Dash7 Home

What is a de Havilland Dash-7?

History and Notes:

With backing from the Canadian government, de Havilland Canada began in late 1972 the development of a larger capacity short/medium range
Short-Take-Off-and-Land (STOL) transport that would provide the higher
standards of comfort to be found in much larger airliners. Designated DHC-7, and later named Dash-7, the first of two pre-production aircraft (C-GNBX-X) made its maiden flight on 27 March 1975. The first production aircraft (C-GNBX-X) was flown on 20 May 1977 and about 100 are in service, Paradise Island Airlines being the major user.

In configuration the DHC-7 is a cantilever high-wing monoplane with a
circular-section pressurized fuselage, T-tail, retractable tricycle landing
gear with twin wheels on each unit, which seats 48 to 54 passengers, is via a single airstair door at the rear of the cabin on the port side. There are provisions for optional mixed passenger/cargo or all-cargo operations, and a large freight door can be installed at the forward end of the cabin on the port side. The all-cargo version of the Dash-7 is designated Series 101, and examples serve with the Canadian Armed Forces under the designation CC-132.

Orders and options for the Dash-7, received from more than 20 airlines and the Venezuelan navy, reached a total in excess of 100.
De Havilland ceased production of Dash-7's in 1989. At that time, there were a total of 113 Dash-7's that were made. Today, there are only 102
serviceable Dash-7's in circulation.

Specification: de Havilland Canada DHC-7 Dash 7

Origin: Canada

Type: short/medium-range STOL transport

Accommodation: flight crew of 2 plus flight attendants; up to 54 passengers.

Powerplant: four 1,120-shp (835-kW) Pratt & Whitney Aircraft of Canada
PT6A-50 turboprops

Performance: maximum cruising speed at weight of 41,000 lb is 261 mph at 8,000 ft; service ceiling 21,000 ft; range with 50 passengers and fuel reserves is 795 miles. (Per POH) Real Life - much different.

Weights: empty operating 27,650 lb; maximum take-off 47,000 lb
Dimensions: span 93 ft 0 in; length 80 ft 7.75 in; height 26 ft 2 in; wing
area 860.0 sq ft

Release One

2000 Hours in Development and Testing
Beta Tested and Proven by Six Real World Pilots
Two Dash 7 Pilots Provided Technical Specs, Input and Feedback
Awesome Flight Dynamics Mirror Real World STOL Performance
Authentic Custom Built Dash 7 Panel and 2-D Views
Full, Rich Sounds Fill the Cockpit
Three Finely Detailed, Glossy Reflective Textured DXT3 Liveries Standard
Optional 16-bit non-reflective Textures for all Liveries
Optional 32-bit Reflective Textures for all Liveries
Optional 8-bit Non-Reflective Textures for all Liveries

Quotes by Beta Pilots and Team Members during Testing

Don Moser: "The Flight Dynamics are AWESOME! Don't change a thing!"
Scott Thomas: "This package, all things considered, is the best available in FS today".
Glenn Davy: "This is one of the very few aircraft that actually gives you the sense of flying."
Didier Keller: "This has become my most favorite aircraft to fly surpassing the R4D and Falcon 50."
Bernt Stolle: "Milton's Dash 7 not only captures the exact shape of the real Dash 7, but also its personality." (See Bernt's Article on Flying the Dash 7 into Courchevel HERE.)

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The Dash 7 Project Specifics

Copyrights as Listed (see readme's for full lists)

Model Design: Milton Shupe Flight Dynamics: Milton Shupe

Panel Design: Scott Thomas Gauges: Various -See Readme

Sound Design: Aaron Swindle; modified with permission by Milton Shupe

Textures: Joao Paz

Reference Pictures: Henrik Pedersen, Siegfried Lenz, Bernt Stolle

Technical Support for Authenticity: Bernt Stolle, Siegfried Lenz

Real World Pilots on Beta Test Team:

Bernt Stolle, Scott Thomas, Glenn Davy, Don Moser, Didier Keller, Francois Dumas

Alpha Test Team of Seasoned Flight Simmers and Friends:

Pops, Lobo, Robert, Brian, Scott, Beers, Hawk, Paul, Bruce

Final Beta Package Additional Test Team

Peter Ridge, Brian Gladden, Dorian Davis, Real Brousseau, Tim Westnutt,

Paco Sanchez, Felix Rodriguez, Stanley Swartzel, Joe Watson, Steven Grant, Herb Morse, Tom Fica, Marty Murphy, and more.

Documentation: Milton Shupe