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returned home to be replaced by OK Tedi’s chief pilot, Tony Skelton. Taipei Bound World picked up the trip on the leg from Pusan. Departing on a A Viking in the southerly direction down the East , the weather was clear, offering a view of the snow-covered 6,400ft (1,950m) Mount Hallasan on Jeju Island en route to Taipei’s Taoyuan Airport in Taiwan in a sector time of 5.2hrs airborne. Tony Skelton was flying the and has some 6,000hrs Pilot South in Command (PIC) on classic Twin Otters out of his total 21,000hrs+. He hen a new aircraft is The first aircraft was to be delivered remarked after his first experience of completed, the last ‘act’ – in January 2012 and the Canadian the aircraft that it flew beautifully and either by the manufacturer manufacturer used the trip to do a the standard ‘glass ’ fit of TV or the new owner – is to little bit of promotional work in Asia screens offered far more (in terms of getW the to the customer’s base. on the way. The aircraft, C-GOVN ) than he would ever need in The OK Tedi Development Foundation (c/n 853), left the factory at Victoria PNG – however it proved very useful on (OTDF) in the South Pacific nation of International Airport, Vancouver Island, the ferry . New Guinea (PNG) purchased British Colombia, Canada on January 21, The cockpit instruments include a two new Viking Air DHC-6 Twin Otter crewed by company pilots Michael Moore Honeywell Primus Apex fully integrated 400s on behalf of the OK Tedi Mining and Frank Harlow. It then routed via “thE standard fit offErEd far morE (in system which replaces the Company (OTML). Flying a non- Anchorage, Alaska followed by Anadyr- tErms of tEchnologY) than would EvEr bE nEEdEd in analogue instrument panel of the classic pressurised aircraft on multiple transits Ugolny, Magadan and Vladivostok in model and presents four flat-screen half way around the world is not a Russia before arriving at Pusan/Gimhae papua nEw guinEa.” displays, incorporating an Electronic simple task. in South Korea at which point Harlow Tony Skelton OK Tedi’s chief pilot. Information System (EFIS)

DHC-6-400 cockpit with full Electronic Flight Paul Howard followed the delivery of a Viking air dHC- Information System 6-400 Twin otter from British Colombia to Papua new (EFIS) fitted. Tony Skelton (left) and Steve Stackhouse (right) Guinea – via a sales tour in asia. with a visiting pilot from another -400 operator, Trans Maldivian Airways.

On delivery of the aircraft in Australia, its total flight time had risen to 89.9hrs since leaving Victoria.

62 airliner world FEBRUARY 2013 www.airlinerworld.com 63 The aircraft, C-GOVN (c/n and an E-check list. Also included are Otter-Series 400’ decal was applied on 853), left the factory at a Terrain Awareness System (TAWS), a the forward and Viking Air Anchorage Victoria International Magadan Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance sales kits and calendars were loaded Airport, Canada on Anadyr-Ugolny January 21, 2012. System (TCAS) with linked pulse landing for distribution at the show. The lights, twin Global Positioning Systems Twin Otter was flown the short hop Below • A ‘Twin Otter- (GPS) and an auto-pilot – in fact the over to the show venue at Singapore’s Series 400’ decal was only ‘old money’ instruments are a clock Changi Airport by company pilot Steve Vancouver applied on the forward and a standby . The suite is Stackhouse who took over the delivery Vladivostok fuselage and Viking Air sales kits and similar to that as installed on other so that Michael Moore could return to calendars were loaded aircraft such as the 190 regional Canada. for distribution at the jet or the Pilatus PC-12 bizprop. Busan Singapore Airshow. Demonstration Tour Taipei – Puerto Princesa Following a successful show, during Taipei Below right • Prior to its Following a night stop, the crew was which the aircraft attracted a great deal arrival at the Singapore up early the next morning to make of interest from carriers in the , Airshow, a full passenger the most of a good weather forecast. the crew departed for a demonstration Manila cabin interior was fitted Puerto Princesa replacing the long-range Sunrise Aviation handling agents did tour of Malaysia, , Brunei, Kota Kinabalu Mindanao tanks. their job impeccably and the aircraft the Philippines and Vietnam. Extra Davao Brunei ‘passengers’ included the President of Kuala Lumpur Manado Viking Air, Dave Curtis; Vice President Biak (Business Development), Robert Singapore Nabire Mauracher, and engineer Don Galbraith. Merauke The first stop was at Subang Airport in Horn Island the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur. Three demonstration flights were Cairns scheduled over the next three days including a landing at the Burnam River strip, with potential customers including the local Police Air .

The aircraft carried the logo of the OK Tedi Mining Company (OTML) on the fn. The next destination was Halim FERRY PACK Perdanakusuma (PK) Airport on West The back of the aircraft is full of fuel tanks in the form of a nine-drum ferry system, installed in accordance with de Havilland drawings for new Tony Skelton has a , Indonesia – via a technical delivery. It holds about 3,100lb (1,800lit) of usable fuel. With the standard healthy snack on one of refuelling stop at Johor Baru, Malaysia, fuselage tanks of 2,550lb (1,450lit) and these barrels, the aircraft can carry the longer transits. (All which is just across the Johor Straits 5,650lb (3,250lit) of fuel converting to an 8.5-hour endurance. This is enough photos Tony Skelton and from Singapore Island. On departure, Paul Howard) to travel about 1,300nm (2,409km) with IFR reserves and a comfortable route the planned routing was over the top of reserve. Because the Twin Otter flies quite slowly (about 150kts True Air was soon airborne and on its way down Show, followed by a sales tour around Singapore, past Banka Island off Speed), upper winds can play havoc with range, so the crew carries ample the South China Sea heading for the the region, thus the next leg would and south over the Java Sea for a total reserves and generally does not plan legs longer than 1,400nm (2,595km). Philippine archipelago. It paralleled be to Singapore’s Seletar Airport. The of 4.5hrs’ flying. Halim PK, once the Prior to its arrival at the Singapore Airshow, a full passenger cabin interior was the west coast of Luzon Island, passing route was overwater the whole way main airport at Jakarta, is now home to fitted replacing the long-range tanks. Over the top of abeam the US Navy base of with little to affect the flight, however, Singapore Island many , corporate and Subic Bay and its associated airfield on on approach to the island nation, a and the main Changi executive jet operators, plus charter Cubi Point. The destination was Puerto thunderstorm was sitting over the city’s International Airport. carriers, while domestic services also Princesa about half way down the long airports and Air Traffic Control (ATC) slim island, and the balmy air of a fine directed all arriving aircraft to a holding DHC-6-400 TWIN OTTER SPECIFICATIONS 30˚C tropical afternoon greeted the crew area, for the best part of an hour, until dimensions after a 6.1hr flight. The ramp was busy Seletar could reopen. This leg, rounding Length 51ft 9in (15.8m) with a couple of colourful A320s out at 7hrs was the last one requiring Wingspan 65ft (19.8m) from Philippine low-cost carriers, Cebu the internal cabin tanks. Height 19ft 4in (5.9m) Pacific and Zest. Parked under cover, the aircraft was Wing area 420sq ft (39.0m2) prepared for display at the upcoming weight Singapore Aerospace 2012 show, and engineers from Viking took Maximum take-off weight 12,500lb (5 670kg) With the approval of the new owner, the opportunity to give the airframe Operating empty weight 6,880lb (3,120kg) the aircraft had been programmed to a periodic check, remove the ferry kit Performance appear at the Singapore Aerospace and install full cabin seating. A ‘Twin Cruise speed 150kt (278km/h) Maximum speed (km/h) 170kt (314km/h) Maximum operating altitude 26,700ft (8 138m) “with thE approval of thE nEw ownEr, Take-off field length 1,197ft (365m) Landing field length 1,050ft (320m) thE aircraft had bEEn schEdulEd to Engines Two x P&WC PT6A-34 Cabin data appEar at thE singaporE aErospacE Passengers 19/20 show, followEd bY a salEs tour around Cabin length (m) 18.4ft (5.6m Cabin width (m) 5.25ft (1.6m) thE rEgion.” Cabin height (m) 4.9ft (1.5m)

64 airliner world FEBRUARY 2013 www.airlinerworld.com 65 keep the airport busy. Sadly, it is also Getting the aircraft ready performed for local operator Sabah Air Final Stretch colourful Moluccas, for a technical flying. When the weather had cleared, Above left • One of the Queensland, Australia, for a technical a graveyard for another generation of for departure outside – including landing at two rural strips. Continuing the delivery, the aircraft stop after a brief (0.8hr) sector. From the aircraft tracked south over the digital cockpit screens stop and customs clearance. the Sabah Air facility at showing the aircraft that have been withdrawn from Kota Kinabalu. A return to Puerto Princesa was next left Manila on March 10. Tony Skelton here it was a 3.4hr flight to Biak’s mountainous spine of the country and coming up to Banka The last leg of the ferry was to Cairns, use in recent years including ATR 42s, on the agenda, before routing to Cam had been required back in PNG, leaving Frans Kaisiepo Airport. Encountering continued to Merauke on the south Island, Indonesia en Queensland, which was flown in 2.6hrs. British Aircraft Corporation One-Elevens Ranh Bay, Vietnam to demonstrate for Steve Stackhouse and relief pilot Nick marginal weather on departure the coast in a leg time of 2.6hrs. Following route to Jakarta. The aircraft was initially handled by the and Fokker F28s and F50s. the Vietnamese People’s Navy. However, Harbison to fly the remaining legs to next day, forced a diversion into the an overnight stop, it was then just Cobham facility on the airport, which Above • The sort of Three demonstration flights were political red tape intervened and Australia. The routing was initially to coastal airstrip of Nabire on the a short 1hr hop to Horn Island in airfield that the aircraft prepared it for service and the final performed before moving on to clearances were not received in time so Davao City’s Francisco Bangoy Airport coast of West Papua after just 0.7hr the Torres Strait region of North would be used on in delivery to OTML with the registration Surabaya’s Juanda Airport for more the visit had to be cancelled. It also tracking south over Luzon, Cebu, PNG. A rural strip visited P2-IRM being applied. The total flight – including one for , a large turned out it was impossible to obtain a Bohil, Sulu Sea and into Mindanao, during a demonstration flight up the coast from time had been 89.9 hrs since departing commuter operator with Cessna 208B clearance for a necessary technical stop a decidedly picturesque route lasting Kota Kinabalu. Victoria. Caravans, Piaggio P180 Avantis and at the Philippine Air ’s Rancudo 3.5hrs. A 2.2hr leg followed that Since the delivery, OTML awarded a Pilatus PC-6B Porters. Two days later, airfield on Thitu Island in the Spratlys – afternoon on to Manado’s Sam Left • A Piaggio P180 contract to operate the Twin Otter – Avanti of Susi Air at the aircraft departed for Brunei, tracking due to ongoing political issues. Plan B Ratulangi Airport, wrapping up a good Juanda – a potential plus a second example now delivered to along East (Borneo) to was therefore instigated and the aircraft day’s progress to the remainder of the customer for the -400. Cairns as C-GVAQ (c/n 859) to become Balikpapan’s Sepinggan Airport for a went to Manila’s Ninoy Aquino Airport ferry. P2-BFW – to Hevilift (PNG). They are refuelling stop. This airport is a hub for instead where further demonstrations The following day, a leg to West Below • ????? ????? ?????. both now being used for feeder services Abeam the Cubi Point the nearby oil industry, and a selection Airport at Subic Bay, – the last of the sales tour – had been Papua was planned routing via the from the mine site at Tabubil, PNG. of associated commuter and utility Philippines. booked. The day’s legs totalled 3.6hrs. historic island of Ternate in the

“Encountering marginal weather on departure the aircraft diverted into the coastal airstrip of Nabire on the north coast of West Papua.” aircraft, plus helicopters, are normally in attendance, including those belonging to Indonesia Air, Airfast and . The remainder of the day was spent flying to Brunei’s Banda Seri Bagawan Airport for a total airborne time of 4.6hrs. Apart from one flight conducted in Brunei for the Coast Guard, the team took the opportunity to have a couple of rest days. East Malaysia (and Vietnam) The next destination was the East Malaysian city of Kota Kinabalu, where two demonstration flights were

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