9L Q400 question

[JetSpeed219]

Horizon Pilots:
How is the MX at Horizon on the Q400? It seems that the ones over here are always breaking down for a variety of reason. I'm sure it has a lot to do with a crappy mx dept. here. Thank for any response... back to IAD life for me

They break down A LOT at Horizon too. An RJ pilot was saying how 40-50% of his trips on reserve are to rescue a broken 400.

 

[CWUalum]

They do break a lot over here at QX but that is because it is a sh!t plane. Our mx dept is pretty dang good, but now our heavy checks are being outsourced, so I am sure the 400 will break more.

As far as the autopilot and yaw damper go, they are ok. It would be better if it wasn't such an rudder wh-re and the yaw damper actually put some trim in for you. It could also use a half-bank button. Nothing like cruisin along and have the autopilot put in 22 degrees of bank to get you that 10 degree heading change.

 

[cale42]

The 200 variant Q400's are a lot better on the MX than the original ones, which are mostly what Horizon has. We were lucky to have a good combination of the new airframes and a good MX department and as a result most month had the highest operational reliability of any Q operator in the world. Not really any better or worse than an RJ.

The new variant aircraft make a massive difference!

cale

 

[Thurman Merman]

You can half bank the turn, just lead with the heading bug slowly, yeah it sucks but it's better than doing a snap roll at 270.

As for MX issues, I was at Colgan and part of the Initial Cadre that brought those beasts on line. Even the 402's had their share of MX issues, mostly pull circuit breaker and reset. A lot of the problems arose from the 402's having new software and slightly different logic. They are a great airplane for the mission but you have to baby them. I fly the older 400 and 401 models along with 1 new Next Gen in Japan and we don't have near as many problems as Horizon or Colgan. The difference with the Japanese is, they don't cinch on MX. They actually perform preventative MX, and our dispatch reliability is probably in the 90's. A good example of this, If a part requires changing after 5000 hours, they change it in 3000. I've never carried more than one MEL, and can count on 1 hand how many times I've had an MEL. I have had twice where the APU was MEL'd, but at every station before the props stopped spinning, they were hooking up external power and air. The next day the APU was fixed.

When you leave the Saab, you'll miss "FLYING" the Saab but you'll enjoy not having to get creative with the load sheet and actually be able to take bags, gas, and butts. Also, the AP is sloppy on the Q, just because the darn thing is so long and squirly, the Saab AP was great, rock solid, auto trim on the rudder. You could be inverted in a category 5 hurricane upside down, throw on the AP, the ol' girl would right herself and keep on truckin'. The Q, if you hit a light speed bumb, "George" will thumb his nose and refuse to fly.

 

[pilotpapa]

Hey CWUAlum
Ur flyin, so quitcher bitchin. Get back to enjoyin ur job. Best office in da world, remember?

 

[CWUalum]

Thanks pilotpapa.

Thurman, try doing a Sun Valley-LAX in the Q with a full boat. Now that is some creative load workup. I do miss the SAAB and that awesome yaw damp

 

[Thurman Merman]

Thanks pilotpapa.

Thurman, try doing a Sun Valley-LAX in the Q with a full boat. Now that is some creative load workup. I do miss the SAAB and that awesome yaw damp

They like their bags, huh??? At Colgan, on the shorter trips, we would have problems with landing weight since it was so much less than Takeoff weigtht.

 

[Godfather]

Saab-1 sweet bird to fly

When you leave the Saab, you'll miss "FLYING" the Saab...the Saab AP was great, rock solid, auto trim on the rudder. You could be inverted in a category 5 hurricane upside down, throw on the AP, the ol' girl would right herself and keep on truckin'. The Q, if you hit a light speed bumb, "George" will thumb his nose and refuse to fly.

I have to admit, I miss the Saab too. Always was a pilot's plane and a delight to fly, even the A's. I nominate the 340 to be inducted into the FI Hall of Fame...lol!

 

[70-SS]

i have to admit, i miss the saab too. Always was a pilot's plane and a delight to fly, even the a's. I nominate the 340 to be inducted into the fi hall of fame...lol!

yo how bout it?