Newsdesk Commercial Aviation – Australian Aviation

Dash 8-400 Launched

Bombardier has announced the go ahead for its stretched de Havilland Dash 8 Series 400 70 passenger regional turboprop. Capable of cruising at 350 knots (648km/h), the Dash 8-400 is scheduled to achieve certification in late 1998 and enter service in the first quarter of 1999. Powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PW150 engines driving slow turning (850rpm) six bladed propellers, the Series 400 will be available in three gross weight variants with a full passenger range between 1140nm (2110km) and 1310nm (2425km) at maximum cruise speed. It will have a common type rating with the 50 passenger Series 300 aircraft with minimal differences in training required. A common type rating already exists between the Series 300 and 37 seat Series 100 and 200 aircraft. Development of the Dash 8-400 will cost $US327m with Bombardier performing half the work and risk sharing partners the rest. Firm orders for 18 aircraft (including 12 by Taiwan’s Great China Airlines) were announced at the Paris Airshow.

Dasa/Daewoo In 328 Talks

Discussions have been held between Daimler-Benz Aerospace (DASA) and Daewoo about assembling the Dornier 328 regional turboprop at the South Korean company’s Changwon plant. The idea is to establish a second final assembly line in South Korea to service the Asian market though this is dependent upon there being sufficient market demand in the region. Daewoo already makes fuselage panels for the 328 and its share of work amounts to about 20% of the aircraft’s manufacturing time. The decision to examine South Korean assembly comes mainly over concern about the impact of the weak US dollar on the programme’s profitability and high production costs in Germany. The 328 has been a financial burden on DASA with each aircraft sold for a reported $600,000 less than it cost to build!