De Havilland Cannada announces new calgary manufacturing facility

[MilEME09]

De Haviland has announced a new manufacturing complex to be built east of Calgary. Facility to have the ability to produce aircraft, spare parts, and train staff. Once completed in 2025 would employ 1500 staff. This in in addition to the 1000 staff already in calgary. Giving the company a significant presence in western Canada.

Varcoe: De Havilland to build massive aircraft manufacturing complex with corporate offices east of Calgary

De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd. will today unveil ambitious plans to build a major manufacturing complex and aerodrome east of Calgary

calgaryherald.com

 

[Spencer100]

De Haviland has announced a new manufacturing complex to be built east of Calgary. Facility to have the ability to produce aircraft, soarepsrts, and train staff. Once completed in 2025 would employ 1500 staff. This in in addition to the 1000 staff already in calgary. Giving the company a significant presence in western Canada.

Varcoe: De Havilland to build massive aircraft manufacturing complex with corporate offices east of Calgary

De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd. will today unveil ambitious plans to build a major manufacturing complex and aerodrome east of Calgary

calgaryherald.com

Wish them good luck. Glad to see the old name back in use.

Hope they can get the planes back in production.

 

[childs56]

This is awesome news and great to see the Official announcement.

 

[suffolkowner]

Did they stop building new Twin Otters to work on the 415?

 

[MilEME09]

Did they stop building new Twin Otters to work on the 415?

In the article they stated twin otter production stopped due to covid, but they hope to restart production in the near future.

 

[Spencer100]

Because no one asked!

Here is my take on.

Did they stop building new Twin Otters to work on the 415?

I think they ran through the current order book. Have to get the sale team back working it. Covid killed demand for this type of aircraft. No one going to islands on special holidays or hunting or fishing. Less energy companies flying out in the bush etc. The RCAF is not buying. Same story with the Dash 8 plus the fact that new owner/company has to prove that they can support and get a new production to market. Airlines don't like planes that are not supported well.

It will be a long road to get back to even half the level as a OEM that Bombardier has at. And even then they were not able to make it. I doubt we will ever see a Canadian OEM new product ever again in our lifetime. The CS220 was the last. We will see classics and new derivatives of models but a whole new platform no.

 

[MilEME09]

Because no one asked!

Here is my take on.

I think they ran through the current order book. Have to get the sale team back working it. Covid killed demand for this type of aircraft. No one going to islands on special holidays or hunting or fishing. Less energy companies flying out in the bush etc. The RCAF is not buying. Same story with the Dash 8 plus the fact that new owner/company has to prove that they can support and get a new production to market. Airlines don't like planes that are not supported well.

It will be a long road to get back to even half the level as a OEM that Bombardier has at. And even then they were not able to make it. I doubt we will ever see a Canadian OEM new product ever again in our lifetime. The CS220 was the last. We will see classics and new derivatives of models but a whole new platform no.

I'd agree, we gotta build that institutional knowledge before we start R&D. That said if they succeed, don't be surprised if that GoC/DnD gravy train comes their way.

 

[Spencer100]

I'd agree, we gotta build that institutional knowledge before we start R&D. That said if they succeed, don't be surprised if that GoC/DnD gravy train comes their way.

In all honesty I will be very surprised if the Gov/DND train goes their way. First is the move to Calgary to get out from under Unifor's hands. That does not sit well with two of the parties in Ottawa or the civil service. Second the gov did help before when they could have purchased new twin otters before. Their purchase was low risk and not very divisive. So they upgraded decade old ones. Three the government will not want to see success in the west after the failure in the east. Plus it's a shot to Quebec's favorite son/family.

The one outlier is the Thompson family in good graces with the government. That could change things.

 

[quadrapiper]

On the other hand, it's a very non-divisive (compared to e.g. the rats' nest of interests involved in energy policy) way to make nice to Alberta that also has national benefits (keeping aviation manufacturing alive).

 

[Colin Parkinson]

In all honesty I will be very surprised if the Gov/DND train goes their way. First is the move to Calgary to get out from under Unifor's hands. That does not sit well with two of the parties in Ottawa or the civil service. Second the gov did help before when they could have purchased new twin otters before. Their purchase was low risk and not very divisive. So they upgraded decade old ones. Three the government will not want to see success in the west after the failure in the east. Plus it's a shot to Quebec's favorite son/family.

The one outlier is the Thompson family in good graces with the government. That could change things.

Why we didn't just trade in the Twotters is utterly beyond me.

 

[Kirkhill]

Because no one asked!

Here is my take on.

I think they ran through the current order book. Have to get the sale team back working it. Covid killed demand for this type of aircraft. No one going to islands on special holidays or hunting or fishing. Less energy companies flying out in the bush etc. The RCAF is not buying. Same story with the Dash 8 plus the fact that new owner/company has to prove that they can support and get a new production to market. Airlines don't like planes that are not supported well.

It will be a long road to get back to even half the level as a OEM that Bombardier has at. And even then they were not able to make it. I doubt we will ever see a Canadian OEM new product ever again in our lifetime. The CS220 was the last. We will see classics and new derivatives of models but a whole new platform no.

Unless they take the pilot out of the cockpit.

People that can keep things up in the air without the benefit of a pilot seem to be doing quite well for themselves these days.

 

[childs56]

Did they stop building new Twin Otters to work on the 415?

No, they sourced contracts overseas for the DHC-515 Firefighter Which is a new design, which is going to be the standard for Aerial Fire Fighting for scoopers. They have been maintaining and overhauling all other series of De-Haviland over the years. Been doing a out standing job at it which is something to be very proud of as a Canadian. Hopefully they venture into the medium Military transport aircraft series as well and even if it is all foreign contract. Maybe see the Buff back in a upsized version.

 

[Kat Stevens]

The announcement I saw this morning said "east of Calgary", so I automatically assumed it was in Quebec.

 

[Spencer100]

No, they sourced contracts overseas for the DHC-515 Firefighter Which is a new design, which is going to be the standard for Aerial Fire Fighting for scoopers. They have been maintaining and overhauling all other series of De-Haviland over the years. Been doing a out standing job at it which is something to be very proud of as a Canadian. Hopefully they venture into the medium Military transport aircraft series as well and even if it is all foreign contract. Maybe see the Buff back in a upsized version.

The buff will never go to production and they don't have the bench strength to design a new product. You underestimate the difficulty. I would direct you to read up on the aerospace industry. In the last 60 years only one country has been able to move in the aerospace top ranks. Brazil. Many have tried all have failed. A few have fallen like Canada. China is looking like it may.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Unless they take the pilot out of the cockpit.

People that can keep things up in the air without the benefit of a pilot seem to be doing quite well for themselves these days.

Civilian drone market has really eaten up a lot of the bread and butter jobs that small helicopter companies did to keep themselves viable. I foresee a lot of those small companies disappearing and a resulting lack of vertical lift for SAR in many areas.

 

[armrdsoul77]

eBeaver conversions?

Harbour Air Makes First Point-to-Point Flight with Electric Beaver - FLYING Magazine

Battery-enabled ‘eBeaver’ propelled by magniX electric motors flies 45 miles in 24 minutes.

www.flyingmag.com

 

[Kirkhill]

eBeaver conversions?

Oh, how my mind does wander.....

 

[MarkOttawa]

And see this story at Flight Global--dubious that either Twotter or Dash 8 will go back into production. Water bomber likely only new-build project and very limited market for that, esp. as Americans never bought Canadairs:

De Havilland plans new assembly site near Calgary, Dash 8 and Twin Otter reboot unsettled

De Havilland Canada has revealed plans to build a massive new manufacturing site near Calgary where it will assemble aircraft including its newly launched DHC-515 water bomber.

www.flightglobal.com

Mark Collins

 

[Spencer100]

And see this story at Flight Global--dubious that either Twotter or Dash 8 will go back into production. Water bomber likely only new-build project and very limited market for that, esp. as Americans never bought Canadairs:

De Havilland plans new assembly site near Calgary, Dash 8 and Twin Otter reboot unsettled

De Havilland Canada has revealed plans to build a massive new manufacturing site near Calgary where it will assemble aircraft including its newly launched DHC-515 water bomber.

www.flightglobal.com

Mark Collins

I have a doubt they do go into production too. The spares business is a good business to be in.

 

[childs56]

The buff will never go to production and they don't have the bench strength to design a new product. You underestimate the difficulty. I would direct you to read up on the aerospace industry. In the last 60 years only one country has been able to move in the aerospace top ranks. Brazil. Many have tried all have failed. A few have fallen like Canada. China is looking like it may.

Funny because the new water bomber was a redesign of a old airframe. Guess what done working on the assembly line as we speak.

As for the Buff. They already had plans to upsize the Buff style aircraft. They were hoping the Canadian Government would see the value in such a move. They had possible sales overseas But nothing concrete. At the time this was comming from a company based in Victoria.
Which the government had nointerest allowing the west any work from federal contracts.

Time will tell. They are not building this new facility to just build water bombers.
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