So pcm - you've flown the Q400 from the front and know how much pitch it takes to maintain the V2 speed to the engine out altitude, and how much of a rotation rate it requires to ensure that you do not blow through this speed?
To give you a relative idea, the 100 series Dash 8, which is underpowered compared to her younger sisters, requires (with 5 degree of flap and 90% torque) a pitch from rotation to approximately 13 to 15 degrees in 3 to 5 seconds to maintain the V2 speed - any slower and you'll easily be 15 to 20 knots faster. It is an AFM requirement to maintain V2 or V2+10, operators choice, to 400 feet. I personally prefer V2 - a little more uncomfortable for the passengers, but a whole lot more comfortable for the pilots if an engine quits because of the extra altitude you have.
The Porter guys and gals know what they're doing. I've had a chance to sit in on one of their sim sessions while I was down for my own recurrent training - I've never seen a more anal bunch of pilots in my life, so don't think for a second that what they are doing is in anyway "abnormal." Quite the opposite from what I saw.
Last edited by +TSRA; 30th Sep 2012 at 00:26.