Any Dash-8 pilots out there?

[Hikoushi]

About a month ago I finished IOE and am now flying Dash-8-103s for a small regional carrier. Anyone out there who can give a new turboprop driver some technique hints on how to make landings in this thing that don't register on a seismograph? I'm getting a decent handle on it, but it still bites me every once in a while, especially with a good crosswind. Thanks!

 

[skid]

That seems to be about usual on the Dash. Just be glad your not in the Q400. My suggestions are to take the landings when it is raining and laugh at the captains when he pounds them on with the good X-winds.

Seriously, what I liked to use was about 12-15% torque over the numbers, and ease only a little bit out in the flare. Landing with about 10% torque helped me out alot with trim just a bit aft of the T/O range (Q200).

Most people will tell you that it comes and goes. Most of the time if I had a few bad landings on one day, I had them that way for the rest of the trip. Then out of nowhere I would pull some greasers out of my butt.

 

[dhc8fo]

It DEFINITELY comes and goes, but seriously, after about a solid year or flying it regularly, you will get it down (or else I am a Dash GOD and that ain't the case). Sorry, I don't have any real technique advice other than be patient. Welcome to the club though. LOVE that plane to death.

 

[OPECJet]

I do flaps 15, props 1050, fly it about ref+10, pull the power out of it right before it touches. Slides on most of the time, but certainly not all. Other guys have tried it this way while we're flying together and many slam it on. I try to land it their way and I slam it on. Any way you want to try it, just don't stop flying the thing until its on the ground. That's half the battle. The other half of the battle is won with more experience in the airplane.

I know guys with 20 years in the airplane and still whack it on from time to time. Don't sweat, and learn to laugh them off.

 

[LowlyPropCapt]

About a month ago I finished IOE and am now flying Dash-8-103s for a small regional carrier. Anyone out there who can give a new turboprop driver some technique hints on how to make landings in this thing that don't register on a seismograph? I'm getting a decent handle on it, but it still bites me every once in a while, especially with a good crosswind. Thanks!

Been at it for well over 4000 hours and I still prang many of my landings. It comes and goes... I will be good to go for a month then I will have a series of impacts that will shame me for weeks after. I am convinced some of our airplanes at Piedmont have whatever those unique aerodymanic qualities are that render an airplane essentially impossible to fly during those crucial final seconds. It must be the equipment. I couldn't possibly be me!

Anyhow, good luck.

 

[OPECJet]

Been at it for well over 4000 hours and I still prang many of my landings. It comes and goes... I will be good to go for a month then I will have a series of impacts that will shame me for weeks after. I am convinced some of our airplanes at Piedmont have whatever those unique aerodymanic qualities are that render an airplane essentially impossible to fly during those crucial final seconds. It must be the equipment. I couldn't possibly be me!

Anyhow, good luck.

I think you're right. Some of them are impossible to land.

 

[Dash8301]

Ref + 10 until the numbers snd ease it onto the runway. You may float a little at first but you will get used to it. I also try and mix it up using both 1050 and 15 and 1200 and 35.

 

[nyboilermaker]

I do flaps 15, props 1050, fly it about ref+10, pull the power out of it right before it touches. Slides on most of the time, but certainly not all. Other guys have tried it this way while we're flying together and many slam it on. I try to land it their way and I slam it on. Any way you want to try it, just don't stop flying the thing until its on the ground. That's half the battle. The other half of the battle is won with more experience in the airplane.


I'll second that. Fly the thing all the way to the gate. It only took me about 5K hours in it to get consistantly good landings...most of the time.

I miss that airplane. Enjoy the Dash, there aren't many built like it, or that fly as well, or are as laid out as well.

When you get to the Boeings (if that's what you want), you'll miss the Dash.

 

[q100]

Been away from the ol' Dash (and flying) for a year now, so no expert. Never was in the day either tho.

Crosswinds are good for the Dash - usually results in a smoother landing if there's a time delay between when each of the mains touches. As soon as the first one's down start feeding in more aileron and hold the other one off as long as you can (while not running out of aileron and slamming the other down of course). Definitely needs positive input though.

Also, if you can, make sure you get all the SYR legs between November & April. There's usually snow on 10,000 feet on runway - can't miss!

In general, you need not so much a "flare" as a little round out and hold off. No need to get the torques below about 15% until the wheels are on the ground. She'll stop.

If you ever get the chance (about 10 kts HW, not too heavy load) give 33R BOS a try sometimes. It'll make a believer in the Dash's short field performance out of you all right. And if you're like me, you'll bang the first couple there on so hard that the O2 masks would drop if there were any!

Enjoy.

 

[q100]

Greetings by the way to all ex-ALG drivers out there. Best bunch of pilots in the business, and in general a great combination system-wide of professionalism and being relaxed about it. Their posts on this website back that up.