de Havilland to reactivate Dash 8-400 production at new plant

De Havilland Aircraft of Canada logo (Photo: Jan Gruber).
De Havilland Aircraft of Canada logo (Photo: Jan Gruber).

de Havilland to reactivate Dash 8-400 production at new plant

De Havilland Aircraft of Canada logo (Photo: Jan Gruber).
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Canadian aircraft manufacturer de Havilland is aiming to resume production of the Dash 8-400 turboprop, which is currently on hold. However, these are no longer to be built in Downsview, but in Alberta.

De Havilland Canada will finally cease production at the site, which has been in use since 1929. The plant is still owned by Bombardier, but has been leased since acquiring the Dash 8-400 program. In the future, the aircraft are to be manufactured in a new building in Alberta.

The aircraft manufacturer stopped production of the Dash 8-400 last year temporarily discontinued due to a lack of new orders. The last orders were processed and since then it has been unclear whether this pattern will ever be produced again. Now de Havilland made it clear that assembly in Alberta will be restarted. A modernized version is also being considered.

But first, other products will have priority. The DHC-515 Firefighter and the modernized variant of the DHC-6 Twin Otter will be launched first. Dash-8 production will be reactivated at a later date. However, de Havilland has not yet given an exact date.

De Havilland noted that the company is currently conducting a comprehensive review of the DHC-6 Twin Otter to ensure the product is suitable for the current operating environment. De Havilland anticipates that by the end of 2022 that review will be complete and the company will then have a better understanding of where to focus for future Twin Otter production. Then attention will be drawn to the Dash 8-400.

15 years construction time for new plant

The new factory site will be called "de Havilland Field". It will cover an area of ​​around 1.500 hectares. When complete, the site will house state-of-the-art aircraft assembly facilities, a runway, parts manufacturing and distribution centers, and a maintenance, repair and overhaul facility. The manufacturer is also planning a classroom for training its new employees, as well as office space and a de Havilland Canada aircraft museum.

“De Havilland Field will be the site for the assembly and production of reliable and robust Canadian aircraft that fly around the world. This is the beginning of a new chapter for both De Havilland Canada and Canadian Aerospace, and we look forward to beginning the process with Wheatland County to create new opportunities for aviation in Canada and Alberta." according to company boss Brian Chafe.

Up to 15 years will pass before the new production facilities are completed. de Havilland is currently assuming that the first buildings and halls will be ready for occupancy in 2025. Production is then to be gradually ramped up.

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Editor of this article:

Amely Mizzi is Executive Assistant at Aviation Direct Malta in San Pawl il-Baħar. She previously worked in the Aircraft and Vessel Financing division at a banking group. She is considered a linguistic talent and speaks seven languages ​​fluently. She prefers to spend her free time in Austria on the ski slopes and in summer on Mediterranean beaches, practically on her doorstep in Gozo.
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Amely Mizzi is Executive Assistant at Aviation Direct Malta in San Pawl il-Baħar. She previously worked in the Aircraft and Vessel Financing division at a banking group. She is considered a linguistic talent and speaks seven languages ​​fluently. She prefers to spend her free time in Austria on the ski slopes and in summer on Mediterranean beaches, practically on her doorstep in Gozo.
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