Roll Out and First Flight of the Canadair Regional Jet
By William Jesse
The latest concept in jet airliners made it’s debut on 6 May, with the roll-out of the Canadair Regional Jet from the company’s Montreal facility at Dorval Airport. Amidst a fanfare of especially scored music, laser beams and artificial smoke, the newest product to enter the aviation world was introduced to some 2000 plus persons.
Officially launched on 31 March, 1989, the 50/56 passenger Regional Jet, is the first twin-engined jetliner in the world, on the market in the under 100 seat class, and the lowest cost jetliner currently in production. Based on the proven technology of the Challenger business jet, the Regional Jet will provide a flexible new tool for the airline market.
The Regional Jet is 20 feet longer and has major modifications to optimize it for the commercial transport mission and high utilization and dispatch reliability required by todays scheduled carriers. It is equipped with General Electric CF34-3A1 turbofan engines, which have demonstrated their reliability throughout seven million hours of service on military and commercial aircraft.
It features four across seating and a quiet cabin, the result of it’s wide fuselage and high bypass ratio engines, providing jet comfort. speed 40 to 50 percent faster than competing turboprops, Regional Jet operators will be able to open new routes, increase flight frequencies and offer non-stop flights on low density routes. According to airline economists and forecasters, this unique market niche developed by Canadair, is expected to generate a demand for up to 1000 aircraft of the type in the next ten years.
First flight of the jet airliner was expected in early May with certification from Canada’s Ministry of Transport and the US Federal Aviation Administration expected to take 12 months. Canadair expects to certify two versions of the Regional Jet simultaneously. the Standard Regional Jet Series 100 and the extended range Regional Jet Series 100ER. Lufthansa subsidiary DLT will be the worlds first airline to fly the new airliner, having signed a purchase order in May 1990 for 13 Canadair Regional Jets and placing options for an additional 12 aircraft. Delivery is slated for the summer of 1992.
Canadair is part of Bombardier Inc., a major manufacturer of transportation and aerospace products which also owns Learjet Corporation and Short Brothers Plc. In its 46 year existence, Canadair has produced over 4,000 aircraft ranging from supersonic jets to large four engined airliners. More recently it is well known for it's Challenger business jet and the CL-215T amphibious aircraft. The Regional Jet is the first jet airliner to be produced in Canada, and if the enthusiasm shown by the company's employees and guests during the rollout is any indication of what to expect from the company in the future it won't be long before Regional Jets will be seen at many airports world-wide.
Aviation News, June 1991, p. 69