Delivered new to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Air Division October 1, 1954, Burrard Air bought this Otter January 1982. Sold and exported to the USA in May 1987, it flew in Alaska as N234KA before Kenmore Air bought it in February 1992. They added a Vazar turbine conversion and flew the Otter November 2002 when it came back to Canada with Harbour Air as C-GHAR.

Originally number four in an order of twelve DHC-3 Otters for the Ghana Air Force (G303), delivered May 8, 1961. Withdrawn in 1973, this Otter made it's way from Africa to Mexico to fly in the mountains and have a crash in the Canadian Northwest Territories. Rebuilt and photographed here on it's way to Alaska where it has flown ever since. It received a Texas Turbine conversion in 2006 and is current as N337AK at the time of uploading.

Wilderness Air bought this 1961 Otter from the Province of Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources in 1986. It has been with them ever since.

Not even half way through it's career here, "Bert" was delivered to the RCAF March 28, 1953. The air force put it into storage in September 1957. Sold in 1965 to De Havilland Canada, who refurbished and sold it as CF-SUB to Coast Range Airways of Atlin BC. The rugged bush plane would operate the next 21 years in British Colombia and the Yukon before working one summer in Ontario in 1987 and then moving to Cargair Ltee in Quebec. Sold in 2007 to Air Mont-Laurier in 2007, it was cancelled from the register in early 2017.

There's nothing like the friendly pace of piston singles on calm summer waters. At the age of 64, this Otter is still operational in 2017 as a turbo version. I believe it kept its lovely round engine until 2005.

"Chilly Willie" down from it's normal base in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. An ex-RCAF Otter delivered May 12, 1960 as 9404, it was sold surplus in September 1982. Bought by bush pilot Willy Laserich to establish Adlair Aviation in May 1983. Sold in 1993, it went on to Fly with Geraldton Air, Northern Lights Air and Johnny May's Air Charter before going to the USA in 2000 (N361TT). Leased to Alaska's Renew Air Taxi May 2001, the aircraft received a Texas Turbine conversion in the Spring of 2003.

This Otter was delivered to the RCAF December 17, 1954 and ended it's Air Force days as a VIP transport. Withdrawn and sold by Crown Assets Disposal in 1981, it spent many of the following years being worked on and in storage. Bought by Kenmore Air in April 2014, they finally brought it back to life with a re-build and turbine conversion in 2015.

Originally destined for Ontario Provincial Air Service, CF-ODH was delivered to A. Fecteau Transport Aérienne Ltée December 29, 1952. This is the oldest Otter still flying and has kept the original registration although the format changed in the '70s. Coming to Harbour Air in 2000, they re-engined it with a Vazar turbine kit in 2002. This new Sesquicentennial Scheme was applied for 2017's 150th anniversary of Canadian Confederation.

Delivered to the US Army June 1959 as 58-1715, Otter number 333 was struck off strength December 1976. Registered to the Civil Air Patrol's Pacific Region as N5352G until January 1980, it was refurbished in Canada as C-GBNJ and flown by Parsons Airways for the next nine years. It was sold to Ketchem Air Service as N567KA (note non-standard hyphen) and here in Vancouver for servicing. Flying in Alaska with several airlines re-registered as N336AK, it receiving a Texas Turbine conversion in 2003.

DHC-3 Otter ex Canadian Air Force 9402. Landing back at its Friday Harbor base with cargo.

Built in November 1963 as CF-ROD for Rodair. Current in 2013 flying in Alaska as N9758N.

Lake Hood, situated right next to the international airport of Anchorage, must be one of the world's busiest seaplane bases. I spent a very enjoyable afternoon just sitting here, feet dangling in the water and the camera at hand, with all sorts of seaplanes speeding along every few minutes. Pictured here is Otter N234KA, which was still a "real" Otter back then. It was converted to a Turbo Otter during the 1990s, and became C-GHAR in 2002.

Ex Qantas VH-EAX. Operated by TAA in Papua New Guinea from 1960 to 1966. Named "Kundiawa". Sold in Canada as C-FYLZ in 1969.