Bombardier is expecting a number of Dash 8 Q400 operators to launch services to London City Airport (LCY) once they have gained experience of the turbo prop, following recent steep approach approval for the aircraft at the docklands airport. Augsburg Airways became the first Q400 operator at LCY late last month with the launch of 12 times weekly services to Munich. The 72-seat capacity of Augsburg's Q400 is reduced to 65 seats for the service.
Last month the Q400 received Transport Canada and European Joint Aviation Authorities approval to operate to LCY's 1,199M (3,930ft) runway, which has a 5.5° approach angle. The approval required a cockpit switch to tell the enhanced ground proximity warning system that it is safe to descend on a 5.5° glidescope at a flap setting of 35°, a microswitch for the flap selector to confirm that the required flap setting has been selected and two supplements to the aircraft flight manual.
"There's a lot of interest in what we are doing at London City and it's a bit of a race," says Bob Fear, Bombardier's manager Q400 product planning. From LCY the Q400 can operate with 100% capacity on routes within 740km (400nm), with 65 seats to 1,110km and 60 seats to 1,480km.
British European has already expressed interest in LCY operations with its Q400S which it will start to receive at the end of the month, although it wants to gain some months' experience of the type first. Wideroe is believed to be considering LCY-Oslo services, but it only recently received its first Q400. More immediate possibilities are SAS Commuter and Austria's Tyrolean Airways, which have been operating the type for some time and don't currently serve LCY, says Fear. According to SAS Commuter, however, it has no plans to serve London with its Q400s.
Source: Flight International
