Just over a month after taking delivery of its first DHC-8-300, Ravn Alaska (7H, Anchorage Ted Stevens) has now deployed the type into revenue service on its notoriously challenging Anchorage Ted Stevens- Dutch Harbor route.
N151RA (msn 395) operated the route for the first time on September 13, 2021. While the Q300 is scheduled to run flights to Dutch Harbor daily, Flightradar24 ADS-B data shows that some of the rotations continue to be operated by DHC-8-100s.
The Alaskan carrier took delivery of the Dash 8-300 in early August and deployed it on a number of proving flights in early September 2021.
Operations to Dutch Harbor, an outpost in the Aleutian Islands, are considered challenging due to frequent extreme weather at the destination, the scarcity of alternative airports, and its remoteness for small turboprop aircraft - the only ones able to land at the airport there. While the scheduled flight time of 3:10 hours for the Dash 8-300 is already significant for a turboprop, diversions and returns to Anchorage are not infrequent, adding to operational difficulties. Some Dash 8-100 services to Dutch Harbor have also required a refuelling stop, usually at Cold Bay or King Salmon.
Ravn Alaska said that deploying the larger and quicker Dash 8-300 would prevent the need for such technical stopovers.
The carrier operates ten Dash 8-100s, including seven owned and three leased from Avmax Aircraft Leasing. FLOAT Alaska, the SPV that owns Ravn on behalf of FLOAT Shuttle (Burbank), also owns a single stored Saab 340B and a single Piper (twin piston) PA-34.
