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Airways: "Today, in 1983, The prototype De Havilland Canada (DHC), Dash 8-100 (C-GDNK), operated its maiden flight"; BAE Systems Heritage: "flew for the first time on 20th June 1983".[1]- Start
- Jun 20, 198390% CONFIDENCEfrom the source
De Havilland Canada Dash 8 Prototype Makes Its First Flight
Main competitors
The prototype DHC-8 Dash 8-100, registered C-GDNK, flew for the first time on 20 June 1983, launching the twin-engine 37-seat turboprop that replaced the four-engine Dash 7 concept.
- Airways dates the prototype Dash 8-100, C-GDNK, maiden flight to 20 June 1983 and says de Havilland saw demand for a new 30 to 40-seat commuter replacing the Fokker F27 and its own Dash 7[1]
- BAE Systems Heritage gives the same date and registration, and Bryan Gibbins's record of c/n 001 describes it as the first Dash 8 forty-seat prototype with two 1,800 shp PW120s[8]
- Air International (July 1983) pictured the prototype at its 19 April 1983 roll-out at Downsview, six weeks ahead of schedule, before the registration letters were applied[4]
- The programme kept the Dash 7 layout but halved the engines to two, trading short-field extremes for lower fuel and maintenance cost[1]
- Wikipedia notes 3,800 hours of testing on five PW100-series test engines over two years before the roll-out, and PW120 engine certification on 16 December 1983[5]
Notable features
- Variant: Dash 8 Series 100, 37 passengers (37-39 in later builds), two 1,800 shp Pratt & Whitney Canada PW120 turboprops[3]
- Length 73 ft 0 in, wing span 84 ft 11 in, maximum weight 34,500 lb, cruise 310 mph, range 1,174 miles (BAE Heritage table)[3]
- High T-tail clear of propwash and elongated nacelles that also house the rear-folding undercarriage[3]
- Fuselage 8 ft 10 in in diameter with a 2.52 m cabin, four-abreast seating[5]