RE: Short-haul turboprops
Just to throw my tuppence in the hat…
Having flown as cabin crew and flight deck (long story!) on the J41 and ATP, plus flown as passenger/jumpseat rider on SD360 (the mighty “Shed”) and Dash 8, my professional opinion, each has it’s own merits.
1. ATP – up to 70 seats, most 64-68 config. Good economy, roomy cabin and flight deck. Cat 2 capable. Semi-glass cockpit. Poor performance. Expensive maitenence costs and poor reliability. Very stable in poor weather, particularly into the IOM on a dark windy rainy night doing a circling approach from R/W 26 to 21 with lumpy ground in between (Mongu will know what I mean!)
2. J41 – 29 seats. Superb handling, good performance (2000fpm+ climb), even better with 1650hp “Gti” versions with water/methanol injection, as used at high alt. airfields. Great flight deck ergonomics, but a little cramped. Cat 2 capable. Almost full-glass cockpit. Cramped cabin, no stowage “2+29 sportscar” as my instructor called it! Very economical.
3. SD360 – Old technology, analogue flight deck, no auto pilot, good for short field (or beach – Barra) performance. Roomy cabin, average flight deck. Reliable.
4. Dash 8 – not so knowledgable on this one. Good cabin. Highly praised by colleagues who operate it. Good eceonmy, performance is moderate.
My a/c of choice? Purely from a pilot’s point of view, the J41 is superb. Not without it’s problems but a beauty to hand fly – a real pilot’s a/c, shame the 29 pax were forotten about!
MONGU – indeed “viva Skiaynin Vannin”!! Been to my museum at Ronaldsway yet?
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