India flybig to acquire up to ten De Havilland Canada Twin Otter series 400 aircraft

Big Charter Private Limited has signed a Letter of Intent to purchase up to ten new De Havilland Canada Twin Otter Series 400 aircraft for operation by its promoted airline, flybig. The companies will work towards a definitive purchase agreement that would include five firm-ordered aircraft and options for another five. 

"In conjunction with the UDAN initiative, the Indian Government's recently released policy to assist in serving small and remote communities, flybig's goal is to provide connectivity to communities that were not previously accessible by air," said Captain Sanjay Mandavia, Chairman and Managing Director, flybig. "De Havilland Canada's Twin Otter Series 400 is the right aircraft for our operations because of its proven record for safe, reliable operations and its versatility -- including the capability to land on land or water."

"We are very excited to be working with flybig to connect underserved destinations that currently rely on inconvenient and inefficient modes of transportation," said Philippe Poutissou, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, De Havilland Canada. "It is always a source of pride when De Havilland Canada aircraft are selected by a new operator and we welcome this opportunity to work with flybig to increase connectivity across India."  

With more than 5,000 aircraft delivered De Havilland Canada is well established across the globe and our talented team of aviation professionals is dedicated to advancing our near-100-year reputation for excellence in innovation, production and customer support. Our aircraft operate reliably in some of the world's harshest climates and provide vital connections between rural communities and urban centres – transporting essential cargo and millions of passengers annually. Our aircraft also support a wide variety of special mission operations including aerial firefighting, search and rescue, medical evacuation, reconnaissance and coastal surveillance.