Max Kingsley-Jones Emma Kelly/LONDON
British European and Aloha Airlines have emerged as the leading candidates to boost the prospects for BAE Systems' Avro RJ-X programme. The two airlines have a combined requirement for over 40 aircraft.
British Airways regional CityFlyer Express holds six options for the aircraft, which remain current despite BA's recently issued regional jet request for proposals, says the manufacturer. BAE has yet to sign a major order for the Honeywell AS977-powered derivative of the four-engined Avro RJ, launched last March. To date, BAE has secured firm orders for only two aircraft from Druk Air of Bhutan.
Exeter, UK-based British European operates 16 examples of the RJ's predecessor, the BAe 146. The airline confirms that it is in talks with BAE regarding the acquisition of sufficient RJ-Xs to replace most or all these aircraft, beginning next year. "We have 'booked' some slots among the first tranche of RJ-85Xs andRJ-100Xs," says British European's director of strategy David Attenburrow. "There are still some things to finalise, but we hope to make a final decision in around a month," he adds.
Attenburrow cautions that an RJ-X order is not a foregone conclusion, and the airline has several fall back options including the acquisition of second-hand Avro RJs, although he says that "these would not give us the operational and maintenance cost savings that the new aircraft offers."
Attenburrow says that discussions have also been held with Fairchild Dornier and Embraer regarding the 728JET and ERJ-170/190. The airline is also studying 100-120 seaters such as the Boeing 717 and A320 family.
Hawaiian airline Aloha is understood to have discussed a deal for up to 24 RJ-Xs to replace its Boeing 737-200s on inter-island services, and is interested in a "QC" cargo door equipped version of the aircraft. The airline is also studying the 717 which rival Hawaiian Air has ordered, and acknowledges that it has an on-going regional fleet re-equipment selection.
BAE confirms that the airline has been evaluating the RJ-X for some time. Although Aloha is considered a lead contender for an RJ-X order, industry observers suggest that the carrier has other operational priorities at the moment, including monitoring Hawaiian Air's success with the 717.
The first flight of the RJ-X from BAE's Woodford, Manchester plant, is due at the end of February, "although this could slip by a few weeks," warns BAE. Deliveries are due to begin in December.
Source: Flight International
