Page 14 - AAA JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2017 Online Magazine

FEATURE REGIONAL AIRCRAFT

Fight for the Sky

New breed of regional jets is looking more attractive by the day as competition intensifies
in the Asian region
By Jerome Chandler and Geoffrey Thomas

AS OIL PRICES START TO MOVE NORTH to acquire as many as 75 CS300s. Some
a new breed of regional jets is looking 45 of those are firm orders, the remaining
more attractive by the day as competition 30 options. The order gave Bombardier’s
intensifies in the Asian region with Chinese ambitious C Series effort a tremendous
airlines flexing their competitive muscles. boost. An even bigger boost came in April
Bombardier’s C Series, Embraer’s E-Jet when Delta Air Lines announced it was
E2s, Mitsubishi’s MRJs and China’s C919 are placing 75 firm CS100 orders and 50 options,
significantly more fuel-efficient aircraft that for delivery starting in 2018. “The C Series
blur the line between full-size narrow bodies, was designed from the very beginning
such as the Boeing 737-700 and Airbus A319, with its environmental footprint in mind,”
and regional jets. Sebastien Mullot, the aircrafts’ programme
First into service is Bombardier’s CS100, director, says. “We were looked at, a bit,
a rakish new Canadian twinjet capable of as if we were coming from another planet. TOP: Deliveries of the Mitsubishi
carrying between 108 and 133 passengers But no, we come from Earth — and we care Regional Jet (MRJ) have been
while the larger CS300 is capable of about Earth.” Bombardier believes that more deferred from mid-2018 to
transporting between 130 and 160. In the and more regional airlines will up-gauge to mid-2020. The programme was
launched in 2008
Asian region, Korean Air was an early offerings like its C Series from aircraft such
customer for the CS300 with an order for as its CRJ series. In its Commercial Aircraft’s OPPOSITE PAGE: Bombardier’s C
10. The programme has commitments for 2015-2034 market forecast it projects that Series is now in revenue service
678, with firm orders for 243. A big prize the “Regional carriers will continue to up- with two airlines and initial
performance reports have been
on Bombardier’s part was landing a Letter gauge to 60 to 100-seat aircraft,” and “A encouraging for what is a brand-
of Intent in February 2016 from Air Canada broad renewal of the 100 to 150-seat fleet new type and a clean-sheet design
14 ASIAN AIRLINES & AEROSPACE JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2017 WWW.GBP.COM.SG/AAA