Aircraft overview
The DHC-6 Twin Otter is a twin-turboprop utility and commuter aircraft developed from the single-engined DHC-3 Otter. It first flew in 1965. The original Series 100 has a short nose, PT6A-20 engines and an unpressurised cabin for up to 19 passengers.
The family developed through changes to nose length, baggage space and engine power. The specifications below describe the original short-nose Series 100 landplane. The Series 200, 300 and modern 400 have different configurations.
Photograph: Kecko · 19 July 2009 · Photo source: De Havilland Canada DHC-6-300 Twin Otter @ Airport St.Gallen-Altenrhein · CC BY 2.0 · Proportionally resized; no crop.
At a glance
DHC-6 Series 100 · short-nose landplane, serials 6–115, without weight-increase Mod 6/1020; specification dated November 2011
- Engines
- Two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-20 turbopropsOriginal Series 100.
- Passenger seats
- Up to 19Series 100; crew separate.
- Minimum crew in the type certificate
- One pilotOperating requirements may call for more crew.
- Baseline take-off / landing mass
- 11,000 lb / 11,000 lbWheeled landplane without Mod 6/1020.
- Nominal propeller diameter
- 8 ft 6 inHartzell installation; a smaller repair minimum is separately permitted.
- Standard usable fuel
- 1,432 litres686 litres forward + 746 litres rear; optional tanks excluded.
- Baggage compartment limits
- Front 91 kg / rear 227 kgOriginal short-nose arrangement; individual compartment limits.
In Air Defender
Role guidance · v0.8.16.0
Air Defender v0.8.16.0 includes the general DHC-6 Twin Otter as a utility transport. Its catalogue crew figure is separate from the real Series 100’s certificate minimum; the general game label does not specify a series or landing-gear fit.
Compare the pressurised Beechcraft 1900 and use Aircraft Data and flight plans to investigate the contact. Short-field capability does not establish a new player command or an unrestricted landing location.
Game catalogue values · v0.8.16.0
In-game specifications
These figures come from the game’s general aircraft reference. A matching civilian register entry can supply different fields in Aircraft Data. How to read the two layouts →
- Role
- Utility Transport
- Category
- Regional Aircraft
- Service ceiling
- 25,000 ftA reference upper height. Read Flight Info for the contact’s present height.
- Maximum speed
- 182 knotsA reference maximum, not the speed the aircraft is flying now.
- Cruise speed
- 160 knotsA typical speed for the main part of a flight, not a guaranteed commanded speed.
- Stall speed
- 51 knotsA reference for specified conditions. Stalling means the wing loses lift, not that an engine stops.
- Typical crew
- 2
- Powerplant
- Twin turboprop engines (Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A) Compare engine types →
- Manufacturer
- De Havilland Canada (Canada)
Use the right procedure
In depth
From Otter to Twin Otter
The DHC-6 developed the single-piston-engined Otter into a twin-turboprop aircraft. The Series 100 was the original short-nose production version. The Series 200 lengthened the nose and increased rear baggage space; the Series 300 introduced more powerful PT6A-27 engines and a 12,500 lb maximum authorised weight.
PT6A-20 engines and propellers
The Series 100 has two PT6A-20 engines driving Hartzell propellers. Turbine power turns the propeller, which produces the main thrust. The nominal diameter is 8 ft 6 in; the certificate separately permits a minimum diameter after repairs.
Cabin and baggage compartments
The unpressurised commuter cabin has up to 19 passenger seats. The original short-nose front baggage compartment is limited to 91 kg, while the rear compartment is limited to 227 kg. These are separate compartment limits, not a complete aircraft payload allowance.
Standard fuel tanks
The forward tank holds 686 litres of usable fuel and the rear tank 746 litres, giving a standard total of 1,432 litres. Unusable fuel is accounted for separately; it is not an additional reserve available to the pilot.
Landplane, ski and float configurations
The unmodified Series 100 landplane uses the earlier Series 1’s 11,000 lb take-off and landing limits. Weight-increase modification 6/1020 introduces different limits and temperature conditions; ski and float installations also have their own provisions.
A long-nose modification can change the aircraft’s configuration. A generic Twin Otter dimension or baggage figure therefore needs its series and nose arrangement attached.
Variants
Series 100
Original production version with a short nose and PT6A-20 engines.
Series 200
Longer nose and increased rear baggage capacity.
Series 300
More powerful PT6A-27 engines and a 12,500 lb maximum authorised weight.
Series 400
Modern generation with updated avionics and flexible mission interiors, separate from the original Series 100.
After 1998
Series 400
The Series 400 has Honeywell Apex avionics and configurable interiors for passenger, cargo, medical and special-mission work. These later features are separate from the original Series 100 configuration.