Industry Bombardier Q400 receives 90-seat configuration certificate

  • Bombardier

Aircraft manufacturer Bombardier has announced, that its Q400 aircraft has received the certification for a 90-seat configuration

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A respective certificate was issued by Transport Canada. The Q400 is now the first in-production turboprop aircraft in the world with that capacity.

Launch customer of the newly configurated Q400 will become Indian Low-Cost carrier Spicejet. The first Q400 90-seater will be delivered later this year. In 2017, the carrier ordered up to 50 Q400 aircraft. Spicejet currently operates low-cost flights with 23 Dash Q400 and 34 Boeing 737 Next Gen. aircraft.

With the added capacity, a lower cost per seat can be reached by the airlines. This increases the potential for better profitability and leads to good operational costs. Together with the speed flexibility of the Q400, customers will benefit from higher scheduling efficiency.

Todd Young, Head of the Q Series Aircraft Program, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft said: “With increasing growth in the number of passengers per departure in the turboprop market, we are excited to offer our customers a higher-capacity configuration and 15 percent lower cost per seat compared to the previous standard Q400, leading to more profitability potential for airlines.”

The new cabin marks a further step in Bombardier´s Q400 programme. Currently, the Canadian manufacturer is working on increasing the payload capacity of the aircraft by 2,000lb. Moreover, an increase of the interval between A-Checks and C-Checks from 600/6,000 to 800/8,000 flight hours is being targeted by Bombardier.

“This milestone certification showcases -- once again -- the unique versatility of the Q400 turboprop and our continued commitment to the evolution of the program," Young added.

Especially airlines that operate in high-demand turboprop markets will take advantage of the upgraded Q400 cabin. The new aircraft is set to enhance the economic conditions for airlines that fly between smaller towns and big hub airports.

Source © bombardier.com

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