The Untold Story of De Havilland's Dash 7

Join us on a on this journey through aviation history as we delve into the f story of the De Havilland Dash 7. In this video, we explore the origins, development, and enduring legacy of this iconic 4 engined aircraft.

Prepare to be enthralled as we recount the Dash 7's maiden flight in the 1970s and its subsequent rise to prominence in the aviation industry. Discover how the aircraft's capabilities, including short takeoff and landing (STOL) performance range, and versatility, made it a game-changer for remote and challenging environments.

If you have anything to add, then please leave a comment down below!

[HellSolo]

Great video, I love the specs and professionalism mate.

[johannesbols]

I hope to see regular uploads from your channel.

[mojavebnsf]

Worked with the DASH-7 in the late 1980's with both Brymon Airways and London City Airways ( Eurocity Express ) at London City Airport in its early days. Lovely aircraft.

[michaelmichniak]

I can remember this aircraft being used to serve Paradise Island airport in the Bahamas. This airport had very short runways or runway and the 7 was perfect for it!

[avinair]

The best aircraft ever! 😍
The dash-7 took a huge part in my childhood when Arkia used the Dash-7 as the main aircraft in Eilat airport.✈
By the way, without the Dash-7 London City Airport would not have been created 🤩

[Flyairtindi]

Great video. How many are still flying today ;) ?

[jacobhansen]

DASH 7!! The by far PARAMOUNT of all T-tailed medium range passenger airframes!! Some of them can easily perform flights that range some 4700 kms, at an average speed of 400 km/h!! That said, that a transatlantic crossing could be conducted by just one or two stops!! She is for the propliners like the 747 is for the jetliners!! Many thanks, TINO AVIATION, for this brilliantly posted footage!! All the best for YOUR 2025!! Best regards...Jacob Hansen, Northern Scandinavia...

[jayfrank]

Keep it up! I liked this! 👍
I don't know how many times I've been on a Dash 7, but it has been a few!
P.S: They still use Beavers, updated with turboprops, to fly out of Lake Union in Seattle. I loved to sit in the clinic where my sister was being treated for cancer (Fred Hutchinson) and watch them take off and land to keep my mind off more serious things.
I hope you do videos on the De Havilland Beaver and Otter!

[jettnit]

Amazing it could climb out of a mountain strip with 45 paxs from Steamboat springs in Colorado & use 3, ooo ft of runway…. 4:08

[geoaccount]

As someone from Greenland, we loved the dash 7’s in Grønlands Fly (Now known as Air Greenland)

[christopherbasham]

Yes the DHC 7 was a specialized aircraft. Its specific design goals were to meet field performance requirements of the Rockcliffe airport. Rockcliffe was the STOL demonstrator airport located in Ottawa. Furthermore the double slotted fowler flaps were on many other aircraft. The 737 had triple slotted. Ailerons were fitted to the wing and would work in conjunction with the roll spoilers.

[pinkskud]

The British Antarctic survey still fly over as the air bridge between chile and Antarctica.
They land it on a short gravel strip and on solid ice runways.

[MikeSiemens]

The Dash-7 is eclipsed by the Dash-8. While the 8 doesn't quite have the STOL performance of the 7 it makes up for it in being less costly to operate. Maintenance on a 4 engine aircraft is always going to cost more than on a twin.

We had 2 Dash-7 in the Canadian Forces when I was serving in Germany during the Cold War early 1980's. They were configured as passenger transports & it was good PR for deHavilland to have them hopping around various airports in Europe. They had a relatively short service life in the Canadian Air Force operating out of CFB Lahr.

Viking Air in British Columbia now owns the type certificates for virtually all former deHavilland aircraft as well as that of the Canadair CL series of water bombers. They re-started production of the Twin Otter some years back.

[pagophilus]

I was amazed at the short distance the Dash 7 can land in when watching one land at SFJ (Kangerlussuaq, Greenland) on runway 27 and turning straight in to the terminal parking area. Go and look up the layout of the airport to see it.

After seeing that, I was shocked to see one line up in MNL half way down the runway and then when it was his turn, waste time taxiing on the runway all the way to the end of the runway for takeoff, when I knew that he could take off on a dime, (or in some couple of hundred metres).

[fifio]

At the beginning of the viteo there is a still comparing Twin Otter and Dash-7. It says tail hook. That is not a tail hook, it is a tail bumper, preventing tail strikes.
Slovenian Adria Airways had two Dash-7s. In the war of independence in 1991 they were damaged in an airstrike, one quite severly. They were both repaired and later sold.

[MrAffrank]

ELINT US ARMY. Don't forget that one

[dashstol]

Thanks for highlighting a great aircraft but there are several inaccuracies or wrong information. The DHC-6 wasn't usually called "Dash 6" There were just 113 aircraft built, not 133. The flaps were not full-span but rather about 3/4. The Arkia plane shown as a -101 variant does not have a cargo door. Finally the Dash 7 was successful in doing for what it was built for but was not a real commercial success as the market DHC had envisioned for it did not really exist (contrary to your mention in the video when listing aircraft of similar size) wasn't big enough and cities failed to build the "urban STOLports" the DHC-7 was meant to use.