A Trend Simmers as Another Firm Brings Aerostructures Into the Family

De Havilland Aircraft of Canada scooped up every share of Fleet Canada, building up the classic marque with a 500,000-square-foot facility in Southern Ontario.

De Havilland Aircraft of Canada gets an increase in its production capacity for aircraft parts and aerostructures, which will soon allow them to bring a host of processes in-house. Before the acquisition, De Havilland had to contract out metal-to-metal bonding and advanced composites for its larger aircraft, but now it’s all in the family. It’s not too surprising, given the long arc of aviation history - Boeing insiders have whispered about how badly they’d like to take their once split-off aerostructures business back into the fold. Despite the bean counter fad, it seems, it’s better to suck up the added cost of structures, bonding, and manufacturing if it means you have full control over quality and assurance. The Dash 8 and Canadair-515 programs will be the first to benefit from the Fleet Canada acquisition, and their production will quickly lead to additional staff and machinery at the plant.

“By adding the capacity and capabilities of Fleet Canada, De Havilland Aircraft of Canada will be better able to meet the needs of our customers,” said Brian Chafe, CEO of De Havilland Canada. “Our focus is to keep our fleet flying and to meet the growing demand for the De Havilland Canadair 515. The acquisition of Fleet’s team and capacity will go a long way to accomplishing this.”

“I’m thrilled to add Fleet’s manufacturing capabilities and the team’s skills to De Havilland Canada’s toolkit,” said Gerry Kelly, DHC Vice President of Manufacturing. “Fleet have been a terrific supplier for DHC, and their craftsmanship and in-house processing capabilities are a great addition to deliver timely solutions for our customers.”

It’s good to see for De Havilland, given their once imperiled company history. The fact they’re able to add to the company bodes well for fans of the classic name. Then again, classic aviation fans may grumble that the De Havilland of today isn’t technically the same as the old one, since the brand of today was really resurrected by Viking Air in the late twenty-teens. It’s the usual story of mix-and-match aviation manufacturing and finance. Ownership changes, type certificate sales, mergers, buyouts, and evolutions muddy the waters in what enthusiasts could say is the “original” De Havilland. The De Havilland Aircraft of Canada brand is a result of integration between Viking Air, Longview Aviation, and Pacific Sky Training, combining Longview Capital Corporation’s aviation assets under one barn full of Canucks. They’ve got all the important stuff, like the type certificates for beloved De Havilland aircraft like the DHC-2 Beaver and DHC-6 Twin Otter, so it’s a happy ending for everyone involved.

FMI: www.dehavilland.com