Slightly after 13:00 Monday, Bombardier's Dash 8-Q400 Serial Number 4004 landed at Farnborough, taking a brief respite from its intensive development flight test program at Bombardier's Wichita Flight Test Center. S/N 4004, the fourth of five flight test aircraft, will be on static display at Farnborough for most of the week. The Q400, with seating for up to 74 passengers, will be capable of 350-kt cruise and will offer passengers average 76 dBA cabin noise levels because of its active noise and vibration suppression system.

The aircraft is powered by 5,071-shp PW150A turboprop engines with slow turning, six-blade, Dowty composite propellers.

Thus far in the development program, the APU has been operated on the ground, and engine and tail cone fire extinguishing systems have been fully tested. Basic fuel system testing is underway. Aft fuselage ventral strakes have been added to improve directional stability and Sextant Avionique recently upgraded the avionics software to Version 300. Aircraft will be delivered with Version 400 software. Icing tests will begin in Canada in the upcoming winter months.

Robert Brown, Bombardier Aircraft president, claims that the Q400 "beats everything else hands-down in operating costs." Certification and initial deliveries are slated for the second quarter of 1999.

By Fred George