First CRJ100 Flew In May 1991
Bombardier Aerospace announced Thursday the CRJ Series program
has exceeded 1,500 deliveries. The 1,500th aircraft, a CRJ900
NextGen model, was handed over to Northwest Airlines in March 2008,
and will be operated by Mesaba Airlines, a Northwest Airlink
carrier.
On Friday, April 18, the milestone was celebrated during the
delivery of another CRJ900 NextGen regional jet to Northwest
Airlines, at Bombardier’s manufacturing facility at Mirabel,
Quebec. The CRJ900 NextGen aircraft delivered during the ceremony
was accepted by Dan McDonald, Vice-President, Fleet Planning and
Strategy, Northwest Airlines, Inc.
"The CRJ900 aircraft has exceeded our expectations for
performance and passenger comfort," said Mr. McDonald. "The NextGen
interior is a real winner with our customers and results of our
passenger survey confirm this fact. Thanks to all the Bombardier
employees that made this important product improvement a
reality."
Northwest Airlines has ordered 56 CRJ200, 86 CRJ440 and 36
CRJ900 NextGen airliners. Mesaba Airlines operated 25 de Havilland
Dash 8 turboprops in the early 1990s, before Bombardier acquired de
Havilland.
"The 1,500th Bombardier CRJ aircraft, which we delivered to
Northwest last month, is the result of a solid partnership between
Bombardier, our suppliers and employees. Above all, it’s
about the proud Bombardier workforce who produced the aircraft,"
said James Dailly, Senior Vice-President, Sales, Bombardier
Regional Aircraft.
The CRJ Series has grown from the original 50-seat CRJ100 and
CRJ200, to the 44-seat CRJ440, 70-seat CRJ700, 75-seat CRJ705,
86-seat CRJ900 and the 100-seat CRJ1000, which is scheduled to
enter airline service in the fourth quarter of 2009. In the spring
of 2007, Bombardier introduced its next generation of regional
jets, the CRJ700 NextGen, CRJ900 NextGen and CRJ1000 NextGen, with
all-new interiors, lower operating costs and reduced greenhouse gas
emissions.
Bombardier launched the CRJ program on March 31, 1989 with 56
firm orders and six options on the books. The CRJ regional jet
first flew on May 10, 1991 and received Canadian Department of
Transport type approval on July 31, 1992, followed by US and
European approvals early in 1993. The CRJ began revenue service
with launch customer Lufthansa CityLine on November 1, 1992.
Today, firm orders for CRJ Series aircraft stand at 1,663
aircraft. CRJ aircraft have been ordered by more than 50 customers
in more than 20 countries throughout the Asia/Pacific region,
Africa, Europe, Middle East, and North and South America.