The Do228 is in operation all around the world – in a wide variety of missions and regions, including the far north of Norway, over 1,000 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle. Here, Lufttransport operates a fleet of Do228s with an important mission.
Lufttransport AS is a Norwegian aviation company based in Tromsø which has played a central role in Norwegian aviation since its foundation in 1955 and has focused on specialized operations with aircraft and helicopters. In addition to ambulance flights, coastal surveillance, and transport flights, Lufttransport also operates charter flights, primarily with the Do228 on Svalbard.
Spitsbergen, also known as Svalbard, is a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, located between the North Cape and the North Pole. Just over 2,000 people live here – in one of the most remote places on earth. Only very special aircraft can perform reliably and efficiently in these conditions – such as the Do228.
Lufttransport currently operates two Do228 aircraft (one Do228 NG and one Do228 Classic) in one of the most remote regions of the world, regularly connecting the capital Longyearbyen (with around 2,000 inhabitants) with the remote village of Ny-Alesund – a small settlement with a short gravel runway.
The cargo transported is as versatile as the mission itself: scientists, measuring equipment, ice samples, luggage — even pets. The Do228 can switch very quickly between a cargo transport layout and a passenger transport layout and can carry over 2 tons.
The conditions are demanding: months of darkness, snow, ice, wind and extreme cold. However, the Do228 endures. Despite their age and the harsh weather, the aircraft are in remarkably good condition—a testament to the care and dedication of the team on site, but also to the robust construction of the Do228.
Another impressive fact that illustrates the remoteness of the location is that the avionics, especially the AHRS, take significantly longer to initialize near the pole. This is due to physical circumstances such as the low horizontal component of the Earth's magnetic field and the minimal projected rotational speed on the local vertical – a challenge before every flight.
Lufttransport is proud of its aircraft—and rightly so. You can rely on the technology; the aircraft work. Even in environments that demand so much from people and technology, and where other aircraft simply cannot be used. That is precisely why the Do228 will be built again—for customers who work in extreme conditions and need an aircraft that delivers reliably.
