Dehavilland Canada 2 Mk1 Beaver

Single Piston· 228 globally registered

The de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver is arguably the most successful bush aircraft ever built, a design so perfectly suited to wilderness flying that it remains in widespread commercial service more than seventy years after its 1947 first flight. Conceived specifically for the Canadian north, the Beaver combined a rugged radial engine (typically the 450-hp Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior), massive flaps, and a high-lift wing to deliver legendary short-field performance. It can operate from lakes, gravel bars, tundra, and improvised strips barely longer than a football field. The type's load-carrying ability and docile handling made it the backbone of remote air services across Alaska, northern Canada, and floatplane operators worldwide. Over 1,600 Beavers were produced between 1947 and 1967, with hundreds still flying commercially today in roles ranging from wilderness lodges and fishing camps to skydiving and sightseeing. The Royal Canadian Air Force, U.S. Army, and British Army all operated military variants, cementing the Beaver's reputation for reliability in the harshest environments. Its design influenced an entire generation of STOL utility aircraft, yet none have matched the original's combination of ruggedness, simplicity, and sheer versatility. SkyMeter has tracked 1,742 flights across 131 airframes and 108 operators, with RUSTAIR INC the largest observed operator.