This question was submitted by a recent visitor to the site.

The “Vistaliner” refers to a Twin Otter aircraft that has larger windows installed on the passenger deck. These modified Twin Otters are most commonly used by tourism and sightseeing companies, to allow passengers a better look at the surrounding scenery.

This configuration was not actually offered by de Havilland themselves; it was first implemented in 1983 by the then-owners of Grand Canyon Airlines, John Seibold and Elling Halvorson. In the late 1970s, the two men were looking to replace their fleet of planes with a more comfortable, durable and spacious aircraft. For them, the Twin Otter was the obvious choice.

Wanting to give their customers the absolute best experience, Seibold and Halvorson began researching whether the standard windows of the Twin Otter could be safely replaced. With help from RW Martin Aviation and CAE Engineering, the two men discovered it was possible, and began modifying their first Twin Otter with new, wider windows. They dubbed this new Twin Otter the “Vistaliner”, and patented this new configuration.

While the “Vistaliner” upgrade is not specifically provided by Viking, the new Twin Otter Series 400 does offer excellent sightlines and passenger windows that may meet the requirements you need. We also offer a number of custom configurations for Series 400 Twin Otters. If you have specific needs, tell us about your mission and we’ll discuss how we can help.