Norwegian regional carrier Widerøe has expanded its participation in De Havilland Canada’s Extended Service Program PLUS (ESP+) by enrolling four additional Dash 8-100 aircraft, increasing its total commitment under the programme to 14 aircraft.
The announcement, made at the Farnborough International Airshow, builds on Widerøe’s role as the launch customer for the ESP+ programme in 2022, when it initially enrolled 10 aircraft with options to add more.
The ESP+ programme extends the service life of the Dash 8-100 fleet from 120,000 to 160,000 flight cycles, giving the aircraft the highest certified flight-cycle life of any commercial aircraft. The programme enables operators to maximise fleet utilisation while supporting long-term maintenance planning and reducing aircraft ownership costs.
“We’re delighted to continue building on our long-standing relationship with Widerøe through the expansion of the ESP+ programme,” said Rob Mobilio, Chief Commercial Officer at De Havilland Canada. “Widerøe has been a leader in the adoption of this programme from the beginning, and we’re proud to support them as they continue to maximise the value and service life of their Dash 8-100 fleet.”
Widerøe has operated the Dash 8 family for several decades, providing regional connectivity across Norway’s challenging operating environment.
Werner Skaue, Director of Aircraft Trading at Widerøe, said the expanded agreement reflects the airline’s commitment to maintaining the reliability of its regional fleet. “The Dash 8-100 remains an important part of our regional network, and ESP+ gives us a practical and cost-effective way to extend the life of these aircraft while maintaining the safety, reliability and performance our operations depend on,” he said.
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In addition to the life extension programme, Widerøe also participates in De Havilland Component Solutions, the manufacturer’s comprehensive component support programme.
The expanded agreement underscores the growing importance of OEM-backed lifecycle extension programmes as operators seek to maximise aircraft availability, optimise maintenance planning and extend the operational life of proven regional aircraft fleets.
