de Havilland Canada DHC-7 (Dash 7)

1978 COLD WAR MODERN

• 1 de Havilland Canada DHC-7 (Dash 7) History
• 2 de Havilland Canada DHC-7 (Dash 7) Specification
  • 2.1 BASICS
  • 2.2 Manufacturer
  • 2.3 Carrier
  • 2.4 Roles
  • 2.5 Dimensions and Weight
  • 2.6 Performance
  • 2.7 Armor
  • 2.8 Variant

de Havilland Canada DHC-7 (Dash 7) History

Development began in 1972 and the prototype first flew on March 27, 1975. Testing went well, and the first was delivered to Rocky Mountain Airlines in February 3, 1978.

Dash 7 enables Rocky Mountain Airlines to operate scheduled passenger air service from Denver to Avon, Colorado, STOLport, controlled by the airline. Avon STOLport is located in a valley near the Vail Ski Resort in Colorado. Another airport near the ski resort where Rocky Mountain Airways serves Dash 7 flights from Denver is Steamboat Springs Airport in Colorado.

Dash 7 has a relatively short runway length of 4,452 feet and an airport elevation of 6,882 feet, making it ideal for operating at Rocky Mountain Airport. Rocky Mountain Airlines flies as Continental Express through a codeshare agreement with Continental Airlines and operates the Dash 7 to Telluride Airport in southwestern Colorado's San Juan Mountains, which has an airport elevation of 9,078 feet, is one of the tallest airports in the United States

Kapalua Airport on Maui, Hawaii, was built by Hawaiian Airlines and has a 3,000-foot runway dedicated to Dash 7 operations. Scheduled flights began on March 1, 1987 with the new Dash 7 turboprop. In 1993, the private airport was acquired by the state of Hawaii.

By 1984, 100 Dash 7 turboprops were delivered, when the production line was shelved in favor of the Dash 8. Another 13 were delivered between 1984 and 1988, when production lines were dismantled when Boeing bought the company. The last Dash 7 was purchased by Air Tyrol.

The original 100 series represented the vast majority of aircraft delivered and were delivered in two models. DHC-7-102 passenger version and -103 station wagon with enlarged cargo door.

It was followed by the 110 series, which met UK CAA requirements, including the -110 and -111, and finally the 150 series, which added additional fuel capacity and improved interiors to the -150 and -151. Plans to build the 200-series with new PT6A-50/7 engines for improved thermal performance and high performance were shelved when Boeing ended design production.

The various feature combinations of Dash 7 have met with limited commercial success. Most commuter airline turboprop operators use their aircraft as feeders to major airports where STOL performance is not critical. Compared to other feeder liners, the Dash 7's four engines require twice as much maintenance as twin-engine models, driving up operating costs. Finally, airports that require high-capacity STOL operations are often small and well-served by Twin Otters. If airports need bigger planes to serve their customer base, they build longer runways.

The exception is the operation of London City Airport (LCY), which, when it opened in 1987, could only handle a few other aircraft types besides the Dash 7 due to its relatively short runway and steep approach. The LCY's runway was subsequently lengthened and the approach angle slightly lowered to accept commercial aircraft such as the Airbus A220, Airbus A318, British Aerospace BAe 146 and Embraer 190.

Noise standards remain strict compared to other international airports.

Dash 7 also received numerous military orders. The first of these are two Canadian Army aircraft needed to transport senior passengers and cargo in Europe.

The aircraft received CF designation CC-132 and were delivered to the 412th Transport Squadron at the Canadian Army Base Lahr in western Germany.

The U.S. Army operates several Dash 7 aircraft as surveillance platforms designated EO-5C (RC-7B until 2004) under the Low Altitude Reconnaissance program.

Transport Canada operates a DHC-7-150IR aircraft for maritime surveillance, pollution surveillance and ice patrols under the Transport Canada National Air Surveillance Program. The aircraft's base is Ottawa, Ontario. During the summer, the plane patrols the Canadian Arctic, Alaska and Greenland.

During the fall and winter, the aircraft patrols the Great Lakes and Canada's east or west coast as needed.

A more "traditional" twin-engine design began in de Havilland in 1978 and resulted in the wildly popular Dash 8. The DHC-7 production line eventually delivered 113 aircraft, of which 6 were lost and 1 was scrapped. Many others are still serving.

American band Wilco released a song titled "Dash 7" on their 1995 album A.M.

de Havilland Canada DHC-7 (Dash 7) Specification

BASICS

Years of Service

1978

Origins

Canada

Status

Active.

Limited service.

Crew

2

Production

113

Manufacturer

de Havilland Canada (DHC) - Canada

Carrier

Australia; Austria; Canada; Colombia; Egypt; Greenland; Guatemala; Honduras; Indonesia; Israel; Kenya; Malaysia; New Zealand; Nigeria; Norway; Papua New Guinea; Philippines; Slovenia; Tanzania; United Kingdom; United States; Venezuela; Yemen

Roles

Transportation

General transport function for moving supplies/cargo or people (including casualties and VIPs) out of range.

Commercial Aviation

Used in roles serving the commercial aviation market, moving passengers and cargo over long distances.

BizJet

For roles serving the business aviation market, primarily VIP and regional travel.

VIP service

Used in the VIP (Very Important Person) passenger role, usually with above-average amenities and luxury as standard.

Dimensions and Weight

Length

82.0ft

(25.00m)

Width/span

93. 0 feet

(28.35m)

Height

26. 2 feet

(7.98m)

Cured weight

27,690 lbs

(12,560 kg)

MTOW

44,092 lbs

(20,000 kg)

Wgt Difference

+?16,402

(+7,440 kg)

Performance

Installed:

4 x Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-50 turboprops, 1,120 hp each.

Maximum speed

267 km/h

(430 km/h | 232 knots)

Maximum

20,997 feet

(6,400 m | 4 km)

Area

795 km

(1,280 km | 2,371 nautical miles)

rate of climb

1,120 ft/min

(341 m/min)

Range (MPH) Subsonic: <614mph | Transonic: 614-921 | Supersonic: 921-3836 | Hypersonic: 3836-7673 | Hypersonic: 7673-19180 | Reentry: > 19030

Armor

None.

Variant

DHC-7 name of base series DHC-7-1 prototype model; two examples DHC-7-100DHC-7-101DHC-7-102DHC-7-103DHC-7 -110DHC-7-111DHC-7-150DHC-7-150IRCC-132O-5A ARL-IEO-5B ARL-CEO-5C ARL-MRC-7B ARL-M