TYPE: Twin-turboprop airliner.

PROGRAMME: Launched 1980; first flight of first prototype (C-GDNK) 20 June 1983, second prototype (C-GGMP) 26 October 1983, third 22 December 1983; fourth aircraft, first with production P&WC PW120 engines, 3 April 1984. Certified to Canadian DoT, FAR Pts 25 and 36 and SFAR No. 27 on 28 September 1984, followed by FAA type approval; also certified in Australia, Austria, Brazil, Cameroon, China, Colombia, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Maldives, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, South Africa, Taiwan, UK and United Arab Emirates. First delivery (NorOntair) 23 October 1984 followed by service entry in December; 500th Dash 8 (a Series 200, N355PH) delivered 21 November 1997 to Horizon Air. 600th of type delivered 6 March 2001 (see Q300). Total Dash 8 fleet time at July 2002 (not including Q400) was 11,614,217 hours and 14,070,229 cycles, with 98.8 per cent despath reliability rate.

CURRENT VERSIONS: Dash 8 Q: Redesigned interior and noise and vibration suppression system (NVS) standard from second quarter of 1996, reducing cabin noise levels by 12 dB; all current production aircraft are equipped with NVS and known as Dash 8 Qs.
Dash 8 Series 100: Initial version, with choice of PW120A or PW121 engines; discontinued.
Dash 8 Series 100A: Introduced 1990; PW120A (or optional PW121) engines and restyled interior with 6.35 cm (2.5 in) more headroom in aisle; first delivery to Pennsylvania Airlines July 1990; discontinued.
Dash 8 Series 100B: Improved version from 1992; PW121 engines enhance airfield and climb performance; discontinued.
Dash 8 Q100: Introduced 1998; PW120A or optional PW121 in basic weight version, PW121 standard in high gross weight (HGW) version.
Dash 8 Series 200A: Increased speed/payload version of Series 100A with PW123C engines. Transport Canada certification March 1995; first delivery 19 April 1995; discontinued.
Dash 8 Series 200B: As 200A, but with PW123D engines for full power at higher ambient temperatures; discontinued.
Dash 8 Q200: Introduced in 1998; increased speed/payload version of Q100; increased OEI capability and greater commonality with Series 300. Same airframe as Q100, but PW123C/D engines give 30 kt (56 km/h; 35 mph) increase in cruising speed, allowing airlines to increase frequencies or operational radius. PW123D engine offers full power at higher ambient temperatures for improved hot-and-high airfield performance.
Detailed description applies to Q200 except where indicated.
Dash 8 Q300 and Q400: described separately.
Dash 8M and Triton: Special missions versions, previously promoted, including Canadian CC-142 and US Air Force E-9A.

CUSTOMERS: By 31 March 2003, orders received for 299 Srs 100 subvariants and 94 Srs 200s, all of which had then been delivered (including military Dash 8Ms).

COSTS: Unit cost approximately US$12 million (2000).

DESIGN FEATURES: T tail, swept fin with large dorsal fin. Wing has constant chord inboard section and tapered outer panels; thickness/chord ratio 18 per cent at root, 13 per cent at tip; dihedral 2° 30' on outer panels; inboard leading-edges drooped; 3° washout at wingtips.

FLYING CONTROLS: Conventional and power-assisted. Fixed tailplane; horn-balanced elevator with four tabs; mechanically actuated horn-balanced ailerons with inset tabs; hydraulically actuated roll spoilers/lift dumpers forward of each outer flap; two-segment serially hinged rudder, hydraulically actuated; yaw damper; stall strips on leading-edges outboard of engines; two-section slotted Fowler flaps. Digital AFCS.

STRUCTURE: Fuselage near-circular section, flush riveted and pressurised; adhesive bonded stringers and cutout reinforcements; wing leading-edge, radome, nose bay, wing/fuselage and wingtip fairings, dorsal fin, fin leading-edge, fin/tailplane fairings, tailplane leading-edges, elevator tips, flap shrouds, flap trailing-edges and other components of Kevlar and Nomex; wing has tip-to-tip torsion box. Wheel doors of Kevlar and other composites.

LANDING GEAR: Retractable tricycle type, by Dowty Aerospace, with twin wheels on each unit. Steer-by-wire nose unit retracts forward, main units rearward into engine nacelles. Goodrich mainwheels and brakes; Hydro-Aire Mk 3 anti-skid system. Tyres 26.5x8.0-13 (12 ply) or high flotation H31x9.75-13 (10 ply) on main units; 18x5.5 (10 ply) or 22x6.50-10 (12 ply) on nose unit. Standard tyre pressures: main 9.03 bar (131 lb/sq in), nose 5.52 bar (80 lb/sq in). Low-pressure tyres optional, pressure 5.31 bar (77 lb/sq in) on main units, 3.31 bar (48 lb/sq in) on nose unit.

POWER PLANT: Q100: Two 1,491 kW (2,000 shp) Pratt & Whitney Canada PW120A turboprops, driving Hamilton Sundstrand 14SF-7 four-blade constant-speed fully feathering aluminium/glass fibre propellers with reverse pitch, standard on basic weight version. Two 1,603 kW (2,150 shp) PW121s optional on this version and standard on High Gross Weight version.
Q200: Two 1,603 kW (2,150 shp) PW123C/D turboprops, driving Hamilton Sundstrand 14SF-23 propellers; PW123C is flat-rated for full power at up to 26°C; PW123D maintains same power at up to 457deg;C.
Standard usable fuel capacity (in wing tanks) 3,160 litres (835 US gallons; 695 Imp gallons); optional auxiliary tank system increases this to 5,700 litres (1,506 US gallons; 1,254 Imp gallons). Pressure refuelling point in rear of starboard engine nacelle; overwing gravity point in each outer wing panel. Oil capacity 21 litres (5.5 US gallons; 4.6 Imp gallons) per engine.

ACCOMMODATION: Crew of two on flight deck, plus cabin attendant. Dual controls standard. Standard commuter layout provides four-abreeast seating, with central aisle, for 37 passengers at 79 cm (31 in) pitch, plus buffet, lavatory and large rear baggage compartment. Wardrobe at front of passenger cabin, in addition to overhead lockers and underseat stowage, provides additional carry-on baggage capacity. Alternative 39-passenger, passenger/cargo or corporate layouts available at customer's option. Movable bulkhead to facilitate conversion to mixed traffic. Port side airstair door at front for crew and passengers; large inward-opening port side door aft of wing for cargo loading. Emergency exit each side, in line with wing leading-edge, and opposite passenger door on starboard side. Entire accommodation pressurised and air conditioned.

SYSTEMS: Pressurisation system with maximum differential 0.38 bar (5.5 lb/sq in). Normal hydraulic installation comprises two independent systems, each having an engine-driven variable displacement pump and an electrically driven standby pump; accumulator and hand pump for emergency use. Electrical system DC power provided by two starter/generators, two transformer-rectifier units, and two Ni/Cd batteries. Variable frequency AC power provided by two engine-driven AC generators and three static inverters. Ground power receptacles in port side of nose (DC) and rear of starboard nacelle (AC). Rubber-boot de-icing of wing, tailplane and fin leading-edges and nacelle intakes by pneumatic system; electric de-icing of propeller blades, pitot static ports, stall warning transducer, engine intake adaptor and elevator horn leading-edge. APU optional. Simmonds fuel monitoring system.

AVIONICS: Rockwell Collins and Honeywell com/nav.
Comms: Dual Rockwell Collins VHF-22; single Mode C transponder. Avtech audio integrating system. Telephonics PA system.
Radar: Primus P660 colour weather radar.
Flight: Rockwell Collins DME-42, ADF-60A, Honeywell Mk VIII EAPNS, Honeywell SPZ-8000 dual-channel gigital AFCS with integrated fail-operational flight director/autopilot system, dual digital air data system. Optional FMS and GPS.
Instrumentation: Honeywell EFIS. Rockwell Collins/Flight Dynamics HGS 2000 head-up guidance system for Cat. IIIa operation optional.