Both the Shorts and the Metro 3 have had their day. Regional passengers expect and probably deserve better aircraft for their money. The Shorts has given 20 years of good service to regional QLD, but it's time for it to go.
Looking at the positive and negatives of the E120, S340 & Dash 8 from Sunshine Express's point, they are :
E120 Brasilia
Positives
Cheapest of the 3 to purchase. Current values range form $900,000 - $1.7m USD for aircraft built between 1986 - 1991.
Cheapest of the 3 to operate, with DOC's cost's of approx. $700 US/hr. The aircraft is excempt from ERC.
Money maker with only 12 pax.
APU installed.
Low Fuel Burn together with good speed.
Aeromil (the owners of Sunshine) have been dealing with Brasilias for 14 years and are the suppliers of spare parts for the aircraft.
It is the ideal aircraft to replace both the Shorts and the Metro.
Negatives
The smallest cabin out of the 3 and it only seats 30.
Needs about 1600m of runway at MTOW.
No simulator in Australia
Saab 340A
Positives
Current vales range from $1.4 - $2.2 m USD for aircraft built between 1985- 1988.
DOC's are around $800 US/hr
Seats up to 35 with a good sized cabin.
Low fuel burn, just a little more than than the E120.
Possible access to the simulator in MEL.
Requires about 1300-1400m of runway at MTOW.
Excempt from ERC.
Negatives
Parts can be expensive.
Does to to have a few electrical problems.
It is more expansive to purhase compared to the E120.
No APU.
Aircraft maybe to large to replace both the Shorts and the Metro.
It really is only a 30-33 seat aircraft. With 35 pax range is limited.
Dash 8-100
Positives
Large cabin with 36 seats. Passengers like the 2 + 2 seating.
It's seating capacity is the same as the Shorts.
Aeromil already own 1 Dash 8-100.
Great field performance.
Many are fitted with APU's
Possible access to simulator in SYD.
Negatives
The older -100's are getting old and tend to got U/S often.
Highest fuel burn and slowest speed out of the 3 aircraft.
May not have an APU.
It is the most expensive to purchase. Current values for early -100's are $1.5 - $2.4m USD.
DOC's around $900 US/hr.
Aircraft is to large to replace the Metro.
If it is Sunshine's plan to operate only 1 type then the Bras is the way to go. They could replace their 2 Shorts and 2 Metro's with 3 Brasilia's. With 1 type they would have reduced crew costs, (ie would require less Check Pilot's), allow better use of crews etc. Spare cost's would also be reduced.