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 accomomodate 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 one of the prototypes was lost in a spin mishap in July 1993. The type obtained certification in late 1992, with initial delivery to customers late in that year.
As of August 2006 a total of 938 CRJ100 and CRJ200 aircraft (all variants) are in airline service, with 8 further firm orders. Major operators include Air Nostrum (35, Plus 7 orders), Air Wisconsin (70), Atlantic Southeast Airlines (110), Comair (40), Jazz Aviation (43), Lufthansa CityLine (26), Mesa Airlines (60), Mesaba Airlines (19), Pinnacle Airlines (145), PSA Airlines (35), Republic Airways Holdings (20), and SkyWest Airlines (159). Some 20 other airlines also operate smaller fleets of the type.
Read more about this topic: Bombardier CRJ200
Famous quotes containing the word development:
“Every new development for the last three centuries has brought men closer to a state of affairs in which absolutely nothing would be recognized in the whole world as possessing a claim to obedience except the authority of the State. The majority of people in Europe obey nothing else.”
—Simone Weil (1909–1943)
“The experience of a sense of guilt for wrong-doing is necessary for the development of self-control. The guilt feelings will later serve as a warning signal which the child can produce himself when an impulse to repeat the naughty act comes over him. When the child can produce his on warning signals, independent of the actual presence of the adult, he is on the way to developing a conscience.”
—Selma H. Fraiberg (20th century)
“As a final instance of the force of limitations in the development of concentration, I must mention that beautiful creature, Helen Keller, whom I have known for these many years. I am filled with wonder of her knowledge, acquired because shut out from all distraction. If I could have been deaf, dumb, and blind I also might have arrived at something.”
—Mark Twain [Samuel Langhorne Clemens] (1835–1910)