De Havilland Canada DHC-8 Dash 8

The DHC 8 is more usually referred to nowadays as the Dash-8 and although it is often thought to have been an original Bombardier aircraft, it actually has its design and production roots in De Havilland Aircraft Company of Canada. 

Therefore, the purpose of this web page is designed purely to chart the early history of this iconic and successful aircraft.

 

The 4th DHC-8 Dash 8 Series 102 (C-GGPJ) at Farnborough.

 

The De Havilland Aircraft Company of Canada DHC-8 or 'Dash 8' is a twin turboprop regional transport passenger aircraft which places its design concept on high performance and low operating costs.  Its twin-engine configuration brings very economic maintenance, which is especially true when compared with the Dash-7, its four engine predecessor.  

 

Initially designed to carry 36-39 passengers (Dash 8-100), subsequent variants  such as the 200, 300, 400 and Q400 models have stretched seating capacity up to 78 passengers (model numbers prefixed by ‘Q’ indicate that cabin noise suppression equipment is fitted). 

 

De Havilland Canada DHC-8 Dash 8 201 G-JEDX takes off from Jersey Airport.

 

The prototype DHC 8-100 (C-GDNK) flew for the first time on 20th June 1983 and entered service with NorOntair on 23rd October 1984.  Its elegant appearance is highlighted by the High T-tail, which avoids the effects of propwash, and its elongated engine nacelles which also accommodate the rear-folding undercarriage. 

 

The 100 was followed by the Dash 8-200 which had the same seating capacity, but featured a much higher all-up weight and more powerful PW123 engines, which extended its cargo and baggage capacity. The Dash 8-300 flew in May 1987 (50 seats) and then the stretched Dash 8-400 flew in January 1988.

 

In 1986, the Canadian Government privatised De Havilland Aircraft Company of Canada, selling the aircraft production facilities and product range to Boeing. Boeing were themselves in direct competition with the fast-emerging European aircraft manufacturing company Airbus and it simply used the De Havilland Canada name to strengthen its relationships with shared product customers.

 

However, when Air Canada announced their intention to purchase Airbus aircraft and amidst various accusations, Boeing reacted by placing De Havilland Canada for sale.

 

Bombardier Aerospace of Montreal eventually acquired De Havilland Canada in 1992, incorporating the aircraft into their portfolio of feeder airliners.  It further expanded the Dash 8 with the introduction of the Q400 which proved highly popular on city airport routes due to its low noise footprint on arrival and departure.

 

Eventually, all De Havilland Canada Type Certificates were purchased by Viking Air who successfully put the aircraft back into production.

 

QANTAS De Havilland Canada DHC-8 Dash 8 400 VH-QOH landing at Canberra, ACT in a cancer-awareness colour scheme.

 

The Dash 8 family has been very successful, with more than 1,200 delivered and can still be seen on regional and feeder-liner routes world-wide.

 

C-ECOB is a De Havilland Canada DHC-8 Dash 8 Srs402 seen on the approach to Machester Airport.

 

Total production of the 100, 200 and 300 series was 671 aircraft whilst production of the 100 ceased in 2005.  It was followed by the 200 and 300 in 2009.  Up to the end of September 2017, a total of 1,232 aircraft of the DHC-8 family have been delivered, with the Q400 continuing in production.

 

Variants and Numbers built

Survivors