De Havilland Canada DHC-7 Dash 7

1975

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De Havilland Canada DHC-7 Dash 7

The undoubted sales success of the Twin Otter led de Havilland Canada to initiate market research to estimate the interest in a large STOL aircraft which would incorporate the rugged reliability . that had become associated with the products of the company. The intention was to develop a small airliner with advanced STOL capability, so that higher standards of comfort, comparable with much larger aircraft, would be available to those airlines which operate from runways about 915m in length.

The necessary interest was forthcom- ing, and with backing from the Canadian government the, construction of two pre-production de Havilland Canada DHC-7 aircraft began in late 1972, the first of these making its initial flight on 27 March 1975. Of high-wing monoplane configuration, the DHC-7, which is named Dash 7, derives its essential STOL capability from wide-span double-slotted trailing-edge flaps that operate within the slipstream of the slow-turning propellers of the four wing-mounted turboprop engines. In addition, there are four spoilers in the upper surface of each wing. The inboard pair serve as spoilers or lift dumpers, the outboard pair as air spoilers which can also be operated differentially in conjunction with the ailerons to augment lateral control.

The fuselage is of fail-safe construction to permit pressurisation, and a very high T-tail places the tailplane and elevator well clear of the propeller slipstream. The landing gear is of the retractable tricycle type, with twin wheels on each unit, and the powerplant consists of four Pratt & Whitney Aircraft of Canada PT6A-50 turboprop engines. To reduce noise levels to a minimum, each drives a large-diameter 3.42m, slow-turning propeller.

Accommodation is provided for 50 passengers, with access to the main cabin via a single door, incorporating air-stairs, at the rear of the cabin on the port side. There are provisions for optional mixed passenger/cargo or all-cargo operations, and a large freight door can be installed at the forward end of the cabin on the port side. In passenger service there is ample room within the cabin for a galley, toilet facilities, and one or two flight attendants. The flight crew of two is accommodated on a separate flight deck, and advanced avionics to enhance their efficiency include an autopilot/flight director system which incorporates flight and air data computers, and weather radar.

The first operator to receive the Dash 7 was Rocky Mountain Airways, on 3 February 1978.

When production finished in December 1988 113 had been delivered to 35 customers in 22 countries. Military use of the Dash 7 was restricted to two used as VIP/transports (designated CC-132) by the Canadian Armed Forces in Germany from August 1979 to April 1987, and a single aircraft delivered to the Venezuelan Navy in May 1982 used in the patrol and transport roles.

VARIANTS

Dash 7 Series 100: standard passenger version seating 50 passengers.

Dash 7 Series 101: all-cargo version of Series 100 able to accommodate five standard pallets.

Dash 7 Series 150: developed passenger version introduced in 1978 with higher gross weight, increased fuel capacity and improved passenger amenities.

Dash 7 Series 151: all-cargo version of Series 150.

Dash 7 IR: single special ice reconnaissance version of the Series 150 built for the Canadian government. Equipped with SLAR and computers to track ice formations and flow patterns, the aircraft was delivered in May 1986 and is operated by Bradley Air Services for the Department of Environment.

3-View 
De Havilland Canada DHC-7 Dash 7A three-view drawing (1000 x 513)

Specification 
 MODELDHC-7 Series 100
 CREW2
 PASSENGERS48
 ENGINE4 x P & W Aircraft Canada PT6A-50 turboprop, 835kW
 WEIGHTS
  Take-off weight19958 kg44000 lb
  Empty weight12542 kg27651 lb
 DIMENSIONS
  Wingspan28.35 m93 ft 0 in
  Length24.58 m81 ft 8 in
  Height7.98 m26 ft 2 in
  Wing area79.89 m2859.93 sq ft
 PERFORMANCE
  Cruise speed436 km/h271 mph
  Ceiling6400 m21000 ft
  Range w/max payload1279 km795 miles

Comments1-20 21-40
lxbfYeaa, e-mail, 14.03.2024 05:46

20

reply

jeff willard, e-mail, 21.12.2016 03:22

Need help finding 2 late model low cycle Dash 7 aircraft for alaska freight routes. any help would be greatly appreciated. Very hard aircraft to find these days!!!

reply

larry denton, e-mail, 16.12.2015 21:43

Flew the Dash7 for over 9000 hrs over the Colorado Rockies for Rocky Mountain Airways which was the first airline to put it in service. You can't find a better Stol aircraft for RMA's routes, one approach had a TALAR ILS with an 8 degree glide slope, and did it with no problem

reply

Jacob Hansen, Norway, e-mail, 06.03.2012 23:16

There is...

...one thing to say about the range of the Dash 7. The maximum range of the range is about 5400 kilometers, depending on purpose. Average operational range is about 3600 kilometers. Anyway, I simply can't stop loving that airplane:) Jacob H.

reply

bingshuya, 20.06.2011 05:45

Dash 7 is good for reginal airlines for Nepal Air fields like top most Lukla airport at the base of everest.

reply

Ray, e-mail, 05.02.2011 17:42

Just noticed the web site and had to comment. I've crewed on Hercules and Buffaloe a /c but then had fun crewing on both Cdn military dash 7's in Germany. One was strictly pax /VIP and the other was pax /frt w /left side cargo door. A great plane for her size. She saw almost every airport in Europe and a few in the middle east and only a few times had maintenance problems on the road. I'm sure our good record was due to the military maintenance crew expertise in Lahr Germany.

reply

Christian Charles Loho, e-mail, 15.12.2010 04:20

you can find this plane in indonesia. under the Pelita Air Services

reply

Sylfie, e-mail, 25.10.2010 09:57

may i know about specification of blade propeller dash 7.
such as airfoil chord, V (velocity), W (weight) while cruising&take off & continous , coefisien force (Kf) FOR this DHC Dash 7. because i want to count the thrust avaliable and the thrust require, and also i need the coefisien drag and coefisien lift also. by the way.. thank you so much for the attention on this comment.

reply

Dave Moreau, e-mail, 06.10.2010 02:17

Great aircraft...ground handled them for Henson Airlines back in the early 1980s. Loved flying on it oo.

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Jacob Hansen, Norway., e-mail, 20.09.2010 02:22

The Dash 7...

...is THE aircraft of all time:) There is only one comment to leave here: You just simply can't stop loving it!! It has it all:) Jacob H.

reply

karan, e-mail, 23.07.2010 12:14

Dash 7 is good for reginal airlines for Nepal Air fields like top most Lukla airport at the base of everest.

reply

Rita Theseira, e-mail, 15.04.2010 04:17

I AM LOOKING FOR A REINFORCEMENT ARMORED DOOR AS REPLACEMENT. I KNOW THAT THESE ARE VERY SCARES IN THE MARKET BUT IF ANYONE KNOWS OF ANYBODY HAVING A UNIT PLEASE LET ME KNOW. APPRECIATE IF YOU CAN CONTACT ME.

reply

Rita Theseira, e-mail, 15.04.2010 04:16

I AM LOOKING FOR A REINFORCEMENT ARMORED DOOR AS REPLACEMENT. I KNOW THAT THESE ARE VERY SCARES IN THE MARKET BUT IF ANYONE KNOWS OF ANYBODY HAVING A UNIT PLEASE LET ME KNOW. APPRECIATE IF YOU CAN CONTACT ME.

reply

Michael Clyne, e-mail, 01.03.2010 03:25

CAAMS has two Dash 7-102's available for sale. See oiur website at www.CAAMSLLC.com for our most up to date Dash 7, Dash 8, Twin Otters for lease and for sale.

reply

MontanaMEL, e-mail, 18.12.2009 06:36

Try this source...wet /dry lease or SALE...it said...

Say you saw this 1981 DEHAVILLAND DHC-7-102 On Controller.com!
Send Commercial Aviation Asset Mngmt. Svs. A Message

Contact:
Commercial Aviation Asset Mngmt. Svs.
Captain Everette Mash
Aircraft Located in:
Rutherford, North Carolina
Phone: (954)696-6802
Fax: (954)337-4653

reply

Hunter Betts, e-mail, 28.08.2009 02:46

Hi Guys,
Does anyone know what an average Dash 7 is worth on the market?? I can't find any pricing info anywhere.
Thanks!

Hunter Betts www.stablejet.com

reply

Jacky, e-mail, 27.05.2009 12:31

Yes, I'm interested in this one too..Hope you can let me know more info... by the way, you can visit my website: www.sweatek.com

reply

Brewster, e-mail, 17.04.2009 21:38

There's a company that buys, repairs (or cannibalizes) DASH-7s at Toronto's Island Airport. They're rebuilt for UN service flying humanitarian aid in Africa, or sometimes as a UN taxi service. I guess Canadians just don't think it's an airplane if it can't be flown from out of a forest from a dirt landing strip.
As I understand it, also, the US Army developed a few of these as a surveillance aircraft in the late 1990s -- but they kept a civilian livery so that those being surveilled didn't catch on right away.

reply

ahmed elolimi, e-mail, 14.03.2009 11:57

please send me the price

reply

laurentien, e-mail, 01.09.2008 11:06

I have seen this airplane taking-off from a football (soccer) field. Very impressive.

DH surely knew better than anyone else how to do STOL aircrafts.

reply

1-20 21-40

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