It is the end of an impressive era. Austrian Airlines operated - for the last time - a passenger flight with a turboprop aircraft. The Dash 8-Q400 aircraft, registered OE-LGI, operated flights OS905 and OS906, from Vienna to Innsbruck and back. After more than 40 years, these flights marked the end of the Dash era in Austria. The future fleet of Austrian Airlines will consist entirely of Airbus, Boeing and Embraer aircraft.
"Dash has had an impressive career in our company, is and will remain part of our history. We will not forget this. I would like to thank everyone who has been at the helm of Dash aircraft over the past decades, the crews in the cabin, the teams of technicians who made sure all the details were put in place and all the people who were involved in this experience. ", said Francesco Sciortino, COO Austrian Airlines.
On May 31, Austrian Airlines said goodbye to the last Dash 8 aircraft.
"During peak periods, the Dash 8-Q400 performed up to 44.000 individual flights a year"says Thomas Bleimuth, Austrian Airlines Dash Fleet Manager. "With this type of aircraft, it was possible to fly to particularly demanding locations. For example, Tyrolean Airways used to fly Dash 7 aircraft to Courchevel in the French Alps, an aerodrome more than 2.000 meters above sea level. "
On April 9, 1980, the story of the Dash began not only in Austria but throughout Europe. At the time, Tyrolean Airways was the first European airline to operate a De Havilland Canada DHC-7. With its excellent landing characteristics, the regional aircraft, which had only 50 seats, was ideal for operating flights to difficult airports such as Innsbruck or Courchevel.
Since 1985, Tyrolean Airways has used the Dash 8-100 on flights to Graz, Frankfurt and Zurich. Until the full takeover of Tyrolean Airways by Austrian Airlines in 1998, a total of 44 different Dash 8 aircraft, in the -100, -300 and -400 series, were used for various flights.
During peak periods, the Dash 8-Q400 performed up to 44.000 individual flights a year.
Following the takeover by Austrian Airlines, 18 Dash 8-Q400 aircraft were used for short-haul routes, such as flights from Vienna to Milan, Warsaw or Zagreb.
After almost 20 years of operation at Austrian Airlines, this type of aircraft boasts some impressive figures:
• Over 20 million passengers transported by Dash 8-Q400 aircraft in the last 20 years.
• Dash 8-Q400 traveled 237 million kilometers - without accidents. That is 310 flights to the moon and back.
• Dash 8-Q400s Austrian Airlines spent 54 years in the air.
• During the long career, the aircraft completed more than 520.000 landings without events.
• During their pre-flight checks, the Dash 8-Q400 pilots traveled more than 52.000 kilometers on foot - that is, 20 circumnavigations of Austria.