The Beaver float plane that crashed near Tofino Friday was powered by the original piston engine, which has long been out of production, said David Curtis, CEO of Viking Air.
There are numerous North American manufacturers, including Viking, that make parts for the 600 or so remaining Beavers. More than 1,600 Beavers were built from 1947 to 1967 and many were lost in service with the U.S. military.
“The engines are unbelievably reliable and that’s why they have been in production for so long,” Curtis said.
Witness reports of Friday’s crash indicate the Beaver operated by Air Nootka hit a tree before it crashed into the woods near Husquiat Lake.
It doesn’t sound from these reports that engine failure played a role in the crash, Curtis said.
“It’s just unfortunate that these accidents happen,” he said.
About 60 Beavers have been converted to turbine engines but the rest use the original piston engines, Curtis said.
The Beaver is still being used because it is unparalleled as a bush plane.
“They’re just a tough airplane and the cost to develop a new one in that market segment is just prohibitive,” Curtis said.
To build a Beaver today would cost $1 million, “and they just wouldn’t be affordable.”
Beavers remain the prime airplane servicing northern communities because they need a short distance to take off and land and are generally dependable.
There are more Beavers in B.C., Alaska and Washington state than anywhere else, Curtis said. “It’s an icon.”
Beaver aircraft rarely fail, Curtis said. He noted that the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner has already experienced a number of problems, including mechanical issues involving a fire and a fuel leak.
“They’ve been in service since 1947 … but after 50 years, you’ve pretty much worked out the bugs of the [Beaver] airplane.”
