Getting the Dhc 6 Twin Otter Flight Crew Manual and Actually Using It
The Dhc 6 Twin Otter Flight Crew Manual is your primary reference for normal, abnormal, and emergency procedures on the Twin Otter series. You'll find it on the Piper (formerly de Havilland Canada) website, or through FAA-accredited publishers like Sagamore Publishing. The current version comes as a full-color printed book plus a supplemental disk or PDF depending on where you order it. Make sure the part number matches your specific sub-model — Series 100, Series 200, or the newer Series 400 with the ProMod cockpit. They are not interchangeable and the quick reference sections differ enough that using the wrong one will cost you time in the aircraft. I bought mine from Sagamore Publishing because they keep it current with service bulletins better than some of the other outlets. The list price runs around $120 to $160 depending on whether you get just the FCAM or bundle it with the associated quick reference cards. If you buy direct from Piper, expect longer lead times unless you need it urgently. Amazon sometimes has used copies at a discount but be careful about the revision date. An outdated FCAM is worse than useless for certain non-normal procedures. Once you have it in hand, don't treat it like a book you read cover to cover. The way the Twin Otter FCAM is organized means you flip straight to the Quick Reference section first during any Abnormal or Emergency event. That section is laminated on some editions and sits in the right-hand pocket of the flight bag. I carry a separate photocopy of just the QR section in my knee pocket because the original pocket gets stuffed with checklists and the manual itself is too thick to reach quickly when things are moving.
Here's something most pilots miss about the Twin Otter FCAM: the Normal Procedures section is deliberately sparse. It assumes you already know the flow from the Checklist Card. What the manual actually contains in depth are the systems descriptions and the limits. When I was getting current after a break in a 207B, I skipped straight to the Normal section thinking it would remind me of the before-takeoff flow. It didn't. I ended up cross-referencing the Checklist Card anyway. The manual is there for when the checklist card isn't enough — like when you need to understand why a system behaves the way it does under certain conditions. The fuel system is a good example. The FCAM diagrams show the gravity feed setup, the crossfeed valve positions, and the engine-driven pump versus the electric boost pump logic. What it doesn't immediately make clear is that in a dual engine failure scenario, the fuel selector must be ON for both engines and the crossfeed valve open before you even think about attempting a restart. I learned this the hard way during a simulated restart practice. I had the selectors on ONE ENGINE and was puzzled why the starter was cranking but nothing was happening on the dead side. The manual explains the logic if you read the systems chapter slowly. Most people don't. Another thing worth noting is the limitations section. The Twin Otter has some quirks. The maximum demonstrated crosswind is listed as 38 knots but that's a demonstrated value, not a limit. The actual limitation numbers are in the airframe category — 2,300 lb utility category gives you different G limits than the 2,950 lb stretcher configuration. If you're flying cargo or medevac ops, make sure your FCAM has the correct limitations page for your gross weight. I once caught a charter pilot using the standard 2,300 lb limits when his aircraft was registered at 2,950 lb. He was technically within the book but operating outside what his specific airplane was certified for.
If you need the manual and want a direct link, the Sagamore Publishing page for the DHC-6 Twin Otter Flight Crew Manual is searchable on their site and they ship worldwide. Piper's own parts and documentation portal also lists it under document number DHC-6-FCAM. Some operators prefer the PDF version for tablets in the cockpit but be aware that the Electronic Flight Bag approved version requires specific compliance with your authority's EFB policy. In the US that means Part 91 Subpart K if you're flying commercially. A printed manual sidesteps all of that entirely. The bottom line is straightforward. Get the right version for your sub-model and weight rating. Keep the QR section accessible. Read the systems chapters at least once when you're not flying. And don't assume the normal procedures section will walk you through every step — it won't. That's what the checklist card is for. The FCAM is for understanding and reference, not for routine execution.
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