PREMIER AIRCRAFT DESIGN

BOMBARDIER DASH8-Q400 

The Q400 is proving very popular with airlines and passengers. On short haul journeys it combines the gate to gate journey time of a jet with the lower operating costs of a turboprop.

FLYING TIPS
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GLASS COCKPIT.

The panel contains three main screens:

1. PFD (Primary Flight Display)
You will probably be familiar with this from FS default aircraft. It displays altitude, rate of climb, airspeed, flight director and artificial horizon.

2. MFD (Multi Function Display) 
The MFD contains five sub screens as follows
(a) ILS (Instrument Landing System)
(b) VOR and ADF (Displays pointers).
(c) VOR and ILS combined
(d) Flight Plan. 
Use the 'Mode' switch to change between screens. The 'Range' button only applies to the Flight Plan screen.
In the flight plan mode you can use the buttons along the bottom to display your flight plan, airports, VOR's and NDB's.
Flight plans are created in FS9 in the usual way.

The permanent displays at the top and bottom of the MFD screens also have a lot of useful information:
TAS (True Airspeed)
GS  (Ground Speed)
Wind speed and direction
Local Time
ETA to destination
ETA to next waypoint
and more...

Open the MANUALS folder for more information.

3. EICAS (Engine Instruments & Crew Alert System)
The EICAS has four screens. Use the switch on bottom right to change between screens. 

* TIP: PFD, MFD, EICAS & radio panel have pop-up enlargements for easier viewing. Click near the centre of the panels.


ENGINE START

There are 3 start buttons on the panel. 

Automatic start - Pressing the centre button will start both engines in turn. This is the FS autostart procedure, all fuel and ignition settings are automatic.

Manual start - The left and right buttons start the left and right engines. Before using these buttons the fuel levers must be in the ON position, the three fuel buttons must be ON, the battery must be turned on and the props must be in the 'fine' or feathered position.

*IMPORTANT* - When the engines are running check that both generators are ON. The annunciator warning lights will remind you.

It is normal for the XFEED warning light to be on during flight. To extinguish the Xfeed light either click on the light or on the centre fuel feed button.

ENGINE SHUT DOWN

Before stopping the engines set the parking brake and switch off all lights and beacons.

Use the fuel cut-off buttons below the engine start buttons. When the engines have stopped switch off avionics and battery.

TAXIING

There is a taxi speed/pushback gauge on the panel, read the instructions in the manuals folder for full operation details.
The taxispeed gauge controls speed by using throttle and brakes. You can use the taxispeed gauge in spot view by pressing keys Shift-8

Use of the parking brake ( Ctrl + . ) will cancel the taxispeed operation.

If taxiing without use of the gauge be very gentle with the power !

TAKE-OFF

Set 5є or 10є of flap and some nose up trim.

The Q400 is over-powered for low altitude flight. This ensures that a fully loaded Q400 can maintain altitude on one engine in an emergency.

Use no more than 70% power for take-off, rotate at 120kts, initial climb rate is 3000 ft/min. The steep initial climb keeps the airspeed within flap and undercarriage limits. Raise the u/c and flaps after take-off, climb to 3000ft above ground level, reduce power, adjust the trim, or turn on the autopilot, and then climb to cruise altitude at 1800 ft/min.

CRUISE

Normal cruise altitude is 25,000 ft. Normal cruise speed is 270 kts IAS (indicated air speed). An indicated air speed of 270 kts at 25,000 ft translates into a ground speed of about 400 kts (460 mph), depending on wind speed and direction.

TIP : When viewing in spot view the props disk will display rotation effect better if you hold down the Ctrl key and tap F2 two or three times.