DHC-6 Twin Otter Range?

[KGEG]

Really? A DHC-6 Twin Otter is only suppose to have a range of 1,000 NM or less. North Bend,Oregon to Hilo,Hawaii is twice that at about 2,100NM . And it does indeed say the flight is to last about 12 Hrs and 30 Mins. As of now it only has 400-300 miles left. Cruising 12,000 feet is no surprise, and 170 knots is suppose to be as fast as it can go.

How do you suppose they made this possible? I know it is no hoax because the speed its going is 170 knots and at 12,000 feet, that proves it is the plane it says it is.

I know adding extra fuel tanks wouldn't make too much sense, because that would add more weight too.

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/CGIGZ

[Curtis Malone]

I know adding extra fuel tanks wouldn't make too much sense, because that would add more weight too.

Well, there are two options here: either additional tanks make more sense than you think, especially if the idea is to get an airplane with no load to where it otherwise can't make it to without said additional tankage, or the Marines generously provided one of their KC-130Fs. Which do you think is a little more likely?

[KGEG]

I had a feeling it was extra fuel tanks the more I thought about it. It would have to be double the fuel capacity it already had of course,because its range was doubled. It does make sense. Of course they could have taken out extra seats and no cargo to lessen the weight. That's logical. Still, flying a plane twice as far as it was originally designed surprised me, and my dad, even with extra fuel in mind it still does slightly.

But it must be the obvious case since today its flying from Hilo to Christmas Island. That's about 1,075NM.

[EKA380]

ya wouldnt catch me on tht, if you lose an engine half way

[guamainiac]

I think they can even put ferry tanks in Cessnas for Atlantic crossings. And that is against the prevailing wind unless that was why they selected Oregon and timed it right.

Fuel? On a C-130 flight from Hawaii, they flew a bunch of the distance in ground effect and took the loadmaster off in handcuffs when it reached California.

[trooper]

Fitting ferry tanks is a pretty routine business I would think...

A Twin Otter I used to skydive out of was AFAIK purchased in the USA and flown to Australia... NOT terribly directly I don't think....

[MCM]

A few things:

1 - The range of an aeroplane is very much associated with the payload - so the range would be a lot higher with nothing in it. The difference can be quite dramatic - AJ here could tell you more details, but the 767 with a practical range of about 11 hours flew Sydney to the USA non stop... about 20 hours all up when including reserve fuel.

2 - Adding fuel does not decrease range, even though it increases weight. I'm sure you can figure that logic out yourself.

3 - Ferry tanks are very common for ocean crossings. These sorts of flights have their risks, and some times get approvals for overweight takeoff to do them. But they're not commercial flights, and the risks are understood. I'm not sure the form that ferry tanks would take in a twotter, but their "basicness" in a C172 might startle a few of the more safety concious here

[EKA380]

WOW!!!! a C-152, C-172 or PA-28 from newastle to lets say gander non stop, COOOOLLLL!!!!