Country of origin:

Canada

Description:

Regional airliner

Power Plant:

(Series Q100)

Two 1,492 kw (2,000 shp) Pratt & Whitney (Canada) PW120 turboprops

Specifications:

History:

The de Havilland Canada Dash-8 was one of a long line of highly successful STOL military and commercial transports produced by the Canadian de Havilland company at Downsview, Ontario. Similar in configuration to the Dash-7, but smaller in size, seating a crew of two and 36 passengers (series 100), the Dash-8 was aimed at the commuter airline market, with executive and mixed passenger/cargo models being available. The cabin was pressurised and, like its bigger brother, relied on large-area trailing-edge flaps and a sophisticated control system for its STOL performance. Power was provided by a pair of Pratt & Whitney PW120 turboprops, these engines formerly being known as the PT-7A, driving 4 m (13 ft) diameter four-blade Hamilton Standard 14SF propellers. The 500th Dash 8, a Series 200 (N355PH), was delivered to Horizon Air on 31 November 1997.

The first Dash-8 was rolled out in April 1983 and the prototype (C-GDNK) was first flown on 20 June 1983, a second prototype (C-GGMP) flying on 26 October 1983. A pre-production prototype was flown in November that year, and another in early 1984. Customer deliveries commenced in September 1984. As with most airliners, the aircraft was developed and stretched to meet demand and variants have included: Series Dash-8Q with a re-designed interior and nose and vibration suppression system; Series 100, the initial production variant, with the PW120A or PW121 engine; Model 100A with a restyled interior; Model 100B an improved variant released in 1992 with PW121 engines for better field performance; Model Q100 introduced in 1998 with the PW120A or PW121 engine and optional higher gross weight; Model 200A with increased speed and payload; Model 200B with PW123D engine; and Model Q200 with increased speed and payload compared to the Model Q100.

Construction was of conventional aluminium alloy with the use of composite materials for fairings, tailcone, wing leading-edges, flap shrouds, nose-bay, nacelles, and dorsal fin. Single-slotted Fowler flaps were fitted on both sides of the engine nacelles and spoiler panels outboard assisted lateral control.

During late 1984 a Dash-8 (C-GGPJ) made a demonstration tour of Australia, being shown to Ansett Airlines, TAA, and East West Airlines. Subsequently, in mid 1985, Ansett Airlines announced it was ordering a Dash-8 with options on two more for use by Ansett NSW on the Lord Howe Island route, and on other New South Wales routes.

Also in 1985 Newmans Air announced it was replacing Dash-7s with Dash-8-102s ZK-NEY (c/n 55) and ZK-NEZ (c/n 60) with 36 seats, with an option on a further three, these aircraft later being taken over by Ansett New Zealand. In mid 1986 Norfolk Island Airways announced it was ordering a Dash-8 for the Norfolk Island – Brisbane – Sydney route. Norfolk Airlines put a Dash 8-100 VH-NID (c/n 170) in to service in 1990 on the route from Sydney, NSW operating to Lord Howe Island and to Norfolk Island.

First of the type registered in New Guinea was for Talair P2-RDY (c/n 010), operated on lease from Tyrolean Airways in Austria pending delivery of its first aircraft P2-GVA (c/n 52). Talair operated a fleet but, following problems associated with the PNG Government, the aircraft were withdrawn to Australia where they were integrated with the Flight West fleet.

Qantas subsidiaries, Eastern Australia and Southern Australia, also operated a number of Dash 8-100s.

The Dash 8-100 was also operated by Qantas New Zealand, operating ZK-NER (c/n 374 – ex C-GFHZ) and ZK-NEQ (c/n 0397 – ex C-GETI, PT-MPI, C-GBRA, ZS-NMH), as were Dash 8-102s ZK-NEY (c/n 055), ZK-NES (c/n 125), ZK-NET (c/n 197) and ZK-NEU (c/n 218) from the mid 1990s.

In 1994 National Jet Systems of Adelaide, SA won the fixed-wing element of a nine-year coastal surveillance contract awarded by Australian Customs and, in addition to Britten Norman Islanders, operated three Dash-8-202s fitted with Texas Instruments SU-1022 digital radar, an integrated tactical-data system, a stabilised turret incorporating Westcam 16T opto-electronics, Mitsubishi forward-looking infra-red sensors and low-light television package for offshore electronic surveillance, these aircraft having a 7½ hour endurance.

De Havilland Canada was purchased by Boeing in January 1986 and in 1992 the Company was sold to Bombardier Aerospace. More than 700 examples of the Dash-8 series have been built.

Military variants have included the CC-142 and CT-142 passenger and cargo transport and navigation trainer versions. In USAF service the Dash 8-100 was known as the E-9A and was used as a missile range control aircraft.

A number of Dash 8s have been used in Australia for aerial survey and coastal patrol work on behalf of the Australian Customs Service and a variant known as the Triton has been developed for maritime surveillance.

Air New Zealand / Air Nelson operated Dash 8-102s, including ZK-NES (c/n 125); ZK-NET (c/n 197); ZK-NEU (c/n 218); and ZK-NEZ (c/n 60).

Largest operator of the type in this region has been Eastern Australian Airlines / Qantas Link, which operated 13 Dash 8-102s, three Dash 8-200s, five Dash 8-Q300s and 11 Dash 8-400s, with more on order.

Other operators have included LADS Corporation in Adelaide and Flight West Aviation in Western Australia, which operated a number for the Australian Customs & Immigration Service, these Coastwatch aircraft being fitted with Litton radar for maritime duties.

In late 2016 the Royal Australian Navys only fixed wing aircraft, a contractor-operated DHC-8-202  VH-LCL (c/n 492) known as the Laser airborne Depth Sounder [LADS] platform, which was used to collect hydrographic survey data, was flown to New Zealand to collect data for the New Zealand Hydrographic Authority for production of updated nautical charts in order to ascertain what had happened below the waterline following earthquake damage, and identify any shifts in the ocean floor. This aircraft was operated by Fujgro LADS Corporation and Cobham and was Cairns based, being commissioned in 2009 as part of the RAN’s Hydrographic Service, RAN personnel operating the survey equipment from the main cabin of the aircraft.