Dash 8 FO's Experience

[wowie_kazowie]

Hey,
Just curious what all you Dash 8 FO's past or present had for experience when you were picked up to fly the Dash (Classic or Q400). Most the Dash operators in Canada seem to be asking for 1500TT and ATPL (Not including Porter).
Also any of you go from instructing to right seat?
Thanks in advance.
My apologies if there is already a thread on the topic.

[fish4life]

I think you would find the majority already have a good chunk of MPIC or at least other turbine experience with commercial IFR ops

[wowie_kazowie]

That was my assumption that most have lots of MPIC or turbine experience considering what most companies ask for. But was just curious if guys came from King Airs, Navajo's and the like or any made the big jump from instructing.

[200Above]

~3200 TT
~1300 MPIC
~1800 PIC

Everyone in my class had about the same. Some higher, some lower.

[Flypilot]

I know of 2 guys on Dash 8. One has 1800 hrs and came off a Navajo the other 2700 and came from right seat 1900 (basically no PIC)

[Jack Klumpus]

When I got on the Q4 as an F/O, I had 3,000TT. MPIC on metros, SPIFR on hos, and a bunch of single engine instructing/charter. Some of my colleagues had same, and some were F/Os on PC12.

Basically we had everything. We tried one or two instructors directly, one made it, the other did not.

[whiteguy]

Went on the Dash as FO with 1300 TT, no MPIC. Came from 1900 and King Air FO within the same company.

[Flypilot]

Does commercial ops make a huge difference? How would commercial ops on a Navajo be so much more valuable then private SPIFR on a ho? I have done commercial ops in singles but my 1500+ MPIC is all private. Would there be any advantage beside 2 crew ops? 2 crew is definitely something I want to learn in my future.

[garfield]

With 1500 TT, even 1000 , in a lot of places, you'll be able to get a job.

Flying a twin piston SPIFR is the most difficult job in this industry : this is valuable experience. But for sure, turbine and crew experience is a must too.

[RVR6000]

On the Q4 at:

3100 TT
900 MPIC
2000 Turbine Time

[wowie_kazowie]

Thanks for the replies everyone! Gives a nice picture of what companies are looking for. Just curious as it seems that a lot of instructors jump to right seat on 1900's and I know of some on the Saab 340. Any reason the Dash Classics (Especially the 100) seem demand more experience than the say the Saab? I do know the Dash 8-100 is a bit larger and the -300 is quite a bit larger but any other factors?

[Donald]

When things were rolling, 250 hrs and IATRA got you the right seat, 2500 hrs and ATPL the left seat (dhc8-100).

[Eugene_goostman]

When things were rolling, 250 hrs and IATRA got you the right seat, 2500 hrs and ATPL the left seat (dhc8-100).

That's what I was thinking. Seems like you have to get a pretty good resume in order these days so you can get paid 31k to fly what must be an extremely complex and demanding aircraft.

[wowie_kazowie]

Seems like Canada has the toughest requirements for the Dash. Qantas Link only asks for 750hrs to right seat a Q400, Flybe seems like it's some guys first job, and thats also a Q400. Canada looks like you need 2500 and turbine time just to right seat on a Classic.

[Jack In The Box]

I had 2500 tt, tons of turbine multi, tons of mpic.

Just to stir the pot a bit, a handful of guys at Perimeter have been hired on to the dash 8 with less than 500 tt lately. One guy even got hired into the dash straight off the ramp

[Wayans]

2500 hours, ATPL, 400 turbine PIC, 1500 turbine, 1100 PIC, bare minimum multi time - enough to get ATPL. Right seat Q400.