Why is Mesa Painting Out Dash 8s?

[AbOvo]

I was in Carlsbad last night and the Dash 8 overnighting there was painted out. It didn't have any Mesa markings on it at all, just white with green paint on the tail and nacelles. If I remember correctly the N# ended in HA. Are you guys getting rid of the Dash or is it so you can use them in Denver for UEX?

 

[J32driver]

HA is a Piedmont bird I think. Sounds like JO is picking up old tired worn out planes for cheap.

 

[OPECJet]

He's getting -200s that have had the leases expire.

 

[RJP]

Maybe they're destined for Island Air. they've got a few -100s and -200s on order.

 

[Otto Coarsen]

MESA recently added, I believe 4 Dash-8s aquired from Piedmont to the Phoenix System. These aircraft, unlike the 12 other YV Dash-8s, are equipped with EFIS and APUs. Because of this, many of the existing Dash-8s from phoenix were sent to DEN and GJT for the United system... The Piedmont birds are quite a bit heavier than the old birds, so they take too much of a weight hit to be effective in the mountain airports serviced in the UAL system...

The paint "situation" over here is based on several factors.... And yes, it's quite unsightly.... Around the same time Mesa began acquiring PDT dash-8s painted in USAIR paint destined for AWest paint, therefore sending awest dashes to denver now destined for ual paint, UAL decided to change their color scheme! This further complicated matters because now: Old UAL color birds needed NEW UAL paint, Old AWA birds needed new UAL paint, USAIR birds needed AWA paint, and we can't afford to send these planes off the line for any length of time because there aren't enough spares....

SO what has happened, is many dashes in both DEN and PHX await their final stripes and actively fly routes in their white basecoat with either NEW UAL blue nacelles, or AWA turquoise nacelles... Hence the aircraft you saw in BFL. Eventually they will receive AWA or UAL markings....

Currently in DEN some are NEW UAL paint, some old, some just blue and white (smurfs) and one familiar favorite, BARNEY, which for some unknown reason is white (badly chipping) with PURPLE nacelles.... Yes it does look like a used car lot at the B-61 gates frequently... We're all pretty ashamed to be seen in barney..... its embarrassing....

So there you go..... MESA D8 paint (Explained)

 

[RJP]

You're right, that thing is UGLY!

It's at Airliners.net. White with Cactus green motors and tail.

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/630229/L/

 

[OPECJet]

I don't understand how you guys can fly anything out of PHX with no APU. That's cruel and unusual punishment, and ya'll should slap the taste out of JO's mouth for even asking you to do it.

 

[RJP]

I don't understand how you guys can fly anything out of PHX with no APU. That's cruel and unusual punishment,

Can't be much worse than HNL in the summer w/o and APU or sunshades. At least it's a dry heat!

 

[Dash8]

Can't be much worse than HNL in the summer w/o and APU or sunshades. At least it's a dry heat!

you've obviously never been to phx in the summer

 

[RJP]

you've obviously never been to phx in the summer

Been there many times when it was 115-120º. It's **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED**ed hot but the sweat evaporates before it even comes out of your pores. No matter where you are, when the cabin temp is over 90º, an A/C cart or APU would definitely help.......

And yes, it's still a DRY heat.

 

[WSurf]

Or maybe you guys should just paint the airplanes all YELLOW! That seems to be the color you turn when it comes to JO... Sorry had to say it!! LOL

 

[Dash8]

Been there many times when it was 115-120º. It's **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED**ed hot but the sweat evaporates before it even comes out of your pores. No matter where you are, when the cabin temp is over 90º, an A/C cart or APU would definitely help.......

And yes, it's still a DRY heat.

I'm sorry, i can't agree with you bro , 140º with low humidty is not any better than 95º with high humidity, its still repulsively hot, neither is any 'better' than the other, gimme the northland of arizona anyday.

but your right in the respect that NO a/c should be out in either of those environs with out an apu/air conditioning.

 

[RJP]

I'm sorry, i can't agree with you bro , 140º with low humidty is not any better than 95º with high humidity, its still repulsively hot, neither is any 'better' than the other, gimme the northland of arizona anyday.

You're right that HOT is HOT. Only good thing in PHX or HNL is that you don't have to hold in icing and shoot approaches to mins all the time. Almost makes the heat worth it..........almost.

 

[Dash8]

You're right that HOT is HOT. Only good thing in PHX or HNL is that you don't have to hold in icing and shoot approaches to mins all the time. Almost makes the heat worth it..........almost.

i'd rather take the icing....

at least in the cold, you can bundle up to stay warm, not much ya can do in the heat....

 

[OPECJet]

Icing any day. I've never seen a de-heat boot on an airplane.

Oh, yeah, don't forget to close the ditching hatch before you guys take off like a lumbering herd of turtles.

 

[Dash8]

Icing any day. I've never seen a de-heat boot on an airplane.

Oh, yeah, don't forget to close the ditching hatch before you guys take off like a lumbering herd of turtles.

i've said it before, and i'll say it again, gotta love pay by the hour i know i'm in no hurry

 

[OPECJet]

Same here. Give me a -100 and LGA any day...

 

[N813CA]

Don't forget MESA took over all of Piedmont's flying in Flordia with no APU. Even though Piedmont had them. That my friends is why US Airways is going AWAY.

 

[OPECJet]

Yep. Not a day goes by where I don't wish I was flying down there. Would have been fun.

 

[stuart716]

its all fun and games until you deal with the bahamian rampers