manufacturing and marketing. CSeries renamed the A220.

“We firmly believe for the one- to While development and “You know that things can change, two-hour flight segments that the production continues on the DHC but we’re not interested in creating Dash 8-400 flies, this three-class Dash 8-400, Viking Twin Otter and another big aerospace entity with configuration will make huge Longview aerial firefighters, Curtis all of the bureaucracy that goes with economic sense.” recognises the challenges facing that. We’re pretty keen on individual, Young is pragmatic about the the company. focused business units.” potential of electric propulsion “We’ve just taken on a massive “Manufacturing airplanes isn’t for for future aircraft. He explained acquisition here, and we want to be the faint of heart and it’s not a get rich that DHC is working with engine careful and cautious that we’re not quick scheme. The barriers to entry are manufacturers “to understand the taking on too much too quickly.” huge,” continued Curtis. “But it is about timing of when this technology could Curtis said that Longview supporting them. The message I’m become available”. is splitting its operations into really trying to communicate is that “At the same time, we do recognise two divisions, DHC Toronto, we’re a product support company first. that there possibly needs to be and Longview Aviation West, “There are more than 1,000 Dash 8s an interim step from the [Dash encompassing Viking’s plants in of different series, over 130 Viking-built 8-400’s] PW150As. We’ve been Victoria and Calgary, and the Series 400 Twin Otters, and roughly having discussions with the engine CL-415EAF upgrade and 1,500 legacy de Havilland Canada manufacturers, including our current modification facilities. aircraft in operation around the world. supplier, Pratt & Whitney Canada, But he explained that each Our business is ensuring that those focused around improved fuel burn unit will maintain its own identity, airplanes are supported best-in-class. and maintenance costs reductions with no plans to rebrand the “And yes, by the way, we happen to on the engine.” existing assets. make airplanes.”

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