De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited

De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited builds and supports turboprop aircraft for regional airline, special mission and aerial firefighting operators in Canada and around the world. The company was established in 1928, when it produced its first aircraft, a DH.60 Moth, for the Toronto Flying Club, and later set up its manufacturing base at Downsview, north of Toronto. Its aircraft families include the Dash 8, the Twin Otter and the Canadair waterbomber line.

Aircraft

• Dash 8-400 regional turboprop
• Dash 8 Special Mission variants
• De Havilland Canadair 515 (DHC-515) firefighting aircraft
• Twin Otter Classic 300-G, an update of the DHC-6
• Twin Otter Guardian special mission aircraft
• Sherpa cargo aircraft
• Support for legacy types such as the Beaver, Otter and Caribou

History

In the 1930s the company built the DH.82 Tiger Moth and had delivered 439 aircraft by the end of that decade. During the Second World War it grew to 7,000 employees. The DHC-2 Beaver first flew in 1947, the Otter and Caribou followed in the 1950s, and the Dash 8 Series 100 made its first flight in 1983.

Company facts

• Established in 1928
• More than 5,000 aircraft delivered worldwide
• Around 3,000 active aircraft supported globally
• Chief Executive Officer Brian Chafe, appointed in January 2022
• Operations referenced in Calgary, Alberta and the Toronto area