iscover
The stretched 50 seat Dash 8-300 will meet headlong competition against the Fokker 50 and to a lesser extent the ATR42l72 and BAe ATP. Airline observers feel that the enhanced fineness ratio and better amortisation of inherent structural weight will result in a very desirable aircraft.
Dash 8 Achieving Strong Sales
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Getting Better All
The Time de Havilland Canada’s Dash 8
When de Havilland Canada was formed in 1920 few would have expected this fledgling to outlast its Hatfield parent by so long. Through government-prompted mergers within the British aircraft industry, the de Havilland name ceased to adorn British aircraft in 1960. Whilst the name de Havilland Canada has thrived through a series of highly successful aircraft programmes there have also been several changes of ownership culminating in the purchase of the company by Boeing. I wonder how long the proud name will last.
All of de Havilland Canada’s aircraft programmes to have reached the production stage have had long production runs and have achieved considerable international sales success. As the wartime production of parent-designed aircraft such as the Mosquito and the Tiger Moth wound down the company was Invited to design a trainer to replace the latter. The classic DHC-1 Chipmunk is still in use in large numbers over forty years after its first flight. From the Chipmunk the company progressed to a long and successful line of light transport aircraft. All featured a rugged airframe equally at home carrying passengers or freight, suitable for military or civil operations and good short-field takeoff and landing capabilities. The unbroken line of aircraft- DHC-2 Beaver, DHC-3 Otter, DHC-4 Caribou, DHC-5 Buffalo, DHC-6 Twin Otter and DHC-7 Dash 7 carried through to the late 1970s, which was to prove a traumatic period for the company.
Worldwide market research coupled with the breakout from the 5700kg/30 passenger limit for commuter aircraft and US airline deregulation, suggested a large demand for aircraft accommodating 30 plus passengers. DHC needed, a new programme to fit between and to cover slowing sales of the 18-seat Twin Otter and the 50-seat Dash 7. The Twin Otter was reaching the end of its major sales run although it will continue to be produced in small numbers as long as demand persists. Dash 7 sales were experiencing problems related to the volatility of the commuter industry which suffered a rash of bankruptcies leaving a large enough number of low time Dash 7’s on the used market to undermine new sales. As a starting point DHC decided that a twin engined version of the Dash 7 could meet the impending demand for a 30 plus seat commuter airliner. Financial difficulties prompted by slowing sales were more immediate and the Canadian government was consequently forced to acquire the company to keep it operating.
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