In addition to large orders from Airbus and Boeing, the Dubai Airshow 2019 is also the place to conclude contracts between smaller operators and manufacturers. Indeed, De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited announced commitments for up to 37 Dash 8-400 aircraft as well as three agreements relating to its aftermarket services. The company decided to participate for the first time at the Dubai Airshow since the Dash 8 aircraft program was acquired by Longview Aviation Capital, and re-launched as De Havilland Canada in June 2019. The announced commitments to purchase Dash 8-400 aircraft included a firm order for three of them from Nigeria-based Elin Group Limited (“Elin”); a conditional order from ACIA Aero Capital Limited (“ACIA”) for three aircraft; a Letter of Intent (LOI) to purchase 20 turboprop jets signed by Palma Holding Limited (“Palma”); a second LOI for up to six Dash 8-400 aircraft signed by the Republic of Ghana — which intends to launch a national airline; and a third LOI to purchase five aircraft signed by Aurora, a Russian regional airline.

De Havilland Canada also announced that it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Palma Capital Limited (“Palma”) and Export Development Canada (EDC) that outlines mutual cooperation between the three parties regarding potential Dash 8-400 aircraft transactions such as aircraft procurement and leasing opportunities and sale-leaseback opportunities for the Middle East and Africa. Besides, “Palma became the first lessor worldwide to order the Dash 8-400 aircraft in its dual-class configuration and this first decision led us to develop other opportunities for the Dash 8-400 aircraft”, said Moulay Omar Alaoui, President, Palma Holding Limited. “We have leased new Dash 8-400 aircraft to Ethiopian Airlines, RwandAir and Falcon Aviation, and we see many more opportunities for this versatile aircraft.”

Moreover, the company reaffirmed its commitment to operators in the region with the addition of two Authorized Service Facilities to its network. Known for its specialization in business aviation services, charter and aircraft management, Falcon Aviation Services (“Falcon”) is expanding its MRO portfolio to include base maintenance for the Dash 8-400 aircraft and will support operators of Dash 8-400 aircraft from its facilities in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Furthermore, Falcon signed a five-year extension to the Smart Parts program that provides component management solutions and support for its fleet of three Dash 8-400 aircraft. Meanwhile, Mediterranean Aviation Company Limited (“Medavia”), will offer heavy check maintenance services for all Dash 8 Series aircraft from its facilities located in Malta.

De Havilland has already delivered 600 Dash 8-Q400 aircraft, with its 90-seat variant. The turboprop jet is equipped the ultra-light TiSeat E2 seats developed by the French company Expliseat. Depending on the configuration, the seats reduce in-flight weight by 300 to 1,000 lbs and offer up to 1 per cent in fuel savings.