Bombardier CRJ

The Bombardier CRJ (for Canadair Regional Jet) is a family of regional airliners manufactured by Bombardier:

Bombardier CRJ200

The Bombardier CRJ100 and CRJ200 are a family of regional airliners manufactured by Bombardier, and based on the Canadair Challenger business jet. These regional jet models were formerly known as the Canadair CRJ100 and CRJ200.

Development

The aircraft was based on the Canadair Challenger design, which was purchased by Canadair from Bill Lear in 1976.

The wide fuselage of the Challenger which seats 2 passengers on each side of the aisle suggested early on to Canadair officials that it would be straightforward to stretch the aircraft to accommodate more seats, and there was a plan for a Challenger 610E, which would have had seating for 24 passengers. That lengthening did not occur, the effort being canceled in 1981, but the idea did not disappear.

In 1987, studies began for a much more ambitious stretched configuration, leading to the formal launch of the Canadair Regional Jet program in the spring of 1989. The "Canadair" name was retained despite the fact that Bombardier had bought out the company. The first of three development machines for the initial CRJ100 performed its first flight on 10 May 1991, though the first prototype (C-FCRJ) was lost in a spin mishap on July 26, 1993 near Wichita, Kansas. The type obtained certification in late 1992, with initial delivery to customers late in that year.

Bombardier CRJ700 series

The Bombardier CRJ700, CRJ900, and CRJ1000 are regional airliners manufactured by Bombardier and based on the CRJ200. Final assembly of the aircraft is at Montréal-Mirabel International Airport in Mirabel, Quebec, outside Montreal, Canada.

Development

Following the success of the CRJ100/200 series, Bombardier produced larger variants in order to compete with larger regional aircraft such as Embraer's E-Jets, Fokker's F70/100 series, and the BAe 146/Avro RJ family.

CRJ700 series

Design work on the CRJ700 by Bombardier started in 1995 and the programme was officially launched in January 1997. The CRJ700 is a stretched 70-seat derivative of the CRJ200. Seating ranges from 66 to 78 for the CRJ700 versions, however. The CRJ700 features a new wing with leading edge slats and a stretched and slightly widened fuselage, with a lowered floor.

The early build aircraft were equipped with two General Electric CF34-8C1 engines. However, later build aircraft are now equipped standard with the -8C5 model, which is essentially an uprated 8C1. Most airlines have replaced the older engines with the newer model, while a few have kept the older -8C1 in their fleet. Maximum speed is Mach 0.85 (895 km/hr, 556 mi/hr) at a maximum altitude of 12,500 m (41,000 ft). Depending upon payload, the CRJ700 can travel up to 3,620 km (2,250 mi) with original engines, and a new variant with CF34-8C5 engines will be able to travel up to 4,660 km (2,900 mi).