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Aviation History
1999
1999 - 1732.PDF
carry-on baggage," observes Embraer presi dent Mauricio Botelho. The three manufacturers are now following through with the development of a new gener ation of even larger and longer-range regional jets. Bombardier has stolen a lead in the 70-seat market with a 5.8m (19ft) stretch of the CRJ- 200. The new CRJ-700 is scheduled for certifi cation by early 2 001, by which time Bombardier hopes to be at least 12 months into the develop ment of its next BRJ-X series. Bombardier is planning two baseline ver sions, spanning 88-115 seats with extended range variants in die pipeline. Providing it gets an end-of-year board approval to proceed with a $1.2 billion programme, the company hopes to be first into the 90-seater market with the BRJ-X-90 by the third quarter of 2003. The larger 3.5m-stretch BRJ-X-110 would follow- around two years after drat. "We might be third in formally launching our next family, but we won't be third arriving on the market," asserts Gillespie. "We'll be first with die 70-seater by a long lead and by 2 002 we will have delivered about 100 aircraft. Witli the BRJ-X-90 we'll get there about die same time as Fairchild if they proceed witft the 928JET and we'll be ahead of Embraer." Fairchild had been developing the 728JET for a year before Lufthansa's launch order in early May for 60 aircraft. On the present .imetable the 70-seater is to enter commercial •service in May 2002 to be followed bv die 95/ 105-seat 928JET by the end of 2003. The $1.2 billion programme includes a diird member of rhe family, die 55/65-seat 528JET, tentatively Embraer hopes to repeat the success of its ERJ-135/145 at the large end of the market with its ERJ-170/190 scheduled for late 2004. "We have a head start," claims Albert. "We didn't make any big an nouncements to say we're thinking about it as our competitors did. We kept our heads low and before making a billion-dollar investment deci sion made a much easier $40 million decision two years ago to do preliminary design work and look at the market." Embraer was the third player to show its hand widi die February unveiling of the 70-seat ERJ- 170 and 98-seat ERJ-190-100. While this has •rf.MliMriti.in.lJrlMM! Seats CRJ-700 (ER) BRJ-X-90 (ER) BRJ-X-110 (ER) 728JET (ER) 928JET ERJ-170 (ER) ERJ-190 (ER) * metres 70 88-95 108-115 70-85 95-105 69-70 98-108 Range (km) 3,060 (3,670) 3,330(4,717) "(") 3,260 (4,255) 3,496 2,780(4,075) 2,965 (4,260) Maximum take-off weight (kg) 33,000 (34,000) 48,761 5,3297 34,860(37,500) 44,500 33,990 (36,600) 44,500 (47300) Cabin crass section* 2.55 3.26 " 3.25 " 2.74 Cabin height* 1.98 2.09 2.05 " 2.00 • Fairchild will be the first to introduce an all-new large regional jet - its 70-seat 728JET in May 2002 allowed it to first look at Bombardier and Fairchild's proposed offerings, the Brazilian manufacturer plans an aggressive development schedule to catch up. "We're dunking about a certifying 3 8 months from die date of go-ahead. We're talking about October 2 002 for die 70-seater and the first half of 2004 for the 98-seater," says Botelho. Perhaps even more ambitious is die programme's $850 million development budget, which now includes a 2. 5m stretched ERJ-190-2 00 version as a 108-seat competitor to die BRJ-X-110. The question now is whedier a fourdi runner will enter the regional race which many consid er to be just large enough for diree competitors. British Aerospace hopes to extend the life of its Avro RJ line with an updated RJ-X, re-engined with the lower cost and more fuel efficient AlliedSignalA$977-lAturbofan engine. ATR ATTENTION Attention is focused more keenly on BAe's estranged regional partners Aerospatiale and Alenia and the future of ATR. The two compa nies had been courtingFairchild, but a marriage has proved to be impossible because of irrecon cilable differences over how to organise and managing a joint venture structure. "There was never disagreement on configu ration or which engines to use," says Albert. "We couldn't reach agreement on the larger concep tual issues. I think that had much to do with the fact there were differences over approach between a privately owned business and compa nies diat part are partly government controlled." Embraer's idea of an international partner ship is one at a strategic level and not limited to a specific product. "If we go ahead, we'll go alone and based on the risk-sharing partners diat we've chosen. If a fourth player comes along it will be a terrible business for all four, • LIGHT INTERNATIONAL 9 - 15 June 1999 145
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