A Samoa Airways Twin Otter has returned to Samoa after undergoing a major structural overhaul and refurbishment in Canada.
It is the second Samoa Airways Twin Otter to undergo a complete refurbishment by Unity Aviation Canada. Aircraft 5W-FAW returned to Samoa in March 2025 after undergoing similar work.
Aircraft 5W-FAY was sent to Canada in September 2025 for work on its airframe and major components, according to a speech delivered by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Mulipola Anarosa Ale-Molioo at a welcoming ceremony on Friday night.
The refurbishment of both aircraft cost about SAT$22 million, according to Mulipola. The work was funded from Samoa Airways’ revenue "without the need for borrowing."
The aircraft was built in Canada in 1980 and acquired by Samoa Airways in 1998. It is the oldest of the airline’s three Twin Otters and has served the national carrier for 28 years. Mulipola said the refurbishment was expected to extend the aircraft’s operational life by another 30 years.
