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A Modest Proposal
— Arctic Utility Aircraft and Canadian Rangers |
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Arctic Utility and Utility in the Arctic
The number of serving CF CC-138 Twin Otters has
dwindled to four – half of its former number. The CF's sole 'Twotter' operator,
440 Sqn based at Yellowknife, can't provide all the support that the CF requires during exercises and so
civilian utility aircraft are leased to fill in. This is a good stop-gap measure [1], but it also illustrates a
number of problems. Aside from CC-138s, no CF aircraft are based permanently North of 60°
(the Air Force prefers bases near southern cities), and planners give low priority to the Arctic.
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Canadian Ranger training and recruiting are as simple as can be. A recruit's pre-existing familiarity
with the land is seen as a future Ranger's greatest asset. Is that not also true of bush pilots in the North?
Yet, at the start of each Autumn, surplus civilian pilots in the Arctic are "culled" and find
themselves competing for scarce work. Such pilots are often young and hungry for flying hours –
perfect candidates for an Air Res element of the Canadian Rangers. The trick is to provide the recruits with a
familiar aircraft type to limit the flight training burdens. That aircraft is the
'back in production'
Twin Otter.
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Twin Otters for Canadian Rangers [3]
The new-production Viking Twin Otter Series 400 would ideally suit the needs of both our proposed
Air Res element of the Canadian Rangers [4] and of the Rangers on the ground. Maintenance
could be handled by 440 Sqn in Yellow- knife but the aircraft would be operated in detached flights in
remote locations. From there, Ranger Twin Otters would augment 440 Sqn and
southern-based aircraft. Most importantly, a permanent Arctic utility capability will be available.
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[1] This is an arrangement that suits other militaries – for example, the Danish Sirius Patrol deploy
almost exclusively by Greenlandair Twin Otters. For Operation Beaufort, Kenn Borek provided a Twin
Otter on floats while Summit Air laid on the somewhat larger Dornier Do-228.
[2] This includes 440 Squadron at Yellowknife which "... has an integrated Air Reserve Flight". We had
previously described 440 as an Air Reserve squadron. In fact, 33 of 440 aircrew and technicians are Regular
Force personnel (our thanks to Peter Marshall and Mark Collins). All pilots are reportedly Regulars which
reinforces the difficulties of recruiting Air Reserves outside major metropolitan areas in the south.
[3] Air Reserve members are said to cost the Air Force less than Regular members. This would be doubly true of any
Ranger Air Res. As a distinction, Ranger Air Res air crews could be non-commissioned members – after
all, the Air Force had Flight Sergeant pilots in the past.
[4] Viking Air has purchased the rights to several DeHavilland Canada designs and is producing an updated, more
powerful version of the Twin Otter which incorporates many of the STC ( Supplemental Type Certificate
) modifications introduced for the DHC-6 over the years.
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But priorities changed. The question is what tools can be brought to bear quickly. Most CF squadrons
have Air Reserve elements [2] but recruiting works best in major cities or in retirement communities like Comox
– with its large concentration of former Air Force personnel. Ironically, there is no shortage
of civilian Twin Otter pilots in the Canadian Arctic. However, because flying in the North is highly
seasonal, most pilots are not in a
position to join the Air Reserve with its year-round commitment and entry requirement to complete Basic
Military Qualifications. So, how to make use of these seasonal pilots? A quick solution suggests itself. Recruit
potential Air Reservists in a way that better suits the living and working conditions of the Arctic. The
Canadian Rangers provide a successful recruiting model.