De Havilland Canada Dash 8

"Dash 8" is also a series of diesel locomotives built by GE; see List of GE locomotives

The de Havilland Canada DHC-8, popularly known as the Dash 8, is a series of twin-turboprop airliners designed by de Havilland Canada in the early 1980s. They are now produced by Bombardier Aerospace which purchased DHC from Boeing in 1992. Since 1996, the aircraft have been known as the Q Series, for "quiet" due to installation of the Active Noise and Vibration Suppression (ANVS) system designed to reduce cabin noise and vibration levels to nearly those of jet airliners.

Design and development

A de Havilland Canada DHC-8-102 of Air Inuit

In the 1970s, de Havilland Canada had invested heavily in their Dash 7 project, creating what was essentially a larger four-engine version of their Twin Otter concentrating on excellent STOL and short-field performance, their traditional area of expertise. However, only a handful of air carriers employed the Dash 7, as most regional airlines were interested primarily in operational costs, as opposed to short-field performance.

In 1980, de Havilland responded by dropping the short-field performance requirement and adapting the basic Dash 7 layout to be propelled by only two engines that produced more power. Their traditional engine supplier, Pratt & Whitney Canada, developed the new PW100 series engines for the role, more than doubling the power from their PT6. Originally designated the PT7A-2R engine, it later became the PW120. When the Dash 8 rolled out on 19 April 1983, more the 3800 hours of testing had been accumulated over two years on five PW100 series test engines. Certification of the PW120 followed in late 1983.

Distinguishing features of the Dash 8 design are the large T-tail intended to keep the tail free of propwash during takeoff, a very high aspect ratio wing, the elongated engine nacelles also holding the rearward-folding landing gear and the pointed nose profile. First flight was on 20 June 1983, while the airliner entered service in 1984 with NorOntair. Piedmont Airlines, formerly known as Henson Airlines, was the US launch customer for the Dash 8 in 1984.

The Dash 8 design had better cruise performance than the earlier Dash 7, was less expensive to operate, and more notably, much less expensive to maintain. The Dash 8 had the lowest cost per passenger mile of any feederliner of the era. The main disadvantage compared to the earlier Dash 7 was somewhat higher noise levels, but only in comparison, as the Dash 7 was notable in the industry for extremely low noise due to its four very large and slow-turning propellers. The Dash 8 also could not match the superb STOL performance of its earlier DHC forebears.

Operational history

A DHC-8-Q400 of Flybe at Bristol Airport, Bristol, England

The Dash 8 was introduced at a particularly advantageous time; most airlines were in the process of adding new aircraft to their fleet as the airline industry expanded greatly in the 1980s. The older generation of feederliners from the 1950s and '60s was nearing retirement, leading to high sales figures, though de Havilland Canada was unable to meet the demand with sufficient production. In 1988, Boeing bought the company in a bid to improve production at DHC's Downsview Airport plants and compete for a new Air Canada order for large intercontinental airliners. Air Canada was a crown corporation at the time, with Boeing and Airbus competing heavily via political channels for the contract. It was eventually won by Airbus, who received an order for 34 A330 and A340 aircraft in a highly controversial move. The allegations of bribery are today known as the Airbus affair. Following their failure in the competition, Boeing immediately put de Havilland Canada up for sale. The company was eventually purchased by Bombardier in 1992.

The market demand for short-haul airliners was so great that Aerospatiale of France paired with Italy's Alenia to compete with the Dash 8. The resulting ATR 42 was even less expensive than the Dash 8, but de Havilland Canada responded with newer models to close the gap. In the late 1980s, the ATR suffered a series of icing-related crashes that seriously affected its reputation and although it appears de Havilland Canada was consulted on fixing the problem, ATRs were never again a major competitor. Other companies competed with smaller or more tailored designs, like the Saab 340 and Embraer Brasilia, but these were not introduced until the market had already begun to saturate.

The E-9A is a USAF range control aircraft that operates out of Tyndall AFB, Florida to ensure that the military ranges in the Gulf of Mexico are clear of civilian boats and aircraft during live-fire tests and other hazardous military activities. Two airframes are assigned to the base for the support of training missions.

Regional jet competition

The introduction of the regional jet altered the sales picture. Although somewhat more expensive to buy than aircraft like the Dash 8, they can operate on routes that passengers would not be able to fly on a turboprop. Compared to regional jets, turboprop aircraft have lower fuel consumption and can operate from shorter runways, but suffer from comparatively higher engine maintenance costs, shorter range and lower cruising speeds.

The market for new aircraft to replace existing turboprops once again grew in the mid-1990s, and de Havilland responded with the introduction of the improved "Series 400" design. By this point, Bombardier had purchased the company, and in an effort to use a single brand the de Havilland Canada name was dropped and the aircraft became the Bombardier Q400.

When world oil prices drove up short haul airfares in 2006, an increasing number of airlines that had bought regional jets, began to reassess turboprop regional airliners, which get roughly 30% better fuel economy than regional jets. Although the market does not appear to be as robust as in the 1980s when the first Dash 8s were introduced, 2007 saw increased sales of the only two 40+ seat regional propjets remaining in western production, Bombardier's Q400 and its competitor, the ATR series of 50-70 seat turboprops. The Q400 is faster, however, cruising close to the speed of most regional jets, so its relative disadvantage has diminished, while the airliner's mature engines and systems require less frequent maintenance.

The aircraft breaks even with about 1/3rd of its seats filled (or 1/4 in a tighter arrangement), making it particularly attractive on routes with varying passenger loadings where some flights will be largely empty. As a real world example, Island Air in Hawaii calculated that the use of a 50-seat Regional Jet would have a break even at 45 passenger seats. The Q400, though, would require only 35 to 36 seats (around 55% break even load factor). Most short-haul routes are less than 350 miles (500 km), so taxi, takeoff and landing phases virtually eliminate a competing jet's speed advantage. Since the Q400's 425 mph (685 kph) cruise speed approaches jet speeds, short haul airlines can usually replace a regional jet with a Q400 and still keep their same gate-to-gate schedules.

All Dash 8s delivered from the second quarter of 1996 (including all Series 400s) include an active Noise and Vibration Suppression (NVS) system designed to reduce cabin noise and vibration levels to nearly those of jet airliners. To emphasize their quietness, Bombardier has renamed the Dash 8 models as the Q Series turboprops (Q100, Q200, Q300 and Q400).

Bombardier has singled out the Q400 for more aggressive marketing, launching a website centred around the aircraft.

Variants

There are a number of variants of the Dash 8:

• Series 100: Original 37–40 passenger version that entered service in 1984.
• Dash 8M-100 : Two aircraft for Transport Canada.
• Series 200: Series 100 airframe with more powerful Pratt & Whitney Canada PW123 engines for improved performance also capable of carrying 37 to 39 passengers.
• Series 300: Stretched 3.4 m (11 ft) over the Series 100/200, a 50–56 passenger version that entered service in 1989.
• Series 300A : Version of the Series 300 with increased payload.
• Series 400: Stretched and improved 70–78 passenger version that entered service in 2000. Its 370 kt (585 kmh) cruise speed is 75 kt (140 km/h) higher than its predecessors. Powered by PW150A engines rated at 5,071 shp (3.7 MW) at maximum power. Maximum operating altitude is 25,000 ft (7,600 m) for the standard version, although a version with drop-down oxygen masks is offered, which increases maximum altitude to 27,000 ft (8,200 m).
• CC-142 : Military transport version for the Canadian Armed Forces in Europe.
• CT-142 : Military navigation training version for the Canadian Armed Forces, nicknamed "Gonzo" due to its extended nose.
• E-9A : Two aircraft for the US Air Force.
• Q400-MR : 400 series adapted to the water bombing role for the french Sécurité Civile.

Operators

Current operators

Series 100

In August 2006 , a total of 227 Dash 8 Series 100 aircraft remain in airline service, with 1 further firm order. Major operators include: Air Canada Jazz (42), Air Creebec (5), Air Inuit (8), Air Labrador (3), Arctic Sunwest (2), AIRES (4), Caribbean Star Airlines (1), Caribbean Sun (5), Hawkair (3), Era Aviation (4), Freedom Airlines (12), Island Air (9), Leeward Islands Air Transport (5), ] (2), Olympic Airlines (4), Perimeter Aviation (3), Piedmont Airlines (46), Provincial Airlines ,Regional One (4), Widerøe (17), Airlines PNG (7), QantasLink (9), GMG Airlines (1). Ryūkyū Air Commuter, National Jet Systems (1) Cirrus Airlines (4), Royal Bengal Airlines (2), United Airways (1). Some 22 other airlines operate smaller numbers of Dash 8 Series 100.

Series 200

In August 2006 a total of 72 Dash 8 Series 200 aircraft remain in airline service, with 2 further firm orders. Major operators include: Air Niugini (4), QantasLink (3), Surveillance Australia, Horizon Air (28), Mesa Airlines (28) South African Express (7), and CommutAir as Continental Connection (4). Some 14 other airlines operate smaller numbers of Dash 8 Series 200.

Series 300

In August 2006 , a total of 214 Dash 8 Series 300 aircraft remain in airline service, with 13 further firm orders. Major operators include: Bahamasair (8) (Launch Customer), Air Canada Jazz (25), AIRES (4), Air Nostrum (9), Air Philippines (3), Air Southwest (5), Air Nippon Network (5), Augsburg Airways (6), Surveillance Australia (2), Austrian Arrows (12), Cirrus Airlines (4), Caribbean Star Airlines (9), Denim Air (11), Flybe (6), InterSky (6), Leeward Islands Air Transport (9), Piedmont Airlines (11), QantasLink (8), Sunstate Airlines (8), Uni Air (10), Aero Contractors (5), Voyageur Airways (5), South African Express (7), Petroleum Air Services (4), Air Nelson (13) Tobago Express (5) and Widerøe (9), GMG Airlines (1). Some 11 other airlines operate smaller numbers of Dash 8 Series 300.

Series 400

As of April 2007 a total of 140 Q400 aircraft are in airline service, with 215 firm orders. Major operators include: Air Chathams (4), Air Freight NZ (5), Air Nippon Network (9), Air Tahoma (6), Augsburg Airways (5), Austrian Arrows (10), Croatia Airlines (4 on order), Flybe (29), Horizon Air (21), Japan Air Commuter (8), Kelowna Flightcraft (7), Nolinor Aviation (7), Porter Airlines (4), Scandinavian Airlines System (24), Sunstate Airlines (5), QantasLink (7), Jeju Air (5), Tassili Airlines (in order 4), Widerøe (4), Luxair (3), and Colgan Air (15). Some 17 other airlines operate smaller numbers of Dash 8 Series 400.

Air Panama is supposed to start flying two Dash 8s in January 2007.

Other

In February 2006, Porter Airlines announced that they had purchased ten 70-seater turboprops to service the Toronto Island Airport.

In September 2006, Frontier Airlines announced an order for ten Q400s, taking delivery of the first plane in May 2007. Frontier expects the total fleet to be in service by December 2007. Additionally, Frontier holds purchase options for 10 additional aircraft.

In February 2007, Pinnacle Airlines Corporation announced an order for 15 Q400s on behalf of its recently acquired subsidiary, Colgan Air. The aircraft will be operated in a "codeshare" agreement with Continental Airlines, under the Continental Connection banner out of their Newark, New Jersey hub.

In June 2007, Croatia Airlines announced an order for three Q400s to replace ATR-42s.

Coast guard and military operators

File:Dash 8 "Gonzo".jpg

CT142 Dash 8 "Gonzo" from no. 402 Canadian Forces Squadron, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Aruba

• Coast Guard of the Aruba

Australia

• Australian Customs Coastwatch - Surveillance Australia

Canada

• Canadian Forces

Kenya

• Kenya Air Force

Mexico

• Mexican Navy

Netherlands Antilles

• Coast Guard of the Netherlands Antilles

Sweden

• The Swedish Coast Guard will operate three Dash-8 300 maritime surveillance versions. [1]

United States

• United States Air Force
• United States Department Of Homeland Security-Customs and Border Protection (CBP Air)

Other Applications

Two used Q400s, acquired from Scandinavian Airlines System, were modified by Cascade Aerospace of Abbotsford, British Columbia for France's Sécurité Civile as fire-fighting water bombers in fire season and as transport aircraft off season. The Q400 Airtanker can drop 10,000 L (22,000 lb) of water in this role compared to Bombardier's CL-415 dedicated water bomber which can drop 6,140 L. The latter, however, is amphibious and requires less infrastructure.

Neptune Aviation of Missoula, Montana have acquired a Q300 as a prototype for future Q200/Q300 water bombers to replace current P2V aircraft.

Incidents and accidents

• 9 June 1995: Ansett New Zealand Flight 703 an Ansett New Zealand, scheduled flight from Auckland Airport to Palmerston North crashed west of the Tararua Ranges and 16 km east of Palmerston North airport, during an instrument approach in bad weather. 4 people killed and most others injured
• 24 March 2005 : A Dash 8 crashed at Isle of Man Airport (Ronaldsway) due to pilot error.
• 20 March 2007 - Amakusa Airlines Dash 8 DHC-8-103 crash landing at Kumamoto Airport due to malfunction in landing gear [2]

Specifications (Q400)

Data from Bombardier's website

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Capacity: 68-78 passengers, depending on configuration

Performance

Dash 8 in popular culture

The Dash 8 was the first artificial intelligence (AI) aircraft in Flight Simulator 2002, implemented as a low-quality, traffic-only model. Users converted the model's configuration files to make it a flyable aircraft in the simulator, a modification that also worked in the subsequent 2004 edition. The aircraft is depicted in fictional colors for Airwave, American Pacific and Orbit Airlines.

References

• Hotson, Fred W. The De Havilland Canada Story. Toronto: CANAV Books, 1983. ISBN.
• Kinsey, I. "Dash 8 is Born." Canadian Aviation magazine, June 1983.

External links

• Bombardier Q Series

Related content

Related development

• de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
• de Havilland Canada Dash 7

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Antonov An-24/Xian Y-7/Xian MA60
• ATR 42 and 72
• Dornier 328
• Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia
• Fokker F27 and F50
• Saab 2000 and 340

Related lists

• List of airliners