Bombardier Dash 8 (DHC-8 / Q-Series)

Turboprop Passenger Airliner / Cargo Hauling Aircraft [ 1984 ]

The high-wing, twin-engine Bombardier Dash 8 was introduced in 1984 and is still flying strong today through the Q400 series.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 11/30/2021 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

Image from official Bombardier marketing material.

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The twin-engine Bombardier "Dash 8" (Q-Series) was developed by de Havilland Canada (DHC) as an extension of the previous four-engine "Dash 7" series. The Dash 7, itself, originated in the 1970s (from the DHC-6 "Twin Otter") to fulfill a presumed market need for a regional passenger airliner with inherently excellent short-field performance, giving it access to many city-based airports around the world. However, there proved little market need for such a specialized product so the company then focused on the strengths of the Dash 7 (namely economy, low noise, low fuel consumption) and adopted it to what would become an all-new design in the twin-engined Dash 8 (DHC-8).

Work began in the late-1970s and transitioned into the early-1980s, involving Pratt & Whitney Canada supplying an equally all-new engine fit, the "PW120" turboprop. A first-flight, by way of prototype, occurred on June 20th, 1983 and the series was introduced in 1984 through launch customer NorOntair. Since then, Dash 8 production has been ongoing and total units has exceeded 1,225 aircraft.

NOTE: The aircraft is now marketed / produced under the Bombardier brand label after Bombardier's acquisition of de Havilland Canada in 1992.

The Dash 8 design relies on a basic planform made up of a slim, tubular fuselage with the flight deck overlooking the nose and a T-style wing arrangement at the tail. The key to short-field operations is the high-mounted wings (which provide good lift and drag) and excellent range stems from the use of turboprop engines. Each wing features an underslung Pratt & Whitney Canada turboprop driving a multi-blade propeller unit. The nacelles also house the main landing gear legs while a short leg is positioned under the nose for ground-running. While the early Dash 8 marks featured a conventional, "steam-gauge" style cockpit, the more modern iterations, namely the Q400 series, sports a sleek, all-glass digital cockpit instrument panel. Two pilots are seated in a side-by-side arrangement.

The Dash family of aircraft is divided into four distinct models led by the Series 100 (Q100). This encompasses the original DHC-8-100 passenger hauler of 1984 as well as the DHC-8-101, DHC-8-102/-102A, DHC-8-103 and the DHC-8-106 (each differing in engine installations). The DHC-8M-100 became a maritime surveillance platform and the Canadian military versions were the CC-142 and CT-142. The E-9A "Widget" was a USAF range control model equipped with radar. The Series 100 saw production reach 299 units.©MilitaryFactory.com

The Series 200 (Q200) introduced the PWC PW123 engine for better overall performance and included the DHC-8-201, DHC-8-202 and Q200 models. The Series 200 saw production reach 105 units.

The Series 300 (Q300) was given a longer fuselage and carried PW123, PW123B or PW123E engines and encompassed the DHC-8-301, DHC-8-311, the DHC-8-314 and the DHC-8-315. The DHC-8-300A was the DHC-8-300 with an increased to its payload rating. The DHC-8-300 MSA was developed as a maritime surveillance model and the RO-6A was a US Army reconnaissance variant based on the DHC-8-315 (PW123E engines). The Q300 marked DHC-8-300 aircraft with ANVS. The Series 300 saw production reach 267 units.

The more modern Dash 8 offering is the Series DHC-8-400 / Series 400 (Q400). These are mainly passenger haulers and include the DHC-8-400, DHC-8-401 and DHC-8-402. The DHC-8 MPA-D8 is a maritime patrol model and the DHC-8-402PF is a cargo-mover. The Q400 marked an improved form with lengthened fuselage and the Q400NextGen is, itself, an improvement of the line. The Q400-MR is used in the fire-fighting role and the Q400CC is a combination hauler, convertible for the passenger or cargo hauling roles as needed by the customer.

The series can be internally configured for 50, 74, 82 or 90 passengers in a single-aisle arrangement.

By number, the Series 400 is the most successful of the family line with production having reached 554 units with dozens more on order (2017).©MilitaryFactory.com

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March 2018 - On March 12th, 2018, a Bombardier Series Q400 aircraft crashed at the Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport in Nepal. Multiple fatalities were reported of the 67 passengers and four crew (some twenty have been rescued so far).

August 2018 - On August 10th, 2018, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport employee Richard Russell commandeered an empty Bombardier Q400 series turboprop passenger plane and flew it for about an hour before crashing it into a wooded area - killing himself and destroying the aircraft. No other deaths were reported.

November 2018 - The "Dash 8", "Q400", and "de Havilland" names have all been sold to Longview Aviation Capital (Viking Air) of Canada.

June 2019 - Longview Aviation Capital has completed its acquisition of the Dash 8 series turboprop aircraft, forming (and resurrecting) the de Havilland Aircraft of Canada, Ltd name in the process.

October 2020 - de Havilland has delivered a pair of Dash 8-400 aircraft to Ethiopia. A total of thirty have been delivered to the African nation to date.

February 2021 - A special-mission variant of the Dash 8-400 series is being drawn up by de Havilland Canada and PAL Aerospace.

March 2021 - EASA has cleared the Dash 8-400 series for operational service over Europe.

November 2021 - Air carrier Flybe of the UK has taken delivery of its first Dash 8-400 series regional hauler.

Specifications

Bombardier Aerospace / de Havilland - Canada
Manufacturer(s)

Canada; Ethiopia; Ivory Coast; Latvia; Luxembourg; Nigeria; Poland; Rwanda; Thailand; United Arab Emirates; United States
Operators

National flag of the United Arab Emirates

1984
Service Year

Canada
National Origin

Active
Project Status

2
Crew

1,150
Units

COMMERCIAL AVIATION
Used in roles serving the commercial aviation market, ferrying both passengers and goods over range.

73.0 ft
(22.25 meters)
Length

84.9 ft
(25.89 meters)
Width/Span

24.6 ft
(7.50 meters)
Height

23,126 lb
(10,490 kilograms)
Empty Weight

36,376 lb
(16,500 kilograms)
Maximum Take-Off Weight

+13,250 lb
(+6,010 kg)
Weight Difference

monoplane / high-mounted / straight
Mainplane Arrangement

Monoplane
Design utilizes a single primary wing mainplane; this represents the most popular modern mainplane arrangement.

High-Mounted
Mainplanes are mounted at the upper-most position allowable along the dorsal line of the fuselage.

Straight
The planform involves use of basic, straight mainplane members.

2 x Pratt & Whitney PW120A/PW121 turboprop engines developing 2,000 horsepower each driving six-bladed propeller units.
Propulsion

317 mph
(510 kph | 275 knots)
Max Speed

25,000 ft
(7,620 m | 5 miles)
Ceiling

1,181 miles
(1,900 km | 1,026 nm)
Range

MACH Regime (Sonic)

Sub

Trans

Super

Hyper

HiHyper

ReEntry

♦

None.

Dash 8 (DHC-8) - Base Series Designation.

Dash 8-400 - Special-mission variant.

Series Q100 - Original model of 1984; PW120A engines.

CC-142 - Canadian military transport

CT-142 - Canadian military navigational trainer

E-9A "Widget" - USAF range control platform with AN/APS-143(V)-1 radar system installed.

Series Q200 - PW123 engines fitted

Series Q300 - Lengthened fuselage; PW123, PW123B or PW123E engines fitted; ANVS system.

RO-6A - US Army DHC-8-315 for reconnaissance role.

Series Q400 - Lengthened fuselage; model of 2000; PW150A engines fitted.

Q400CC - Combination passenger/cargo hauler.

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Images

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Image of the Bombardier Dash 8 (DHC-8 / Q-Series)

Image from official Bombardier marketing material.

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Image from official Bombardier marketing material.

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