Press Release
Issued by De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited.
February 7, 2018
Viking Air Limited of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, and United Energy Pakistan of Karachi, Pakistan have signed an agreement for a Twin Otter Series 400 aircraft to be delivered in the second quarter of 2018, marking the first Viking Series 400 Twin Otter to enter operation in Pakistan.
The Viking Series 400 Twin Otter will be optimized for industrial support operations, and will be used by United Energy Pakistan (UEP) on an unpaved airstrip for personnel and material transport from Karachi to the company's base camps in Badin and Mirpurkhas Khipro Concession areas.
As a legacy Twin Otter operator for many years, UEP's familiarity with the Twin Otter's flight capabilities, technical aspects, and ease of maintenance made selection of the Viking Series 400 a natural choice for supporting their oil and gas operations.
United Energy Pakistan's head of management services, Sadruddin Hasan Ali, commented, "The Twin Otter has been previously owned and operated by UEP for decades and it has been a part of our company's history." Sadruddin Hasan Ali continued, "We're excited to now be bringing the new Series 400 to Pakistan. The level of support extended by Viking, from selection of aircraft and its additional options, to finalization of the purchase agreement, delivery terms and additional maintenance support, has been truly noteworthy."
Robert Mauracher, Viking's executive vice president, sales and marketing, said "Viking is very proud that UEP has returned to the Twin Otter family, demonstrating their confidence in the aircraft and the quality of our product. As the first operator of the Series 400 in Pakistan, the 30th country of operation for the aircraft to date, UEP's requirement for a seamless entry-into-service process and an established global customer support network was a significant factor in their decision to buy from Viking."
NASH Aerotradings (Pvt) Ltd. of Karachi, Viking's authorized sales representative for Pakistan, was instrumental in bringing UEP and Viking together for this deal. NASH is utilizing its expertise to obtain necessary licensing to develop an operational airstrip and help coordinate airworthiness certification necessary to complete the sale.