De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited (De Havilland Canada) has delivered the first of three Dash 8-400 new Dash 8-400 aircraft ordered by Bangladesh national flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines. The Toronto-headquartered Canadian aircraft manufacturer broke the news in a press release issued on November 23.

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Biman Bangladesh now has three Dash 8-400s. Photo DEe Haviland Canada

The new Dash 8-400 aircraft is the first of three new regional commuter aircraft that the Bangladeshi carrier ordered from the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) in 2018. The new aircraft registration S2-AKD will join two other De Havilland Canada DHC-8-400s that the Asian airline received in 2015 and 2018.

The Dash 8-400 is a regional commuter

“Our Dash 8-400 aircraft’s excellent economics and passenger environment have allowed us to offer high-frequency services within Bangladesh and neighboring countries over the last five years, and we look forward to the increased operational flexibility that our new aircraft will provide for our fleet,” said Md Mokabbir Hossain, Biman managing director and CEO  in the press release.

"The combination of our Dash 8-400 turboprops and our narrowbody jets improves our overall network efficiency, connectivity, and, ultimately, our system profitability. Furthermore, during the ongoing pandemic, we have found that the role of our Dash 8-400 aircraft is even more important as we see gradual traffic recovery after the lockdown.

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Biman Bangladesh Airlines Dash 8-400 can seat 74 passengers. Photo: De Havilland Canada

“The Dash 8-400 aircraft’s turboprop economics and jet-like performance have proven to be an ideal match for Biman’s network of short, domestic routes and longer, international routes,” added Rob Baseggio, regional VP, Sales, De Havilland Canada in the release.

“In addition, the Dash 8-400 aircraft’s greater passenger and cargo capacity set it apart from the competition and provide Biman with the opportunity to optimize its network operations.”

About the De Havilland Canada Dash 8

The Dash 8-400 is a part of a series of twin-engine turboprop-powered regional airliners introduced by De Havilland Canada (DHC) in 1984. The Canadian planemaker was bought by Boeing in 1988 and then Bombardier in 1992; then by Longview Aviation Capital in 2019.

Unlike the Dash 7 from which it was derived, the Dash 8 series of turboprops do not have STOL capabilities but provide operators with an improved cruise performance and lower operating costs. Initially, the Dash series of aircraft was offered in three seating capacities 37-40 seats, 50-56 seats, 68-90 seats. The Dash 8-400 is the largest of these, with Biman Bangladesh Dash 8-400 configured with 74 economy class seats.

Worldwide, around 1,300 Dash 8 Series aircraft are used as network connectors and point to point regional aircraft. Some Dash 8-400s operate in a hybrid passenger-cargo role while others are fitted out strictly for moving cargo. The Dash 8-400 is also used worldwide for coastal surveillance, search, rescue, medical evacuations, and firefighting.

About Biman Bangladesh Airlines

Biman Bangladesh Airlines is the national flag carrier airline of Bangladesh and does not belong to any airline alliances. The airline's main hub of operations is at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (DAC) in Dhaka. The airline also operates flights from two other hubs in Bangladesh at Shah Amanat International Airport (CGP) in Chittagong and Osmani International Airport (ZYL) in Sylhet.

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The airline will use its Boeing 787-9 aircraft for the service. Photo: Biman Bangladesh Airlines

Along with domestic routes within Bangladesh, Biman flies to 19 international destinations in Europe and Asia. According to aviation enthusiast website Planespotters.net Biman, Bangladesh Airlines fleet is made up of the following aircraft:

  • Six Boeing 737-800s
  • Four Boeing 777-300s
  • Four  Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners
  • Two Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners
  • Three De Havilland Canada DHC-8-400s including the new arrival

What do you think of the De Havilland Canada DHC-8-400? Please share your thoughts in the comments.