Vazar Aerospace Turbine Otter - Whistler Air, Whistler BC.

Vazar Turbine Otter Whistler Air, Whistler BC.

	Cargo Utility Aircraft, Short Haul Commuter Aircraft

	Home Contact About Turbine Otter Turbine Otter Intro Turbo Otter Spec Kit Components Conversion Price P&W PT6A Power Turbo Advantages Otter Servo Kit Turbo Otter History Otter Multi-Uses Operator MSG Operator Profiles Kit Installers Turbine Otter News Photo Gallery Beaver Engine Extension Mount Turbo Husky Proj Links
	Cargo Utility Aircraft, Short Haul Commuter Aircraft

Whistler Air, Whistler BC

Whistler Air, Whistler BC - Click To Enlarge

Operator Profile - Vazar Turbine Otter
Whistler Air, Whistler BC

Whistler Air has been operating from their float plane base located on Green Lake, just 3 kms north of Whistler village, and and has been flying for sightseers and adventurers for over twenty years. Whistler Air operates Dehavilland DHC-2 Beaver aircraft and a Vazar Turbine DHC-3 Otter. Whistler Air provides charter service throughout all of South Western B.C. Available for charter is their Vazar 12 passenger DeHavilland Turbo Otter and two six passenger DeHavilland Beavers.

Whistler Air has owned and operated their Vazar Turbo Otter since 1999 and about 70% of their business is flying sightseers over Jasper National Park and Garibaldi Provincial Park. Mike Quinn, founder of Whistler Air, states that "the Vazar Turbo Otter gets their passengers to altitude quickly." Like most Vazar Turbine Otters today, extra windows, (STC provided by John Hill, Aeroflite Industries, Vacouver Airport) were added to the aircraft allowing all 12 passengers a window view!

Mike Quinn reports that with twelve passengers on board, the Vazar Turbo Otter achieves climbs of 1000 feet per minute and often achieves 1200 to 1400 feet per minute climbs depending on the day. Over the park, Whistler Air slows down the Vazar Turbine Otter to a leisurely 90 Knots so passengers can really see everything along the way. Designed originally as a STOL aircraft, getting down at the end of the sightseeing trip contributes to the efficiency of operating the aircraft.

Whistler is enjoying great success with their new scheduled flights in the Vazar Turbine Otter to the city of Vancouver. Tourism has been good To Whistler Air this year (2006), as their US and European clientele has continued to grow despite the general slow down for the Canadian Tourism industry.

Dehavilland Otter Turbine Conversion Kits - P&W PT6-A

Mike Quinn estimates that their Vazar Turbine Otter conversion ended up costing them the same amount, or less than they would have had to pay for a used Caravan. He points out that the Otter offers twelve seats to the Caravan's nine and that difference alone justifies the Otter.

Whistler Air chose the PT6A-135A Series Turbine for their Vazar Turbo Otter conversion rather than the more popular and PT6A-34. The PT6A-135A engine turns at 1900 RPM, 300 RPM slower than the PT6A-34 which turns at 2200 RPM. The engines produce the same power and the PT6A-34 gets float planes up on the step a little faster! According to Mike Quinn, however, the 135A engines is produces only half the amount of prop noise on takeoff. For their situation, located within a densely populated tourism community, the PT6A-135A engines saves Whistler Air a lot of grief from noise complaints and Mike believes that the PT6A-135 engine would be a better choice for many operators.

Whistler Air, Whistler BC