Moth to DHC-8 Dash 8 Q400 (the De Havilland legacy)

After more than 75 years, thousands of de Havilland Canada (DHC) aircraft still remain in active service around the world today. These aircraft are highly sought after for the hardest jobs in the toughest environments. Their reputation for versatility & dependability is legendary. Geoffrey de Havilland's legacy (of innovation and risk) had started with the "Moth" in 1925. The first Moth was the DH.60, a straight-winged biplane two-seater (see the 1st shot below; credit to Golden Age Simulation). To enable storing the plane in small spaces, the DH.60's wings could fold backwards against the fuselage. "Like a moth" had remarked Geoffrey de Havilland, an avid lepidopterist, and so the plane was nicknamed "Moth" from the drawing-board on. His (later) jet-set thinking, and his apparent failures, therefrom, have, nonetheless, contributed significantly to the progress and understanding of modern aviation. Currently, with only Q400/Q400NextGen trade-names being the variants in production, there will be probably not another DHC-X (thus making DHC-8 the last vestige carrying the name of the famous pioneer aviator). With my earlier post with DHC-1, and, here, with this DHC-8, I feel I've now (at least minimally) tested/touched the beginning and end of the remarkable legacy of the DHC aircraft (in the SIM).

The Bombardier Dash 8, previously the de Havilland Canada DHC-8 Dash 8, is a regional turboprop aircraft that has been delivered in three size categories, typically seating from 37 passengers (Q100) to 90 passengers (Q400 NextGen). Although considered an advanced and safe aircraft (operated by numerous global operators), Q400's reputation has been somewhat marred by a spate of accidents (due to a variety of complicating factors - if you wish, for an example, please search for "Colgan Air Flight 3407").

But, in our SIM, the Q400 (flown here often by members) remains one of the premier (if not the finest) turboprop simulations of today. It was the 1st SIM, I'd purchased after I broke my hiatus, but I recall flying it only a couple of times, at that time, a long while ago. And, only when one flies such an aircraft many times repeatedly, one really begins to understand (and fully explore) the extent of this complex simulation. In terms of appeal and authenticity, the MJC8 Q400 reminds me of PMDG JS-41 (which was considered the first groundbreaking simulation of a Turboprop). A while ago, I'd posted an entry here for the PMDG JS-41.  

On February 24, 2006, BC/Canada based Viking Air purchased the type certificates from Bombardier for all the previous de Havilland Canada designs: DHC-1 Chipmunk, DHC-2 Beaver, DHC-3 Otter, DHC-4 Caribou, DHC-5 Buffalo, DHC-6 Twin Otter and DHC-7 Dash 7. After Bombardier discontinued production of the legacy (yet some still popular) DHCs, Viking now produces newer versions of the DHC-6 Twin Otter and the DHC-2 Beaver (if you wish to custom-order one from them...for yourself!). However, the in-production DHC-8 Dash8 was not included in the original Viking contract. Viking Air (with its parent holding company Longview) is, currently, in the process of negotiating with Bombardier for rights to the Dash8/Q400 program, thereby expecting to acquire full control of the entire de Havilland Canada range. Longview also intends to open (under the DHC name) a plant in Ontario/Canada to build new DHC8 aircraft.

Trying, here, to refresh my learning of this aircraft, I have set-up a flight, over my recently acquired Orbx (Germany South) scenery - from Munich (EDDM) to Frankfort (EDDF). Please excuse my "out-of-place" Air Greenland livery, which happens to be one of my favorites. A short while ago, one of the forum members had posted an entry with DHC7 (Air Greenland), so, please find, below, images of the next higher variant (DHC8) also in the same Air Greenland livery (bright red with white polka dots!). Thanks for viewing. [MJC(Dash8-Q400)/Orbx(Germany South)/REX]

Edited March 22, 20197 yr by P_7878