De Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver

The de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver is one of the most famous bush planes in the world. After World War II, de Havilland Canada was looking to produce a plane suited to operations in the rugged Canadian north. After extensive consultation with pilots, they began production of the Beaver - a reliable, single-engine monoplane that could be easily fitted with wheels, skis, or floats.

First flight of the Beaver was August 16, 1947, with the first aircraft being delivered in April of 1948. The plane was an immediate success within the Canadian aviation community, and when production finally ceased in 1967, 1,657 DHC-2 Beavers had been built. The Beaver has become a symbol of the Canadian north, and has since found use as a bush plane all over the world.

Despite the fact that production ceased nearly forty years ago, hundreds of Beavers are still flying - many of them heavily modified to adapt to changes in technology and needs. Kenmore Air of Kenmore, Washington zero-hours Beaver and Otter airframes and owns dozens of supplemental type certificates for aircraft modifications. These modifications are so well-known and desirable in the aviation community that the rebuilt Beavers are often called "Kenmore Beavers" or listed as having "Kenmore mods" installed. A 1950s Beaver that originally sold for under $50,000 can now be seen for sale at prices reaching $300,000.

As of 2003, Beaver Aircraft Canada intends to start new-build construction of the Beaver, as well as the larger Otter, in Kelowna, BC.

Specifications (DHC-2)

General Characteristics