This is the 4th PC-6 ever built, and the oldest still airworthy. Piston-powered when it first flew in 1959 (HB-FAN), it was used in Sudan were it stayed stored for years, until the airframe was purchased by Icarius Aerotechnics, a Gap-based maintenance company specialized in the PC-6. After being restored to the turbine-powered standard B2-H2, it was the first PC-6 fitted with a PT6-A-34 turbine giving a better climb capability. An STC (Supplemental Type Certificate) was approved by the EASA for this A-34 conversion, and eventually Icarius did the same work on several different PC-6s.

Note titles that read "The Oldest Flying PC-6".

Photographer: Wolfgang Hainzl

Registered to Blue Aero on 15 January 2019 but it's the red paint that was added since I photographed her in 2014. Blue Aero from Grenoble is essentially a maintenance company and apparently she was still being used by the parachuting club here at Lens.

This Porter was formerly with the Australian Army as A14-662 from February 1968 to December 1992. After a sale to the Auckland Parachute Club fell through, it came to Canada as C-GROO in 1994. It has been with Horizon Aero Sports since 1977.