Ross Aviation de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter

Additional Information:

The de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada in the mid-1960s and is still in production today. De Havilland Canada produced the Twin Otter from 1965 to 1988 when Viking Air purchased the type certificate, then restarted production in 2008 before re-adopting the DHC name in 2022. The Twin Otter’s fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL capabilities, twin turboprop engines and high rate of climb have made it a successful commuter airliner around the world. The aircraft typically seats from 18 to 20 passengers and can be converted to a cargo or medical evacuation aircraft. In addition, the Twin Otter has been popular with commercial skydiving operations and is used by the United States Army Golden Knights Parachute Team.

Ross Aviation, based in Albuquerque, inherited the commuter airline service of Carco Air Service in 1969 and maintained the shuttle flights between Albuquerque and Los Alamos. Ross initially started using Piper Aztec and Beech Queen Air aircraft but upgraded to 18-passenger de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otters in the early 1970s. Flights operated every two hours from 0600 am until 1000 pm each weekday. By the mid-1980s the carrier began using 50-seat, four engine, de Havilland Dash-7 aircraft on flights with heavier loads. Ross also flew to other cities, particularly in Nevada, using separate aircraft including Douglas DC-9 jets. As government traffic to Los Alamos downsized into the 1990’s, Ross Aviation cut back on flights until all service was discontinued on September 29, 1995. Since then Peacock Air, Mesa Airlines, Rio Grande Air, New Mexico Airlines, and Boutique Air have all flown the Albuquerque to Los Alamos route.

Ross Aviation replaced their Beech Queen Airs and Piper Aztecs with the de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter, N-35062 beginning in November, 1974. Service began with this aircraft and two more Twin Otters were also added to the fleet in May of 1975. The Twin Otter is an ideal aircraft for service to mountainous airports with short runways such as in Los Alamos. This was the first turbo prop aircraft used for the feeder airlines’ shuttle service between Albuquerque and Los Alamos.

A Ross Twin Otter parked at the Albuquerque Sunport in the 1970’s.

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