By Skies Magazine | June 26, 2015 Estimated reading time 10 minutes, 35 seconds.
Over 500 Bombardier employees and guests attended the delivery of the 500th Q400, a proud moment for the company’s Downsview, Ont., division.
On June 25, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft and WestJet Encore celebrated the milestone delivery of Bombardier’s 500th Q400 aircraft at Bombardier’s de Havilland plant at Downsview Airport in Toronto. The landmark Q400 is the 22nd of 36 aircraft ordered by WestJet Encore. The new Q400 made its first flight on June 22. Senior executives of WestJet, WestJet Encore and Bombardier Commercial Aircraft, as well as local political representatives, attended the celebration, along with over 500 Bombardier employees and guests. Additionally, 50 WestJet employees whose names were drawn in a contest were flown to Toronto for the event, and will fly back to Calgary on the delivery flight.
WestJet Encore launched in June 2013, with an exclusively Q400 fleet, and celebrated its second birthday just the day before the delivery ceremony for the 500th Q400. The company started operations with 10 departures daily to two destinations, with two Q400 aircraft and 131 employees. Today, it serves 24 cities in seven provinces with 114 daily departures and has approximately 500 employees.
Fred Cromer, president of Bombardier Commercial Aircraft, addressed the audience.
The airline recently launched new Edmonton to Kamloops, Toronto to Quebec City, and Toronto to Fredericton routes. On June 15 at the Paris Air Show, Bombardier and WestJet Encore Ltd. signed a firm order for five additional Q400 aircraft. This order follows the recent conversion of an option to a firm order for a single Q400 aircraft. The new aircraft will allow Encore expansion to U.S. destinations, and further expansion on Canadian operations. These will include Q400 service to Sydney, N.S., this July from a new regional hub in Halifax where Encore currently serves Deer Lake and Gander, N.L.
“Bombardier’s Q400 aircraft has played an instrumental role in WestJet Encore’s growth and success since the start of our operations just two years ago, having recently expanded service to 24 cities in seven provinces in this short time,” said Ferio Pugliese, president, WestJet Encore. “We are thrilled to take home the 500th Canadian-made Q400 aircraft and to have it join our 21-aircraft fleet as we continue to expand to Eastern Canada, expanding route possibilities in those local communities. The Q400 aircraft’s jet-like speed, operational efficiency and reduced environmental footprint fit perfectly with our business model, bringing value and comfort alike to our guests. As the backbone of our expansion, the Q400 offers both jet-like performance and turboprop economics, providing us with the consistent guest and in-flight experience that allows us to integrate the WestJet brand into our regional airline. The speed, reliability, guest comfort and economics offered by the Q400 have made this aircraft a cornerstone of WestJet Encore’s success. For more than a decade, airlines around the world have purchased the aircraft based on these reasons. Bombardier is a strong Canadian company and should be proud of this significant milestone achievement.”
According to Roger McIntosh, VP of operations for Westjet, who spoke at the event, “Encore looked at ATR, but is ultimately very happy to have purchased a fine Canadian product. We are very happy with the attention to detail, and proactive service support from Bombardier. The DeHavilland employee’s enthusiasm shows in the quality of the Q400 aircraft. The seat value of the Q400 has allowed the opening of new communities as well as competition on existing routes.”
Dignitaries at the event included: Monte Kwinter, Ontario MPP for York Centre; Roger McIntosh, VP of operations for Westjet; Ross Mitchell, Bombardier VP of business development, who emceed the event; Mark Adler, Federal MP, York Centre; Fred Cromer, president of Bombardier Commercial Aircraft; and Kevin Smith, Bombardier VP of Americas Sales. Also pictured are WestJetters at the delivery ceremony.
“The Q400 aircraft is proving its operational flexibility right here at home with Canada’s regional airlines, and is also one of Ontario’s greatest export successes,” said Fred Cromer, president, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. “We are proud to be celebrating the delivery of the 500th Q400 aircraft today, and to be sharing this momentous occasion with WestJet Encore, Canada’s newest airline, and latest aviation success story. As a growth-minded airline, this iconic Canadian carrier is benefitting from the Q400 aircraft’s perfect balance of flexibility, passenger comfort, economics and unsurpassed environmental standing.”
Monte Kwinter, Ontario MPP for York Centre also spoke at the event. Kwinter is a huge aviation enthusiast, and has been a sitting MPP for over 30 years. He has attended every milestone event of the Dash-8, and flew on the very first aircraft. He has keenly watched the program grow, and promoted this key Ontario product whenever he could over the years. “It is a true made in Ontario success story, helping to make the province a Global economic powerhouse.”
The Dash-8 was developed as part of DeHavilland Canada’s family of Short Takoff and Landing (STOL) aircraft. It was immediately successful as a regional airliner, and the Q400 followed the Dash-8-100, -200 and -300 as the fourth variant of the type. The prototype 37-seat Dash-8-100 made its first flight on June 20, 1983, and achieved certification on Sept. 28, 1984. The first variant was powered by Pratt & Whitney PW120 engines, and the Dash-8-200/Q200 was equipped with more powerful PW123s, allowing faster and better hot and high performance, and shared engine commonality with the stretched 50 seat Dash-8-300/Q300. The prototype Dash-8 was converted to the first -300, which first flew as such in 1987. The first production Dash-8-300, was rolled out on July 15, 1988. Production of the legacy versions of the Q400 ceased in June 2009, the final example was Q300, a special mission version for the Japan Coast Guard. The first Q400 made its first flight on Jan. 31 1988, and combined production has now reached 1,172 aircraft.
Monte Kwinter, Ontario MPP for York Centre, is a huge aviation enthusiast and has followed the Dash-8 program since well before he became an MPP in 1985, and has attended every milestone event at de Havilland Canada.
After Bombardier purchased de Havilland, it soon rebranded the Dash-8-400, as well as the concurrently produced -200 and -300 as the Q series. Q represents Quiet, one of the key selling features of the line. Active Noise and Vibration Suppression (ANVS) is installed in each aircraft cabin, vastly decreasing interior engine noise electronically, improving passenger comfort. On the outside, the aircraft is 15 dB quieter than ICAO Stage 4 noise standards, a big factor at noise sensitive city centre airports. This is attributable to the Q400’s large six-bladed propellers operating at a low RPM. Another key selling feature is its high-speed cruise, 160 km/h faster than conventional turboprops. This places the aircraft’s flight time within minutes of jets flying the same route, at a similar or better seat cost. Some of the largest Q400 operators include Air Canada Express/Jazz Air, ANA Wings, Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air, Austrian Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, Flybe, Japan Air Commuter, Olympic Air, Porter Airlines, QantasLink/ Sunstate Airlines, Republic Airlines/United Express, WestJet Encore and Wideroe. It is a testament to the Q400 that it is operated in large quantities by three of Canada’s largest airlines.
Production of the Bombardier Global Express corporate jet, which is also built at Downsview, surprisingly soared after the 2008 economic downturn and surpassed Q400 production. This seemed unusual, given that one of the big selling features of the Q400 was the fuel economy, with fuel prices reaching record high levels following the downturn. Sales of the Q400 have been relatively light in recent years, in comparison to the direct competition, the European built ATR72 turboprop. The new management of Bombardier intends to refocus and expand it’s marketing of the Q400, which was somewhat backtracked along with the CRJ family when the C Series became the Bombardier’s new champion.
The WestJet Encore order was Bombardier’s only aircraft sale announced at the Paris Air show in June 2015. This despite it being the world air show premiere of the C Series, with two examples on display at the show, including an impressive flying display demonstrating it’s impressive quiet characteristics. However both the Q400 and CRJ-1000 were also on static display at Paris, and both garnered a lot of interest. The increasing airliner market will hopefully see an improved Q400 order book as fuel prices again are on the rise.
