Flybe Bombardier Dash 8 Q400: The fastest way from A to Flybe - Faster than Road or Rail

You can get domestic flights across the UK with Flybe at Birmingham Airport. Up to Scotland or over to Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland on a Flybe Bombardier Dash 8 Q400. I've not been on one myself but seen plenty at Birmingham Airport or over the skies of the West Midlands! Flybe also use a small number of ATR 72 planes, but operated by other airlines on their behalf.

Flybe Dash 8 Q400

Flybe is the worlds largest operator of the Dash 8 Q400. They have either been in a white and sky blue livery, or more recently a purple livery.

Birmingham Airport

This view from June 2012. Was heading to catch a flight to Naples (with Thomson Airways).

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This December 2016 view from Car Park 5 at Birmingham Airport. There is a bus stop outside of the car park and you can get off the X1 or X12.

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The Sheldon Country Park is a good location for plane spotting, not far from Marston Green Station. This view from the middle of March 2017 as this purple Flybe Dash came into land at runway 15 over the park.

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About 10 days later back at the Sheldon Country Park near the end of March 2017. This purple Flybe Dash was seen taking off.

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Had just landed back from Lyon at Birmingham Airport in a Flybe Embraer 175 (as my plane taxiied back to the terminal building), when I saw this white and sky blue Flybe Dash plane, during June 2017.

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As my plane ended it's journey at the Terminal building, saw a few more purple Flybe planes with a Shell tanker to the left. June 2017. You can also see the Air Traffic Control Tower from here, but it didn't have the Flybe name on it at the time. "Fast than road or rail".

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In June 2018 I was waiting to get on my Jet2 plane to Pisa. I saw this white Flybe Dash taxiing back to the terminal building. Can just about glimpse the City Skyline in the background.

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In August 2018 I tried plane spotting from another location near Birmingham Airport. The Birmingham Airport Viewing Area South End. Got off the bus near the Holiday Inn, and walked up the paths along the Coventry Road, round the semi circle that was changed for the runway extension. Directly opposite runway 33 is the viewing area just beyond the runway and the A45 Coventry Road. Saw this purple Flybe Dash taking off.

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In May 2019 shortly after landing back from Barcelona with Ryanair saw these puprle Flybe Dash planes near the Terminal building. The area where Ryanair is based is usually to the right of where Flybe is normally based at the airport.

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Back to Car Park 5 at Birmingham Airport at the end of August 2019. Saw this white and sky blue Dash 8 taking off.

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This purple Dash 8 was not that far from the Terminal buildings (but passengers may have to access it via a bus). Says Scotland at the front.

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Erdington

There are other places to see planes coming to land and take off from Birmingham Airport. In May 2014 I went to Erdington for the first time, and saw this white Flybe Dash from the Chester Road.

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I've only been to Erdington Station once, and in May 2014 saw several planes coming into Birmingham Airport including thie white and sky blue Flybe Dash.

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Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens

These gardens in Castle Bromwich are closer to the airport in Solihull Borough, so the planes were much closer to see. Saw this white and sky blue Flybe Dash coming into land at Birmingham Airport during October 2018.

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There was also this purple Flybe Dash seen from the same gardens in Castle Bromwich. Details were quite clear on zoom in.

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Bonus plane photo from Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens. This ATR 72-500 seen during Octobe 2018 coming into land at Birmingham Airport. From March 2019, the plane went back to the Irish carrier Stobart Air. At the time had a distinctive white nose.

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Stechford

Another place to see planes coming into Birmingham Airport is from Stechford Station. Saw this white and sky blue Flybe Dash taking off during late October 2018.

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This ATR 72-500 seen over Stechford Station during October 2018. Blue Islands were operating it on behalf of Flybe. The ATR's look similar to the Dash 8's but the body of the plane is slightly different.

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Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

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