Dornier Seastar redux

Dornier Seawings have revealed prototype of the new Dornier Seastar amphibious aircraft, equipped with two 650hp (484Kw) Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 turboprop engines that power five-blade composite propellers. In 2013, Dornier Seawings was taken over by Chinese companies Wuxi Communications Industry and Wuxi Industrial Development with Dornier retaining a minority share ( the programme was initially offered for co-production with HAL but did not progress nor did that by an Indian private company in Mumbai).

Relative to the first prototypes, the new Seastar cockpit is equipped with a digital Honeywell Primus Epic 2.0 avionics suite. The aircraft’s corrosion resistant landing gear, which features an electromechanically steered nose wheel, was built by Japanese company Sumitomo. The new Seastar is expected to make its maiden flight during the first quarter of 2019, followed by certification in 2020. The first ten fuselages will be built by Diamond Aircraft at its Canadian factory.