The Do228 is a versatile turboprop aircraft that can be used for special missions and light transport flights. There is hardly any other aircraft that is better suited for usage in Asia than the Do228, as the continent and the aircraft have one major thing in common: great versatility.
Versatile geography – versatile missions
Asia is the largest continent on our planet and home to the largest number of people. Hardly any other continent has as many different climatic zones and weather conditions as Asia. And that is why a particularly versatile aircraft is best suited for missions in Asia. From the long coastlines, countless island groups and dense rainforests of South-East Asia, to the dry inland areas of Arabia and Central Asia and the high mountains of the Himalayas - Asia has an impressive geographical variety to offer.
Reaching the roof of the earth
The Himalayas are one of the most impressive and at the same time most remote regions on earth. The highest mountains in the world are located here, all 14 mountains with a height of over 8,000 meters are found in Asia. High mountains and narrow valleys often make transfer movement between two locations very difficult. This is why the aircraft is a particularly suitable transportation device here. But the limited space available means that most airfields only have very short runways. Therefore, only aircraft with so-called STOL (short landing and takeoff) capabilities, such as the Do228, can approach most airfields in the Himalayas.
One example of this is Lukla Airport, which has a runway only about 500 meters long and serves as a starting point for hikes to Mount Everest. The Do228 has been in successful service in Nepal for many decades, being used by Sita Air and previously also by Agni Air.
Maritime Patrol missions
However, Asia not only has high mountains to offer, but also long coastlines. For this operational area the Do228 is ideally suited, especially in its Maritime Patrol version. The special design of the Do228 with a rectangular fuselage cross-section makes it possible to install numerous sensors and operator consoles in the aircraft. This means that the aircraft can be used to control borders and territorial waters.
This enables governmental or law enforcement Do228 operators to secure their borders and prevent illegal fishing, smuggling, illegal border crossings, as well as taking high-resolution images. Numerous authorities around the world rely on the Do228 for these reasons. In South-East Asia, for example, the Royal Thai Navy and the Bangladesh Navy operate a Do228 fleet for maritime patrols.
Connecting the islands of Asia
Another special geographical feature of Asia are the numerous islands, especially in South-East Asia. The continent has a total of over 50,000 islands, most of which can only be reached by ship, helicopter or aircraft. Countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines and the Maldives are comprised of thousands of islands. As many of the airports on these islands are short or unpaved, only a very limited number of aircraft types can reach them – and the Do228 is one of them. Thanks to its STOL capability and robust design, it can take off and land on these runways - to transport people or goods and for MedEvac missions.
With its impressive range the Do228 can fly comparatively long distances for its size. For example, the Do228 can connect the Asian cities of Seoul and Tokyo or Manila and Hanoi with no problem. The Do228 has a transport capability of 19 passengers or over 2 tons of cargo.
