Horizon Pilots

[dashflyer]

Any Horizon Dash 8 pilots:

Do you guys have an MEL on the Dash that allows you to fly with an inop ECU?

If so, what are the limitations.

At PDT we can do it, but one of the limitations is that you can't be dispatched to an airport with surface contamination (ie. water) up to a certain amount.

Just curious what you have.

 

[taz]

re dashflyer

Also you cannot be dispatched with an inoperative YD!! and Auto feather!!
cheers!

 

[Singlecoil]

Its been six months now since I was a Horizon guy, but I'm pretty sure the inop ECU was a ferry procedure only. I don't think that was MELable. There were some limitations like crosswind and contamination because without an ECU on one side, you don't have underspeed control. I think you had to feather the engine as soon as you got off the runway, because it would drop into the prohibited range.

The yaw damp was MELable, I've flown without one many times. I think the only limitation was 20 knots of crosswind. Bring plenty of barf bags on a bumpy day, though.

 

[embdrvr]

Re: re dashflyer

Also you cannot be dispatched with an inoperative YD!! and Auto feather!!
cheers!

Is there any Pt 121 operator that will dispatch a turboprop with the autofeather inop? I didn't think you could carry revenue pax without it.

 

[dashflyer]

We can fly without the autofeather. We just take a very large hit on the amount of weight we can carry.

We can also fly without the yaw damper, which will also MEL the autopilot. That always sucks.

We also have to feather the engine after landing and also right up until takeoff.

Anyone else from Horizon remember if you can fly revenue with an inop ECU?

 

[flyinhard]

Sorry, I need to ask cause I don't know and would like to. What is an ECU?? Thanks

 

[embdrvr]

We also have to feather the engine after landing and also right up until takeoff.

That's a lot different than what we can do. Somewhere there's a published warning to NOT leave the props featherered for any time other than normal because the lower Np results in some lubrication or overheat issues. I can't remember if it's prop related or engine related.
I like the Dash. It's a bit slower but much more pilot friendly.

 

[Singlecoil]

Dashflyer,

Are you flying the 100's or 200's?

The ECUs are totally different on the two models. Horizon originally had only 100's and have now switched to all 200's. I bet you could MEL an ECU in a 200 but not a 100. Horizon probably never changed the MEL for that, because they seem to be quite rare. I did have one fail on a 100 once shortly after takeoff. In the 100 you lose torque, in the 200 you gain torque.

 

[embdrvr]

Are ECU's similar to the EEC's on the PW 118?

 

[Singlecoil]

I believe they are the same. In fact technically they call it an EEC on the Dash-200 (PW-123D). Engine Electronic Control or Electronic Control Unit if memory serves.