De Havilland Canada DHC-8-300 Dash 8
The DHC-8-300 stretched the Dash 8 family by 3.4 m over the -100/-200, raising typical seating from around 39 to 50-56 passengers while keeping the same high-T-tail, twin-turboprop layout. It uses Pratt & Whitney PW123 series engines rated up to roughly 2,500 shp in the later 300B/300E subvariants, giving cruise speeds near 287 knots. The stretch made it a genuine regional airliner rather than a commuter feeder, and it stayed in production after the -100 was discontinued. Many -300s remain in scheduled service with regional carriers worldwide.

Did you know?
The stretched Dash 8-300 gained enough extra cabin length to serve busier regional routes without needing a full-size regional jet.
Specifications
| Length | 25.7 m (84 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 27.4 m (90 ft) |
| Height | 7.5 m (25 ft) |
| Maximum passengers | 50 |
| Persons on board | 50 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 18.6 t |
| Range | 1,355 NM (2,509 km) |
| Maximum speed | 287 kt (532 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 25,000 ft (7,620 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 22,000 ft (6,706 m) |
| Rate of climb | 1,800 ft/min (9.1 m/s) |
| Take-off distance | 1,148 m (3,766 ft) |
| Landing distance | 1,177 m (3,862 ft) |
| Fuel capacity | 3,320 l |
| Engines | 2x Pratt & Whitney Canada PW123 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
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More from the Dash 8 family
- De Havilland Canada DHC-8-100 Dash 8
- De Havilland Canada DHC-8-200 Dash 8
- De Havilland Canada DHC-8-400 Dash 8
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