Currently TF-FXB , a 19 y/o De Havilland Canada Dash 8 Q400 is flying KEF-MAN as flight FI 440. 1.669 km / 1.037 miles = 2:15 h. Alternately they use this bird on KEF-DUB as well.
Cause? Lack of planes, low densitiy route? I think it must one of the last adventures and challenges to do such flights on such a plane over water for such a long time...is that the longest route of a Dash 8 Q 400?
I know last year they tried KEF-ABZ and KEF-BFS also with a Dash 8, but both routes only lastest short times.

https://www.flightradar24.com/ICE52T/21628ca1

It's to do with the 737Max grounding. Not enough planes. I think they are operating both flights twice weekly with the Dash8.

Replacement for Icelandair MAXs, I believe only a couple of their Dash 8s are able to do the long routes over water.

AirbusOnly wrote:

? I think it must one of the last adventures and challenges to do such flights on such a plane over water for such a long time...is that the longest route of a Dash 8 Q 400?

Can speak for the Q 400 but you can find some adventures routings in the south pacific flying ATR 72-600 from Fiji to Tuvalu I think that is almost 3 hours. Just a random fact....

Why is the fact that airframe is 19 years-old relevant to the discussion?

devron wrote:

AirbusOnly wrote:

? I think it must one of the last adventures and challenges to do such flights on such a plane over water for such a long time...is that the longest route of a Dash 8 Q 400?

Can speak for the Q 400 but you can find some adventures routings in the south pacific flying ATR 72-600 from Fiji to Tuvalu I think that is almost 3 hours. Just a random fact....

I think Air Tahiti has a longer route between Papeete and Nuku Hiva that lasts 3h30.

devron wrote:

Can speak for the Q 400 but you can find some adventures routings in the south pacific flying ATR 72-600 from Fiji to Tuvalu I think that is almost 3 hours. Just a random fact....

Air Tahiti operates from PPT to Hiva Oa (AUQ) in the Marquises Islands with the AT7, flight time is 3h20.

AirbusOnly wrote:

I think it must one of the last adventures and challenges to do such flights on such a plane over water for such a long time...is that the longest route of a Dash 8 Q 400?

Air Iceland operates quite a number of flights from RKV to west Greenland, some of them even with Dash8-200. Those are over water and, more interesting, over ice. Today they have RKV-JAV (estimated flight time 3:12) and RKV-GOH (estimated 3:24), and there are others. A few years ago I was on a UAK-KEF flight with them on a Dash8-400, also around 3h flight time.


Gruß, masi1157

AirbusOnly wrote:

Currently TF-FXB , a 19 y/o De Havilland Canada Dash 8 Q400 is flying KEF-MAN as flight FI 440. 1.669 km / 1.037 miles = 2:15 h. Alternately they use this bird on KEF-DUB as well.
Cause? Lack of planes, low densitiy route? I think it must one of the last adventures and challenges to do such flights on such a plane over water for such a long time...is that the longest route of a Dash 8 Q 400?
I know last year they tried KEF-ABZ and KEF-BFS also with a Dash 8, but both routes only lastest short times.

https://www.flightradar24.com/ICE52T/21628ca1

I'm not sure where you are getting those block times from, FR24 lists them as 3h20m each way. A Q400 definitely couldn't achieve that sort of speed, it made todays trip in a little under 3h.

The Q400 is a very capable plane, so not surprising. Widerøe have used their Q400 on ad-hoc charter for 3+ hour flights.

It would be a great trip if they flew the other way to North America too, Any flights beyond greenland to Canada??

I have flown on a Q200 between Reykjavik (Iceland) and Nuuk (Greenland)
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/gl711
and on a Q400 between Funchal (Madeira) and Ponta Delgada (Azores)
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/s4161
Nice flights!

Icelandair Connect used to serve KEF-BHD/ABZ (IIRC) regularly until 2018 as "thin" feeder routes for FI's Keflavik hub, so it is nothing new for them.

I find, by the way, their Reykjavik - Nuuk service on a Dash 8 more exciting. It is roughly the same distance as KEF-DUB.

SEU wrote:

Replacement for Icelandair MAXs, I believe only a couple of their Dash 8s are able to do the long routes over water.

They only have three.

AIR MALTA wrote:

devron wrote:

AirbusOnly wrote:

? I think it must one of the last adventures and challenges to do such flights on such a plane over water for such a long time...is that the longest route of a Dash 8 Q 400?

Can speak for the Q 400 but you can find some adventures routings in the south pacific flying ATR 72-600 from Fiji to Tuvalu I think that is almost 3 hours. Just a random fact....

I think Air Tahiti has a longer route between Papeete and Nuku Hiva that lasts 3h30.

Porter has a Q400 route that's also 3h30 and the Q400 has more range than the ATR so it's not that surprising

Flew a Q400 on SATA, Ponta Delgada - Gran Canaria, about 3 hours, very comfortable flight, about 60%LF.

There are quite a few Q400 flights within Europe with times simlar to those... OS GRZ-RHO for example, or many LG flights to the Med... BT RIX-BRU... OU also flew SPU-AMS, DBV-FRA & ZAG-AMS, in addition to regular ZAG-BRU, ZAG-CPH and DBV-ZRH...

Porter operate YTZ-MLB, 1073sm

http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=YTZ-MLB

I'm sure I remember seeing Icelandair F27s operating KEF-GLA back in the day (1980s), is my memory correct?

devron wrote:

AirbusOnly wrote:

? I think it must one of the last adventures and challenges to do such flights on such a plane over water for such a long time...is that the longest route of a Dash 8 Q 400?

Can speak for the Q 400 but you can find some adventures routings in the south pacific flying ATR 72-600 from Fiji to Tuvalu I think that is almost 3 hours. Just a random fact....

Flew that flight in an Embraer Brasilia 110 Bandeirante back in 2003. More interesting than the ATR... 2 seats were taken up by a life raft.

Some numbers for the < 78 seat variant:

• with full fuel (~ 5,200 kg)
• at Maximum Take Off Mass
• in ISA conditions at 25,000 ft
• at an Intermediate Cruise regime (the most sensible choice for most ops)

the Q400 has a total endurance of just over five and a half hours. Knock 30 minutes off for Reserve Fuel, 45 minutes for Alternate Fuel and 15 for Contingency, and you end up with a useful endurance of around four hours.

In these same conditions, the Intermediate Cruise will give a True Air Speed of 320 knots. With no wind, that equates to a range of 1,300 NM.

With full tanks - and depending on the specific aircraft's Empty Mass and Weight Variant - the payload is between four and five tons. Assuming an average passenger of 80 kg (men and women included) + 20 kg of checked baggage, this gives some 40-45 passengers.

For long over-water ops, the math with be slightly different due to planning requirements, so the actual payload may be lower; but the point is the Q definitely has legs for 3 hour flights without much fuss.

I dispatched it from BHD-KEF, usually took about 4.something tons of fuel and never had weight issues, even on pretty full flights

KFTG wrote:

Why is the fact that airframe is 19 years-old relevant to the discussion?

Welcome to Airliners.net. Someone will probably have a record of what the factory workers were wearing each day as they built that particular airframe.

KFTG wrote:

Why is the fact that airframe is 19 years-old relevant to the discussion?

because people think it's passed it's time ,i watched a video last night with a coloumbian 727 F built in 1965 !! air clip was the site

GCT64 wrote:

I'm sure I remember seeing Icelandair F27s operating KEF-GLA back in the day (1980s), is my memory correct?

You are partly correct, the routing was Reykjavik (BIRK) - Vaagar, Faroes - Glasgow. And same way back. This had to do with connecting the Faroes and Scotland.

SEU wrote:

Replacement for Icelandair MAXs, I believe only a couple of their Dash 8s are able to do the long routes over water.

Yes the MAX issue is the reason for the short term replacement.
Why are only a couple of their Dash 8's capable of of doing long over water routes? Surely there is no such thing as an ETOPS Q400. Unless you mean the 300's can't do it just the Q400's?

Luftymatt wrote:

SEU wrote:

Replacement for Icelandair MAXs, I believe only a couple of their Dash 8s are able to do the long routes over water.

Yes the MAX issue is the reason for the short term replacement.
Why are only a couple of their Dash 8's capable of of doing long over water routes? Surely there is no such thing as an ETOPS Q400. Unless you mean the 300's can't do it just the Q400's?

They don't have -300s, only 3 Q200s and 3 Q400s. And IIRC one of the three Q400s has no life rafts so it isn't capable for flights overwater and stays on the domestic runs, don't quote me on that though.

While no doubt it’s a capable airplane, just curious as to how a Q400/DH8 works in a ditching situation compared to a low wing aircraft...

AirbusOnly wrote:

Currently TF-FXB , a 19 y/o De Havilland Canada Dash 8 Q400 is flying KEF-MAN as flight FI 440. 1.669 km / 1.037 miles = 2:15 h. Alternately they use this bird on KEF-DUB as well.
Cause? Lack of planes, low densitiy route? I think it must one of the last adventures and challenges to do such flights on such a plane over water for such a long time...is that the longest route of a Dash 8 Q 400?
I know last year they tried KEF-ABZ and KEF-BFS also with a Dash 8, but both routes only lastest short times.

https://www.flightradar24.com/ICE52T/21628ca1

All-DH4 operator Porter's longest route is YOW-MLB which clocks in at 1,961 km or almost 300 km longer than KEF-MAN.

aerorobnz wrote:

It would be a great trip if they flew the other way to North America too, Any flights beyond greenland to Canada??

Not anymore. The last service was on Air Greenland GOH-YFB seasonal weekly that lasted 3 summers and ended in 2014: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/ai ... -1.2985006.

Instead of a two-hour flight across the Davis Strait, people will now have to travel two to three days to get to Greenland from Iqaluit.

Prior to that it was YOW-YFB-SFJ until about 2001 on a First Air 727, followed by weekly summer seasonal charters through a tour operator that ended around 2007.

Before that it was YFB-GOH on a First Air HS7.

Natflyer wrote:

GCT64 wrote:

I'm sure I remember seeing Icelandair F27s operating KEF-GLA back in the day (1980s), is my memory correct?

You are partly correct, the routing was Reykjavik (BIRK) - Vaagar, Faroes - Glasgow. And same way back. This had to do with connecting the Faroes and Scotland.

And they were Fk50s

I wonder how they manage with one lav on this flight. How does the Q handle turbulence ? I suppose this would be an interesting ride with bad weather.

The Q400 handles turbulence a "little" better than other turboprops due to its higher wing loading (ie having a relatively smaller wing area compared to the aircraft mass).

LH982 wrote:

Natflyer wrote:

GCT64 wrote:

I'm sure I remember seeing Icelandair F27s operating KEF-GLA back in the day (1980s), is my memory correct?

You are partly correct, the routing was Reykjavik (BIRK) - Vaagar, Faroes - Glasgow. And same way back. This had to do with connecting the Faroes and Scotland.

And they were Fk50s

The 50s came later and around that time FI Fokker appearances outside of Iceland, Greenland and Faroe had started to become rare. FI operated F27s for 27 years before being replaced with F50.

Here is a picture of a FI F27 at GLA

[url]
https://www.airliners.net/photo/Fluglei ... bWAgDBBxDY
[/url]

Surprised noone has queried the title of this thread, transatlantic technically means from Europe/Africa/Middle East to North/Central/South America, these dash 8s are not operating Transatlantic, they are operating over the Atlantic into Europe, just like the 757s and 767s do from Iceland and the A319s/A320s from Faroe Islands

awwdabaaby wrote:

Surprised noone has queried the title of this thread, transatlantic technically means from Europe/Africa/Middle East to North/Central/South America, these dash 8s are not operating Transatlantic, they are operating over the Atlantic into Europe, just like the 757s and 767s do from Iceland and the A319s/A320s from Faroe Islands

In fairness a two hour flight in a Dash 8 over the Atlantic is a fair way, be it Icelandair or SATA. I don't think anyone is expecting DC7 or CL44 levels of endurance. Even more impressed to know FI did it with F27s.

awwdabaaby wrote:

Surprised noone has queried the title of this thread, transatlantic technically means from Europe/Africa/Middle East to North/Central/South America, these dash 8s are not operating Transatlantic, they are operating over the Atlantic into Europe, just like the 757s and 767s do from Iceland and the A319s/A320s from Faroe Islands

hence "transatlantic" instead of just saying transatlantic

awwdabaaby wrote:

Surprised noone has queried the title of this thread, transatlantic technically means from Europe/Africa/Middle East to North/Central/South America, these dash 8s are not operating Transatlantic, they are operating over the Atlantic into Europe, just like the 757s and 767s do from Iceland and the A319s/A320s from Faroe Islands

But then, in consequence, FI's Iceland- Greenland flights on Q400s and Q200s must be transatlantic? It's between Europe and North America.

Couldnt FI have just leased 737NGs instead of Q400s to replace the MAXs?

marcogr12 wrote:

Couldnt FI have just leased 737NGs instead of Q400s to replace the MAXs?

There's a bit of a shortage of 737s and A320s in the ACMI market at the moment for obvious MAX related reasons. Look at the very mixed fleets that many European holiday operators are currently using for the summer season. TUI UK, for example, are using Canadian and French 738s and Greek A321s.

AirbusOnly wrote:

Currently TF-FXB , a 19 y/o De Havilland Canada Dash 8 Q400 is flying KEF-MAN as flight FI 440. 1.669 km / 1.037 miles = 2:15 h. Alternately they use this bird on KEF-DUB as well.
Cause? Lack of planes, low densitiy route? I think it must one of the last adventures and challenges to do such flights on such a plane over water for such a long time...is that the longest route of a Dash 8 Q 400?
I know last year they tried KEF-ABZ and KEF-BFS also with a Dash 8, but both routes only lastest short times.

https://www.flightradar24.com/ICE52T/21628ca1

Can you quit putting periods in US numerals you post cause otherwise you just show us the slowest plane ever. I doubt the Q400 flying 1.037 miles =2:15 min. Now I can can see the Q400 flying 1037 miles =2:15.

After all I can walk a mile in less than 2 hours as I hope you could as well otherwise why would I fly?

rbavfan wrote:

AirbusOnly wrote:

Currently TF-FXB , a 19 y/o De Havilland Canada Dash 8 Q400 is flying KEF-MAN as flight FI 440. 1.669 km / 1.037 miles = 2:15 h. Alternately they use this bird on KEF-DUB as well.
Cause? Lack of planes, low densitiy route? I think it must one of the last adventures and challenges to do such flights on such a plane over water for such a long time...is that the longest route of a Dash 8 Q 400?
I know last year they tried KEF-ABZ and KEF-BFS also with a Dash 8, but both routes only lastest short times.

https://www.flightradar24.com/ICE52T/21628ca1

Can you quit putting periods in US numerals you post cause otherwise you just show us the slowest plane ever. I doubt the Q400 flying 1.037 miles =2:15 min. Now I can can see the Q400 flying 1037 miles =2:15.

After all I can walk a mile in less than 2 hours as I hope you could as well otherwise why would I fly?

So, (s)he put a dot instead of a comma... Horror indeed! Now, your first sentence is a question; could you please quit putting periods at the end of questions instead of a question mark?

CO used to operate the Q400 on some longer flights. EWR-YHZ/YQM, IAH-MTJ, maybe a few other longer ones.

TripleDelta wrote:

Some numbers for the < 78 seat variant:

• with full fuel (~ 5,200 kg)
• at Maximum Take Off Mass
• in ISA conditions at 25,000 ft
• at an Intermediate Cruise regime (the most sensible choice for most ops)

the Q400 has a total endurance of just over five and a half hours. Knock 30 minutes off for Reserve Fuel, 45 minutes for Alternate Fuel and 15 for Contingency, and you end up with a useful endurance of around four hours.

In these same conditions, the Intermediate Cruise will give a True Air Speed of 320 knots. With no wind, that equates to a range of 1,300 NM.

With full tanks - and depending on the specific aircraft's Empty Mass and Weight Variant - the payload is between four and five tons. Assuming an average passenger of 80 kg (men and women included) + 20 kg of checked baggage, this gives some 40-45 passengers.

For long over-water ops, the math with be slightly different due to planning requirements, so the actual payload may be lower; but the point is the Q definitely has legs for 3 hour flights without much fuss.

The Q400 has that little range? Thats a stroll in the park for the ATR! My record is 9 hours so far, so around 2300 - 2400 nm.

MalevTU134 wrote:

awwdabaaby wrote:

Surprised noone has queried the title of this thread, transatlantic technically means from Europe/Africa/Middle East to North/Central/South America, these dash 8s are not operating Transatlantic, they are operating over the Atlantic into Europe, just like the 757s and 767s do from Iceland and the A319s/A320s from Faroe Islands

But then, in consequence, FI's Iceland- Greenland flights on Q400s and Q200s must be transatlantic? It's between Europe and North America.

Are we talking politically or geologically? If the former then no, and if the latter then yes, infact i suppose by that argument even a domestic flight from Egilsstadir to KEF would be from Europe to North America since you cross Tectonic plates... haha

VSMUT wrote:

The Q400 has that little range? Thats a stroll in the park for the ATR! My record is 9 hours so far, so around 2300 - 2400 nm.

A-ha.

Going off stock ATR-72-600 specs (http://www.atraircraft.com/products_app ... n-2014.pdf, the most equivalent model to the Q400 in terms of general capacity):

• total fuel capacity is 5,000 kg; roughly the same as the Q400
• fuel flow at MTOM (I assume average, more-or-less equivalent to the Q's Intermediate Cruise) says 760 kg/h

That works out to a total endurance of slightly over six and half hours. Even at the max cruise speed stated in the specs (275 knots), that works out to 1,800 NM until the tanks are completely dry. With the same reserves included as above, that comes down to five hours and 1,400 NM in no wind conditions.

TripleDelta wrote:

VSMUT wrote:

The Q400 has that little range? Thats a stroll in the park for the ATR! My record is 9 hours so far, so around 2300 - 2400 nm.

A-ha.

Going off stock ATR-72-600 specs (http://www.atraircraft.com/products_app ... n-2014.pdf, the most equivalent model to the Q400 in terms of general capacity):

• total fuel capacity is 5,000 kg; roughly the same as the Q400
• fuel flow at MTOM (I assume average, more-or-less equivalent to the Q's Intermediate Cruise) says 760 kg/h

That works out to a total endurance of slightly over six and half hours. Even at the max cruise speed stated in the specs (275 knots), that works out to 1,800 NM until the tanks are completely dry. With the same reserves included as above, that comes down to five hours and 1,400 NM in no wind conditions.

It's 500-600 kg/h. Can be stretched a bit by being creative.

I did 1500 nm recently in headwind, still had enough left over for 2 hours at least.

VSMUT wrote:

It's 500-600 kg/h. Can be stretched a bit by being creative.

I did 1500 nm recently in headwind, still had enough left over for 2 hours at least.

If you want to "cook the performance charts", a Q400 with a light load and full fuel will do five hours/2,000 NM at Long Range Cruise (TAS 280) w/ 1:30 extra for reserves. However, that regime is rarely used since that is not the point of the Q400.

rbavfan wrote:

AirbusOnly wrote:

Currently TF-FXB , a 19 y/o De Havilland Canada Dash 8 Q400 is flying KEF-MAN as flight FI 440. 1.669 km / 1.037 miles = 2:15 h. Alternately they use this bird on KEF-DUB as well.
Cause? Lack of planes, low densitiy route? I think it must one of the last adventures and challenges to do such flights on such a plane over water for such a long time...is that the longest route of a Dash 8 Q 400?
I know last year they tried KEF-ABZ and KEF-BFS also with a Dash 8, but both routes only lastest short times.

https://www.flightradar24.com/ICE52T/21628ca1

Can you quit putting periods in US numerals you post cause otherwise you just show us the slowest plane ever. I doubt the Q400 flying 1.037 miles =2:15 min. Now I can can see the Q400 flying 1037 miles =2:15.

After all I can walk a mile in less than 2 hours as I hope you could as well otherwise why would I fly?

In German, we always divide the numbers into blocks of three in a row to improve the readability. I'm sorry if that has led to irritation

LH982 wrote:

awwdabaaby wrote:

Surprised noone has queried the title of this thread, transatlantic technically means from Europe/Africa/Middle East to North/Central/South America, these dash 8s are not operating Transatlantic, they are operating over the Atlantic into Europe, just like the 757s and 767s do from Iceland and the A319s/A320s from Faroe Islands

In fairness a two hour flight in a Dash 8 over the Atlantic is a fair way, be it Icelandair or SATA. I don't think anyone is expecting DC7 or CL44 levels of endurance. Even more impressed to know FI did it with F27s.

Before the F27 they did it with DC3

VSMUT wrote:

TripleDelta wrote:

VSMUT wrote:

The Q400 has that little range? Thats a stroll in the park for the ATR! My record is 9 hours so far, so around 2300 - 2400 nm.

A-ha.

Going off stock ATR-72-600 specs (http://www.atraircraft.com/products_app ... n-2014.pdf, the most equivalent model to the Q400 in terms of general capacity):

• total fuel capacity is 5,000 kg; roughly the same as the Q400
• fuel flow at MTOM (I assume average, more-or-less equivalent to the Q's Intermediate Cruise) says 760 kg/h

That works out to a total endurance of slightly over six and half hours. Even at the max cruise speed stated in the specs (275 knots), that works out to 1,800 NM until the tanks are completely dry. With the same reserves included as above, that comes down to five hours and 1,400 NM in no wind conditions.

It's 500-600 kg/h. Can be stretched a bit by being creative.

I did 1500 nm recently in headwind, still had enough left over for 2 hours at least.

The world record for the ATR (commercial flight) back in 2015 was set between BFS and TIA in 5h25m.

Source in German:
http://www.austrianaviation.net/detail/ ... ekordflug/