The Aircraft of MDT: Bombardier Dash 8

Welcome to the second installment of The Aircraft of MDT. In this series we are taking a look at some of the aircraft that you may spot flying to and from Harrisburg International Airport.

A US Airways Dash 8-100 takes off

With over 540 monthly flights, the Bombardier Dash 8 is the most commonly sighted aircraft at Harrisburg International Airport. The DHC-8 is a twin turboprop regional airliner that was originally produced by de Havilland Canada, a company that has since been acquired by Bombardier Aerospace which continues to manufacture the line. The first Dash 8s entered service in 1984. The original Dash 8s, the series 100 and series 200 (which used the same airframe as the 100s, but with more powerful engines) seated 37-39 passengers. In 1989 the series 300 was introduced. The new variant was capable of carrying 50-56 passengers. The 400 series is an even longer variant introduced in 2000 and seating between 70 and 78 passengers. Beginning in 1996, all new Dash 8s added a Q, for quiet, to their series number (Q200, etc.) because of new noise reduction systems. Except for the Q400 series, all variants of the Dash 8 have ended their production run. There is talk, however, of a new variant to be introduced in 2-3 years, the Q400X, a further stretch that will seat up to 90 passengers.

A Continental Dash 8 arrives at the gate

Dash 8 traffic at MDT is made up entirely of the 100 (Q)200 and (Q)300 series. Continental Connection flies series 200 Dash 8s from Harrisburg to Cleveland and to Newark. US Airways Express flies series 100 & 300 craft to Philadelphia and series 100 planes to Boston and New York. The two airlines together can fly more than 20,000 passengers to or from Harrisburg International Airport on Dash 8s each month.