Update – Canadair RJ Regional Jet

That type is the 50 seat jet. Front runners in this new market are Canadair with their derivative of the proven Challenger corporate jet and Shorts with the FJX, an all new twinjet which, at time of writing, it’s future was still unclear due to the imminent sale of Shorts and the very high cost of launching an all new aircraft. Canadair for their part officially launched the Regional Jet (RJ) on March 31st with a stated commitment of 62 aircraft comprising 56 firm and 6 options. A very impressive start to a programme that Canadair see has a long-term potential market for more than 1000 aircraft in this class over a ten year timespan.

But why a 50 seat jet? The answer to this question is probably little different to that which was arrived at by Fokker back in the sixties when they decided to launch the F. 28-1000, a 65 seat jet optimised specifically for non trunk operations. What did not exist twenty years ago though was congestion. Airport and primary airways congestion is nowadays worsening at a rate which will see much of the world’s larger airports literally out of capacity within three to five years. At many times of the year the several dozen key hubs in Europe and North America suffer congestion that not only negates their own efficient operation but also creates a ripple effect through the entire regional air traffic environment of the two continents. With minimal investment in new airports and a half decade of solid traffic growth, the situation at these horribly over congested mega hubs is worsening to the point where a new high speed, medium range 50 seat jet market has emerged that will see many smaller cities being linked directly, rather than via the traditional hub.

What we have with the Canadair RJ is thus a 48/50 seat jet capable of offering full galley service at cruise speeds of 460kts over max pax ranges of 1,400nm. This is the first time such an aircraft has been available and its attraction to operators is that it can now open up new routes in a deregulated market that were previously left dormant by the majors due to their not having enough traffic to justify direct (read timesaving) point to point services.

In Australia, if you don’t live in either Sydney or Melbourne and you wish to travel anywhere on the eastern seaboard (or inland) you can bet your bottom dollar that you will have to transit either or both of those city’s airports. To fly, for instance from Canberra to Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Hobart or Perth you will have to go first to Sydney or Melbourne. The same applies, of course, in reverse; while someone in Cairns may have to make up to three stops just to reach Adelaide or Perth. This is not only wasting available aircraft capacity in real terms but is also greatly adding to the overall levels of congestion to be found at both these major airports and in particular Sydney. An RJ, for instance, could link Brisbane with Adelaide, direct and non stop, saving passengers many hours while break even load factor would be such that a 737-300 type aircraft would have to uplift at least three times as many passengers to make the route viable. As this market presently does not exist, then the availability of a 50 seat long legged jet is precisely what is required. It may well prove to be one of the rare winners from deregulation in Australia. After all, why compete head to head with the big guns when you can capture a new market by simply bypassing their presently sacrosanct hubs of congestion.

In Europe, which will deregulate in 1992 amidst an avalanche of expected growth, the story is the same only the congestion problem itself is significantly worse. To be able to fly between Munich and Manchester without visiting Frankfurt and Heathrow en route is a privilege that airlines like Lufthansa’s DLT obviously considers is worth putting its Deutschmarks behind as official launch customer for the RJ. Indeed the number of population centres in Europe of more than one million people that could be linked at jet speeds in a 50 seater is more than 100. North America is little different, while worldwide during the weekends such an aircraft might fly small charter groups from a wintry city in the north direct to the sunny south in a cost efficient manner not presently available as existing twinjets are usually too large to satisfy such a select market and smaller turboprops too slow to be considered saleable to the consumer.

Essentially the RJ represents a 20ft stretch of the proven Challenger 601 business jet of which some 200 have already been built. The same General Electric CF34-3A engines of 9,220Ibs max thrust will power the RJ which will typically be configured with 50 economy class seats at a 31in pitch in a four abreast configuration. A full galley will be available as well as standard provision of sufficient medium range baggage space. While 31in pitch may sound a little tight it must be remembered that the new generation of commuter seats do allow significantly more legroom than the older F. 27 style seats. Thirty three inches in an older F. 27 for instance is about the same physically as thirty one in a new Fokker 50.

Alternatively a high yield market will no doubt arise where a three abreast premium class configuration will specifically cater for the business market. The time saving in this area alone would be a powerful incentive for any frequent flyer to ditch his regular carrier going perennially via hubs he doesn’t want to visit, when all he wants is to fly between two completely separate destinations. Again, the market potential of aircraft like the RJ in a deregulated environment are exceptional to say the least.

The RJ fuselage stretch takes place forward of the wing and incorporates substantial fuselage frame strengthening to cope with the day to day rigours of the high frequency regional airline environment. Heavy duty steel brakes are used as is a new high strength alloy undercarriage. The RJ is designed for 3,000hrs or 4,000 flights per year and has an economic repair life of 60,000hrs or 80,000 flights.

While systems design will be naturally optimised for the commuter application (rather than the corporate) the full EFIS cockpit will be retained with specific options available as per individual operator requirements. Full walk through 6’1″ headroom allows a cabin very close to that of the slower Fokker 50 ATR, Dash 8 and ATP propjets while maximum cruise altitude will be 41,000ft. This latter point will occasionally assist the RJ on its longer hauls by being able to get it above crossing or conflicting traffic at lower levels where the squadrons of DC-9s, 737s and the like ply their trade.

Canadair actually began feasibility studies on the RJ programme back in 1987. In depth consultations with scores of potential operators came up with an aircraft that has grown considerably in capability since the programme was publicly mooted a year ago. First flight of the RJ is scheduled for late 1990 with certification (to full FAR Part 25 airliner standards) being targeted for early 1992 with service entry by the middle of that year. Canadair are planning to produce up to 48 RJs a year by 1994/95 by which time (at present market growth) the standard corporate jet Challenger will also possibly be produced at a similar rate. Canadair have budgeted $A300m for the RJ development programme (about a third that required by Shorts for the all new FJX) and plan for a flyaway cost of around $A17m per aircraft, about 25 to 33% more expensive than a Fokker 50, ATP, ATR72 or Dash 8-300 propjet.

What essentially the RJ offers is a plethora of new and exciting marketing opportunities for both new and established airlines. It also offers established commuter operators a window to the larger trunk markets without needing to go head to head with their big brother host airlines. The bottom line will be to ensure that the acquisition cost is kept within Canadair’s present estimates and that the aircraft is productive enough (given its 150kts + cruise speed advantage) to ensure that its higher fuel burn per flight hour and comparatively high DOCs will truly make it more valuable than the present generation of turboprops. Only time will tell.