cblaisd

Transiting DIA, I noticed an EMB120 on the tarmac by the UAX gates.

I'm not sure I've seen one there before. Lots of CR7s, CR200s (miserable, execrable airplane), DASHs and Beechcrafts. But can't recall an EMB120 route (or maybe I've just not flown the right ex-Den segments).

Their lack of visibility at DIA contrasts with their ubiquity on the west coast.

cosflyer

on a good day the 120s can not take a full load, attitude has alot to do with it.back in the early 90s i used to commute from grand junction and skywest flew them and i collected my fair share of DBC out of grand junction in the summer and winter due to weight restrictions...iirc it was usually 20-24 passengers to denver max and united would book the flights to 31-33

cblaisd

That makes sense. Density altitude can really wreak havoc. I have flown an EMB120 RNO-SFO and it was a bit of a slow climb over the Sierras.

neo_781

Also perception plays a role ... post American Eagle ATR crash in Roselawn, IN both UA and AA committed to all jet RJ service at ORD due to icing fears that were significantly based on fear and not facts.

DEN being a cold weather station could also play a role in not seeing many EMB120's (although ORD never had any planes that small that I can remember). So it could just be a capacity issue.

trekwars2000

I don't think the issue would be at Denver, but at the smaller airport returing to Denver (like GJT in your case). While Denver can be hot, it is only at 5K feet and I'm pretty sure it has runways more than long enough to handle a fully loaded EMB120.

aCavalierInCoach

Where do you have in mind? GJT's 11/29 is more than 10,000' and is about the same altitude as DEN.

I'd cite performance as well but great lakes has the B1900s; my guess would be the mix of stage lengths/high-hot performance/loads makes it more economical to run the EMBs out on the West Coast and CRJs out of DEN.

trekwars2000

Laramie is at 7500 feet and only has a 8500 ft runway. EGE is at 6500 and only has a 9000 foot runway. Gunnison is 7500 feet and only as a 9500 foot runway.

Denver is at 5000 feet and has a 16000 foot runway. Of course back in the day Denver didn't have that 16000 foot runway, only the 5 12000 foot runways.

DXjr

COSFlyer is right. In the Summer, density altitude plays huge part in aircraft performance, and effects every airplane transiting through DEN. The E120 gets hurt more than others, though, not because it's smaller, but because it just can't get the power to climb in the hot, thin air due to a) the engine is limited in its power output due to the heat, and b) the props can't bite into the thinner air as well as it could the rest of the year. So, suffice to say, outside of Summer, it's performs excellently at DEN.

As for GJT, it does see restrictions in the summer, but not as bad as DEN would see.

Generally, the E120 is not a good mountain bird. It was made in Brazil, and well, there are no mountains (relatively) in Brazil.

PDXPremier

While we do get our share of EMB120s out here on the West coast (especially LAX/SFO/PDX), I have yet to see an EMB-170 make an appearance at any West coast city....furthermore, as a frequent flyer, it's the only UA (actually UAX) plane I've never flown on...is DEN about as far west as they're willing to send them???