OMG! I think we're booked on some commuter flight!

[teacups]

I am not a seasoned flyer. I've flown once before, and that was to DL as well. We flew from Boise, to Portland, OR. to transfer, then down to Orange county. And the reverse back home. The plane (or crate with wings) between Boise and Portland was scary! Well, guess what??? This time we are doing a direct flight due to some ear problems on landings, and the WHOLE FLIGHT is on the Winged Crate!!!! 2.5 hours! Who knows anything about these little 70 person planes? Bombadier Q400, I think is what it would be called.
I am guessing it's a business commuter or something, since its direct and at 6 am.

Is this thing safe??? Who has been on one of these things?

 

[Amy&Dan]

Here is a link on Bombardier:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombardier_Aerospace

And here is a link on that airplane:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Canada_Dash_8

I know my husband used to fly on the Canada Regional Jets which from the looks of that link are the same company and he loved flying on those. He didn't really feel they were any more bumpy over the Rockies than the bigger jets. I had a friend back then whose husband was an air mechanic (for Lear which as I recall became Bombardier) and he assured me they were very safe. In any case my husband flew on those planes every week for months and never had a problem. You'll be fine! It sounds like those Q series are maybe the newer ones?

Try googling somthing like "airplane safety statistics and see what you come up with. You might also post this on the Transportation Board here on the dis, there are lots of airplane experts over there.

 

[Adi12982]

70 person planes are not as small as they come. . . trust me. . . I have been on 20 or less people planes (and to add to the problem it was in a lightening storm), now those are terrifying. . . . you should be ok. . .

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Ha!!! You haven't lived until you fly in a plane where the co-pilot's seat is a paying passenger seat.

 

[Jestocost]

Ha!!! You haven't lived until you fly in a plane where the co-pilot's seat is a paying passenger seat.

Been there, done that, hit my head on the ceiling of the cabin during turbulence.

I've never been on the Q400, but it's doesn't appear to be a flying crate like some of the older ATRs, Saabs or worse. It's a turbo prop, however, not one of the regional "true" jets like the Canadair's that Bombardier makes of the Embraers. That means a little slower and a little louder than a full-size jet or RJ. It looks pretty comfortable.

Here's the official site:

Bombardier Q400

 

[darph nader]

Ha!!! You haven't lived until you fly in a plane where the co-pilot's seat is a paying passenger seat.

 

[casaazul]

Ha!!! You haven't lived until you fly in a plane where the co-pilot's seat is a paying passenger seat.

Where every seat is a window seat and an aisle seat!! I won't ever do those small turbo props. Southwest's 737 are about it for me!!!

Have a great time! Things will be just fine.