The Viking Story

Our History

Incorporated in 1970, Viking Air Limited began as the successor to McKinnon Enterprises, a parts and modification facility working on the Grumman family of aircraft. After specializing in flying boats for over a decade, Viking switched focus in 1983 when De Havilland Inc. selected Viking as their exclusive spare parts manufacturer and distributor for the De Havilland DHC-2 Mk I Beaver, Mk III Turbo Beaver, and DHC-3 Single Otter aircraft.

The shift to De Havilland aircraft allowed Viking to develop the repair and modification business, which helped to increase Viking’s experience and knowledge of De Havilland products. This insight further enhanced the skills of Viking’s work force and transferred integral product knowledge throughout the company to augment Viking’s existing capabilities. While developing into a specialized De Havilland support organization, Viking also maximized its manufacturing facility to diversify product offerings and undertake contract parts manufacture for Boeing, Bell Helicopter Textron, Lockheed Martin and Bombardier Aerospace.

The contract with De Havilland Inc. (a Bombardier subsidiary) began as spare parts manufacturer for the Beaver and Otter aircraft, and quickly grew in strength until Viking became a key supplier of structural sheet metal parts and assemblies for the DHC-6 Twin Otter as well. The continued efforts and growing strength of Viking’s support for the Twin Otter led to the announcement in 2005 that Bombardier was transferring the Customer Service Centre (“CSC”) for the type to Viking, allowing Viking to work directly with Twin Otter operators for supply of new parts and technical support.

This continued and specialized support for the De Havilland legacy aircraft culminated in 2006, when Viking acquired the Original Type Certificates (manufacturing rights) for all of the out of production De Havilland aircraft, including:

  • DHC-1 Chipmunk
  • DHC-2 Beaver
  • DHC-2T Turbo Beaver
  • DHC-3 Otter
  • DHC-4 Caribou
  • DHC-5, Buffalo
  • DHC-6 Twin Otter
  • DHC-7 Dash 7

As the Type Certificate holder, Viking became the Original Equipment Manufacturer (“OEM”) for these aircraft, naming Viking as the ultimate responsibility from a regulatory perspective for all aspects of the aircraft, from parts support through design engineering and technical information.

In April 2007, Viking launched the Twin Otter Series 400 production program, taking off where the original De Havilland Series 300 Twin Otter program ended in 1988. Viking took the original design and engineering data for the aircraft and incorporated over 800 changes to modify and modernize the existing airframe, with a special emphasis on safety and improving performance capabilities where possible. In 2010, the Series 400 Twin Otter production program received regulatory certification from Transport Canada, and to date, Viking-built Series 400 Twin Otter aircraft have been delivered and are currently in operation in 30 countries worldwide.

The success of the Series 400 production program led to Viking receiving the award for Exporter of the Year along with the Premier’s Award for Job Creation at the 2012 BC Export Awards hosted by the Canadian Manufacturer and Exporters Association.

Building on the organizational strength achieved through the Twin Otter Series 400 program, Viking acquired the Type Certificates for the Canadair Aerial Firefighter fleet in 2016, including the CL-215, CL-215T, CL-415, and CL-415MP multi-purpose amphibious aircraft. With this transfer, Viking assumed regulatory responsibility for all product support for the global fleet of 170 aerial firefighters.

Viking Profile Video

Viking is managed by Longview Aviation Capital and forms part of the portfolio of a prominent Canadian family investment firm that maintains a long-term investment horizon and is one of the leading investors in the Canadian aviation industry.

Our Role in the Canadian Aerospace Community

Viking is extremely proud of its active role in the Canadian Aerospace Community.

Viking is an active member of the following organizations:

  • Aerospace Industries Association of Canada (AIAC)
  • Aerospace Industries Association - Pacific
  • Air Transport Association of Canada (ATAC)
  • Canadian Business Aircraft Association (CBAA)
  • Pacific Aircraft Maintenance Engineers Association (PAMEA)
  • Canadian Aviation Maintenance Council (CAMC)
  • Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI)

Viking is also a regular attendee and exhibitor at major aerospace tradeshows and conferences worldwide, including (but not limited to) the Farnborough International Airshow, Paris International Airshow, Singapore Airshow, the NBAA Business and Aviation Conference & Exhibition, and CANSEC.