Aircraft Factfile and Recognition Guide - de Havilland Canada Dash 8

Background

The Dash 8 was developed from the de Havilland Canada Dash 7, which featured extreme short take-off and landing (STOL) performance. With the Dash 8, DHC focused on improving cruise performance and lowering operational costs. The engine chosen was the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW100. The aircraft has been delivered in four series. The Series 100 has a maximum capacity of 39, the Series 200 has the same capacity but offers more powerful engines, the Series 300 is a stretched, 50-seat version, and the Series 400 is further stretched to 78 passengers. Models delivered after 1997 have cabin noise suppression and are designated with the prefix, 'Q'. Production of the Series 100 ceased in 2005, and the Q200 and Q300 in 2009. Bombardier is considering launching a stretched version of the Q400.

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 STOL (Short Takeoff And Landing) and short-field performance, their traditional area of expertise. Using four medium-power engines with large four-bladed propellers resulted in very low noise levels which, combined with its excellent STOL characteristics, made the Dash 7 suitable for operating from small in-city airports, a market DHC felt would be compelling. However, only a handful of air carriers employed the Dash 7, as most regional airlines were more interested in operational costs than short-field performance.

In 1980, de Havilland responded by dropping the short-field performance requirement and adapting the basic Dash 7 layout to use only two, more powerful engines. Their favored 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 April 19, 1983, more than 3,800 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 prop wash 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 June 20, 1983, and the airliner entered service in 1984 with NorOntair. In 1984, Piedmont Airlines, formerly Henson Airlines, was the first US customer for the Dash 8.

The Dash 8 design has better cruise performance than the Dash 7, is less expensive to operate and much less expensive to maintain, due largely to having only two engines. The Dash 8 has the lowest cost per passenger mile of any regional airliner of the era. It was a little noisier than the Dash 7 and could not match the STOL performance of its earlier DHC forebears, although it was still able to operate from small airports with 3,000 ft (910 m) runways, compared to the 2,200 ft (670 m) required by a fully loaded Dash 7.

In April 2008, Bombardier announced that production of the Classic versions (Series 100, 200, 300) would be ended, leaving the Series 400 as the only Dash 8 still in production. A total of 660 Dash 8 Classics were produced, the last one delivered to Air Nelson in May 2008.

Variants of the Dash 8

• DHC-8-100 series:  Original 37–39 passenger version that entered service in 1984. The original engine was the PW120A (CAA validated on December 13, 1985); later units used the PW121 (CAA validated on February 22, 1990). Rated engine power is 1,800 shp (1,340 kW).
  
• DHC-8-101:  1984 variant powered by either two PW120 or PW120A engines and a 33,000 lb (15,000 kg) takeoff weight.
  
• DHC-8-102:  1986 variant powered by either two PW120A or PW121 engines and a 34,500 lb (15,650 kg) takeoff weight.
  
• DHC-8-103:  1987 variant powered by two PW121 engines and a 34,500 lb (15,650 kg) takeoff weight (can be modified for a 35,200 lb [15,950 kg] take-off weight)
  
• DHC-8-106:  1992 variant powered by two PW121 engines and a 36,300 lb (16,450 kg) takeoff weight.
  
• DHC-8M-100:  Two aircraft for Transport Canada.
  
• CC-142:  Military transport version for the Canadian Forces in Europe.
  
• CT-142:  Military navigation training version for the Canadian Forces.
  
• E-9A:  A USAF range control aircraft equipped with AN/APS-143(V)-1 radar that operates out of Tyndall AFB, Florida to ensure that the overwater military ranges in the Gulf of Mexico are clear of civilian boats and aircraft during live fire tests of air-launched missiles and other hazardous military activities. Two aircraft are assigned to the 82d Aerial Targets Squadron for the support of training missions.
• DHC-8-200 Series: Series 100 airframe with more powerful Pratt & Whitney Canada PW123 engines (rated at 2,150 shp or 1,600 kW) for improved performance also capable of carrying 37 to 39 passengers.
  
• DHC-8-201: 1995 variant powered by two PW123C engines.
  
• DHC-8-202: 1995 variant powered by two PW123D engines.
  
• Q200: Version of the DHC-8-200 with the ANVS system.
• DHC-8-300 Series: Stretched 3.43 m (11 ft) over the Series 100/200, a 50–56 passenger version that entered service in 1989. Its engines are PW123 or PW123B or PW123E, rated at 2,500 shp or 1,860 kW.
  
• DHC-8-301: 1989 variant powered by two PW123 engines
  
• DHC-8-311: 1990 variant powered by two PW123 engines
  
• DHC-8-314: 1992 variant powered by two PW123B engines
  
• DHC-8-315: 1995 variant powered by two PW123E engines
  
• DHC-8-300A: Version of the DHC-8-300 with increased payload.
  
• Q300: Version of the DHC-8-300 with the ANVS system.
  
• Q400: Stretched and improved 70–78 passenger version that entered service in 2000. Its 360 knot (670 km/h) cruise speed is 75 knots (140 km/h) higher than its predecessors. Powered by PW150A engines rated at 5,071 shp (3,781 kW) at maximum power (4,850 shp or 3,620 kW maximum continuous rated). 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). All Q400's include the ANVS system.
  
• Q400 NextGen: Version of the Q400 with updated cabins, lighting, windows, overhead bins, landing gear, as well as reduced fuel and maintenance costs.
  
• Q400-MR: 2 Q400 adapted to the water bombing role by Cascade Aerospace for the French Sécurité Civile. The tanker mode can carry 2,600 US gallon of retardant, foam or water and traveling a 340 knots.
  
• DHC-8-400: 1999 variant with a maximum of 68 passengers.
  
• DHC-8-401: 1999 variant with a maximum of 70 passengers.
  
• DHC-8-402: 1999 variant with a maximum of 78 passengers.
  
• DHC-8-402PF: 2008 converted pallet freighter variant with a payload of 9000 kg.

Specifications

Sources: Wikipedia Dash 8

© 2005-2010 Steven Holzinger