Above the Coastline: Life on Harbour Air's Floatplane Fleet
A look at the de Havilland Beavers and Otters that make up Harbour Air's fleet, and what it takes to keep the world's largest all-seaplane airline flying every day.
Harbour Air operates one of the largest fleets of seaplanes in the world, flying de Havilland Beavers, Otters, and Twin Otters across the Pacific Northwest. Every aircraft in the fleet is maintained on a rigorous schedule, with engineers and technicians working around the clock to keep floats, engines, and airframes flight-ready.
These aircraft were built for exactly this kind of flying: short takeoffs and landings on open water, reliable performance in coastal weather, and decades of proven durability. Many of the airframes flying today have been in service for generations, refurbished and re-engined to modern standards while keeping their classic design.
From the docks of downtown Vancouver to remote coastal communities, the fleet is what makes Harbour Air's network possible — connecting places a runway never could.