13 October 2025
A new airport will shortly start construction bearing a historic British name – and will be the home of an aircraft manufacturer.
Unfortunately, it’s not in the UK but in Canada. The manufacturer is De Havilland and the airport will be known as ‘De Havilland Field’.
Located on a 1,500-acre site in Wheatland County, Alberta – around 30 minutes from Calgary – the new facility will include a dedicated runway, aircraft assembly lines, and maintenance and training centres. Once fully operational, it’s expected to employ up to 1,500 people.
The site will become the final assembly home for De Havilland’s DHC-515 Firefighter, DHC-6 Twin Otter, and Dash 8-400 aircraft. Production of the Twin Otter and Dash 8 is being restarted as part of the company’s wider growth strategy.
De Havilland Field also marks the company’s consolidation of its Canadian aviation assets under one roof.
In 2022, De Havilland brought Viking Air, Longview Aviation, Pacific Sky Training and De Havilland Canada together under a single brand, moving its headquarters from Toronto to Calgary.
CEO Brian Chafe described the project as “the start of a new chapter for both De Havilland Canada and Canadian aerospace,” adding that the new site would “provide new aviation opportunities for Canada and Alberta.”
Major construction is expected to ramp up in spring 2026 once winter conditions ease, with the first facilities scheduled to open in 2028.
De Havilland’s Twin Otter Classic 300-G at the Paris Air Show. Photo: De Havilland
It comes after a resurgence of interest in De Havilland’s classic utility aircraft. At this year’s Paris Air Show, the company unveiled the Twin Otter Classic 300-G.
The new model features a Garmin G1000 avionics suite, a redesigned lighter cabin interior, and improved efficiency. Swiss operator Zimex Aviation will be the launch customer, with the 1,000th Twin Otter due for delivery later this year.
