DHC1 Chipmunk

cwyckham

cwyckham

Line Up and Wait
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Aug 25, 2006
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Victoria, BC
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cwyckham
I work for the company that now owns the type certificates of all the de Havilland Canada aircraft up to and including the Dash 7. We're currently working on bringing the Twin Otter back into production. People often talk about what other models we might consider bringing back. Usually people advocate a turbine single otter or the beaver (turbo or piston). I just heard a new one last week, though. Why not the Chipmunk?

Do any of you have any experience in the Chipmunk? Do you like it? Do other aircraft now fill that niche better? Would you want to bring it back?

I should note that I'm just a random employee and that I'm not trying to do formal market research or anything. Any decisions will be made years from now and well above my current pay grade. Just musing.
 
cwyckham said:
I work for the company that now owns the type certificates of all the de Havilland Canada aircraft up to and including the Dash 7. We're currently working on bringing the Twin Otter back into production. People often talk about what other models we might consider bringing back. Usually people advocate a turbine single otter or the beaver (turbo or piston). I just heard a new one last week, though. Why not the Chipmunk?

Do any of you have any experience in the Chipmunk? Do you like it? Do other aircraft now fill that niche better? Would you want to bring it back?

I should note that I'm just a random employee and that I'm not trying to do formal market research or anything. Any decisions will be made years from now and well above my current pay grade. Just musing.
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I second the Beaver, they are still needed aircraft, and all are getting long in the tooth. Consider putting the Orenda engine in it and helping out another Canadian company. The Chipmunk... yeah, it would have a niche, but I'm not sure of the profitability of setting up for production. How many units a year would you have to sell to make it worthwhile? They are fun nice flying planes, but what will it cost to recertify with an AEIO-360? I don't think you'd want to use the old Gypsy Minor engine. Another one to consider for production is the Caribou in both recip and turbine power.
 
Or even certify the Super Chipmunk. And bring it out about 30 years ago so I could afford to buy one now. :yes:

I'm sure Alan Klapmeier would be happy if you brought back the Chippie...
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Or even certify the Super Chipmunk. And bring it out about 30 years ago so I could afford to buy one now. :yes:

I'm sure Alan Klapmeier would be happy if you brought back the Chippie...
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What's a Super Chipmunk? I assume it's just a re-engined Chipmunk? Or are there other changes? As Henning said, we'd have to change the engine out. If others have an STC for a new engine, though, we could just buy their STC from them.

I think the biggest challenge would be the drawing package. The older drawing packages for any line of aircraft start to get a bit sketchy. It would probably take a lot of effort to bring it back up to a standard that is acceptable for a modern aerospace company.

It would be fun to make an aircraft I could actually fly. Or, I suppose that I could just go get my MEL and/or MES so I can fly the Twin Otter. Then I guess I need a type rating for it too.
 
I got a reeeaaallllyyyy fun ride in a Super Chipmunk down in Plant City Fla (KPCM) a number of years ago by a fellow named Tom Shade. he show (and let me try) some loops trying to stay right over a fenceline in a crosswind thru a loop. Wow that was fun and to me, almost impossible. And hammerheads are eerie. The plane just stops and pivots around itself. One second all you see is blue, and the next all you see is dirt. I think his was a 300HP Super Chipmunk. And brother did it get up off the runway. Wow, wow, wow. Fun times. I miss 'em.
 
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