Hey guys,

 

So I've owned this amazing aircraft for some time but hadn't had long to really learn it. Fortunately, the girlfriend was away last night so I was able to follow the provided documentation and really get to grips with the Dash 8.

 

First things first: an incredible recreation of one of my favorite airliners. 

 

Anyway,

 

Speeds. I'm confused. Everywhere I look, I read that the Dash 8's performance levels can give a jet a run for its money. Wikipedia tells me the cruising speed is 360 knots. The included documents give me the impression that this thing wants to move!

 

When I look out of my cockpit window and down at my airspeed, I don't get that feeling.

 

What are the typical climb speeds people use? If I aim for 250knts I tend to end up with very little vertical lift (FLCH). Is it a case of climbing at a slower speed and then accelerating to cruise speed at cruise level?

 

What climb/cruise speeds do people use? I've been flying from the UK to Ireland at 18000ft for reference.

 

Should I be chasing the overspeed bar?

 

Or am I simply expecting too much out of her?

 

Have I made her too heavy?!

 

Thanks for your help

 

Rob  

Hi Rob,

 

Personnally, i use NTOP/90% for takeoff, and a climb speed of 180KIAS,  at 1000ft, i reduced Prop at 900RPM and 850RPM at cruise level. If you can find time, go through the tutorial. it will help you.

 

Have nice flight

There is at least one tutorial which covers this in great detail. (But to cut a long story short, 185kts to 10000, 210 up to cruise [you might want to reduce gradually from around 18000 upwards], in descent 270 to 10, then 240.)

200 to 10-15,000 feet. You can then change to PITCH MODE and bug around 5 degrees nose up. You might see the speed decay a little but that's nothing to worry about. You can leave the throttles in the 90% detent all the way up to cruise if you aren't levelling off. In the descent you can go as fast as you like as long as you don't overspeed. Our SOP is throttles at idle and 2000 VS.

I fly the Q for a canadian operator. It is certainly a very suprising aircraft in terms of performance but make no mistake it is not a jet. She will climb really well and she is pretty fast, but you can't do both at the same time like you can do in a jet, especially up in FL's. That being said, dropping the nose to around 4-5 degrees in pitch hold as stated above can give you up to 240 knots to around 15000 while doing a good 1500 fpm. Up in the 20k's your speed will decay to 210-200.

 

Alex

Thanks for all the replies guys, absolutely loving this bird, an absolute credit to its designers.

 

Rob