TCA Aircraft Testing Department.

Small single & twin prop aircraft test report.

Date of Report: May 24, 1998
Tested by: 	M. Carvelas
           	TCA #2137
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SECTION A: (Original FSFS aircraft details.)

        a) Aircraft name: 		TCA Dash 8 series 300
        b) Aircraft registration: 	PJ - TJJ
        c) Aircraft Filename: 		DHC83TCA.ZIP


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SECTION B: (FS98 only aircraft file details.)

        a) Aircraft Filename: DHC83TCA.ZIP
        b) Aircraft name: Celia Cruz

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SECTION C: (Criteria Tested)

1)      Endurance (range) NM: 		388 nm


2)      Take-off distance(metres): 	545 m
        Landing distance(metres):  	321 m

3)      Rotation speed (Vr) (KIAS):
        a)Educated guess: 102 KIAS
        b)Calculated: 80 * 1.3 = 104 KIAS

4)      Climb: Best climb speed (KIAS/fpm): 160 KIAS / 1200 fpm

5)      Overspeed clacker(at cruise altitude) Mach number or KIAS:
        M 0.53

6)      Behavior under AP: (OK/Not OK)
        a) Speed AP.     	OK
        b) Altitude AP.  	OK
        c) Heading AP.   	OK
        d) NAV1 AP.      	OK
        e) Back course AP.  	OK
        f) Approach AP.  	OK
        g) Autoland.     	N/A

7)      Speed @ 80% power at cruise altitudes (Mach number or KIAS):
        M 0.41

8)      Power setting, economic cruise speed: 73 %

9)      Stall speed (KIAS).
        a) 100% fuel:  86 / 80
        b)  30% fuel:  81 / 71

10)     Approach speed at 30% fuel (KIAS): 71 * 1.3 + 10 = 102 KIAS

11)     Turns AP ON - (OK/Not OK):
        a) Level turns.      OK
        b) Climbing turns.   OK
        c) Descending turns. OK

12)     Turns AP OFF - (OK/Not OK):
        a) Level turns.       OK - but constant banking pressure is
                          necessary as aircraft "wants" to level itself
        b) Climbing turns.    OK
        c) Descending turns.  OK

13)     Landing speed (KIAS):
        a) 30% fuel:  102 KIAS
        b) 15% fuel:  93 KIAS

14)     Take-off with some engines out of service: Power to starboard
        engine cut at 90 KIAS. Aircraft pulls slightly but still under
        control.  Acceleration to Vr is very slow, much more runway
        needed.  At Vr, liftoff is very sluggish and climbrate is poor.
        Yoke must be held almost all the way over to maintain level
        flight.  Acceleration beyond 120 KIAS seems impossible.
        Turning left is almost impossible.  After turning right,
        lineing up with runway very difficult.  Landing possible only
        by lining up and cutting both engines when over the runway.
        Landing was successful but extremely rough.


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SECTION D:      NOTES/COMMENTS:

        Aircraft seems to have an extremely low range making it
somewhat of a poor choice for anything other than TDM unless routing
includes airports with fueling facilities.  On shorter runways, should
an engine go out, it would be wise to abort the takeoff procedure as
takeoff run would be lenghtened so much that most Caribbean runways
would prove too short.  With both engines, however, it is extremely
easy to fly with slow enough landing speeds to make it appropriate for
even novice aviators.