Royal Canadian Mint - 1999 Sterling Silver Aviation Coins



























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Royal Canadian Mint
1999 Sterling Silver Aviation Coins

The de Havilland Canada DHC-8

In the early 1980s, the rapidly expanding market for small, 30- to 40-seat airliners for the commuter trade gave rise to this elegant turboprop aircraft. Designed to operate economically at crowded airports with short runways, the DHC-8 Dash 8 is a fast, quiet high-wing, multi-purpose regional transport aircraft. The sleek airframe enables the aircraft to reach cruising speeds rapidly and to climb fast and steep to flying altitude. The Dash 8 made its first official flight on June 20, 1983.

With the development of the Dash 8's older cousins -- the Twin Otter and the Dash 7, smaller and larger respectively than the Dash 8 -- de Havilland had already established a stronghold in the area of STOL, with the Dash 8, de Havilland entered the fast-growing regional transport field. During the design phase, the manufacturers sent teams far and wide to collect information on the requirements of small airlines so that the Dash 8 could be tailor-made to satisfy the market. The resulting aircraft has sold briskly both to regional airlines and corporate clients.

The cameo portrays Robert H. Fowler, OC. Mr. Fowler, who joined de Havilland in 1952 as a test pilot, contributed to the development of flight control and propeller systems which helped de Havilland to become a world leader in the STOL concept. Later, he performed the first flights of the Dash 8.

	The de Havilland Canada DHC-8 - $38.95 Each

The de Havilland Canada DHC-6 (Twin Otter)

The appearance of a new power plant in the late 1950s (a propeller turbine that gave more power for a much lower installed weight than any equivalent piston engine) cleared the way for the design of a new, twin-prop aircraft that would equal the STOL performance of its predecessor and exceed its speed and capacity. De Havilland also worked closely with the military in the late 1950s to refine its STOL technology. The DHC-6 Twin Otter, the result of these efforts, made its first test flight on May 20, 1965.

Though developed mainly for the bush plane market, the Twin Otter has become one of the most lauded commuter aircraft in the world today, and it is also used for military operations. Able to land and take off from short runways, water and snow, the aircraft is superbly versatile. A total of 844 Twin Otters were built between 1965 and 1988 and sold all over the world. As of 1990, more than 600 of these planes were still in service, reaching out to previously inaccessible areas.

The cameo portrays George Neal, Chief Test Pilot and Flight Operations Director with de Havilland. Mr. Neal participated in the testing of the Twin Otter and its predecessor, the Otter. In 1989 he received the McKee trophy and in 1995 was elected to the aviation Hall of Fame.

	The de Havilland Canada DHC-6 (Twin Otter) - $38.95 Each