Airlines American Airlines retires turboprop aircraft

Piedmont Airlines, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines, has retired its last de Havilland Canada Dash 8 after 33 years of flying. The last flight with the flight number 4927 departed from Charlotte Douglas International Airport on July, 4, 2018 and touch down at Salisbury Wicomico Ocean City Regional Airport in Salisbury, Maryland.

Over the years, Piedmont has flown 109 Dash 8s in three different models: the 37 seat Dash 8 - 100 and -200 and the larger, 50 seat Dash 8 -300. The Piedmont Dash 8s have served over 121 different cities from Ottawa, Canada, to Key West, Florida, over the last three decades.

“The Dash 8 was one of those rare airplanes that stood out in a crowd,” said Piedmont Captain Michael Schirmann. “It had the performance and ability to handle tough weather conditions that, when paired with a skilled pilot, allowed it to routinely and safely complete flights that other airplanes simply couldn’t. From a pilot’s perspective, the Dash 8 was a lifelong friend that commanded respect and taught so many of us what flying was really about.”

Piedmont Airlines, which operates flights for the American Airlines regional brand American Eagle, has replaced its turboprop fleet by 48 Embraer ERJ-145 jets, which offer 50 seats in an all-economy configuration.

The other major US airlines, United and Delta Air Lines, together with their subsidiaries and capacity providers, have retired their turboprop fleet in the last years. Regional flights are operated by jets like the Bombardier CRJ Series or Embraer’s ERJ and E170-195.

The end of operations for the three major airlines does not mean the end of turboprop operations in the USA. Several airlines, like the Alaska Air subsidiary Horizon Air or Empire Airlines still operate turboprop aircraft like the Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 or ATR72. Freight carriers like Fedex have just ordered new ATR42-500 Freighters for their domestic network.