U.S. approval follows type certification by Transport Canada and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), announced on November 10, 2010.
"Certification from the FAA essentially clears the way for Bombardier's first 100-seat regional jet, the CRJ1000 NextGen airliner, to fly in the United States, where Bombardier has a significant and established base of successful CRJ aircraft operators," said Gary R. Scott, President, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. "The CRJ1000 NextGen airliner adds to the proud tradition of the original ground-breaking CRJ regional jet family and will complement the benefits the CRJ aircraft fleet already provides to our largest market base. All CRJ aircraft models have the same type rating for flight crews and share common maintenance, training, spares and ground support equipment, providing the only true family of jetliners spanning 50 to 100 seats."
The first two CRJ1000 NextGen jetliners were delivered to launch customers Air Nostrum of Valencia, Spain and Brit Air of Morlaix, France from Bombardier's facility in Mirabel, Quebec during the week of December 13, 2010.
Air Nostrum has placed firm orders for 35 CRJ1000 NextGen aircraft, while Brit Air has placed firm orders for 14 aircraft.
Introduced specifically to meet the needs of growing regional airlines for jets of up to 100 seats, the CRJ1000 NextGen regional jet offers superior economics, with low operating costs and improved cabin comfort. With up to 14 per cent reduction in operating costs when compared to its current competition, the CRJ1000 NextGen aircraft is the optimized solution in the regional airline industry for medium-haul route applications and as the replacement of older-generation single-aisle aircraft in thin markets.
The CRJ1000 NextGen is also the "greenest" member of the CRJ Series family of regional jets. Over a typical 500 nautical-mile mission, the 100-seat CRJ1000 NextGen aircraft can consume as little as 3.33 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres per seat. It can produce 85 grams per kilometre per seat of CO2, setting a new standard for 100-seat class regional jets.
The CRJ Series has become the benchmark for regional jet efficiency in the 50- to 100-seat segment. As a result, Bombardier has recorded orders for 1,709 CRJ family of aircraft, with 1,606 delivered to airline customers around the world as of October 31, 2010. CRJ Series aircraft are in service with more than 60 airlines. The fleet has logged approximately 28 million flight hours and 23 million take-offs and landings. In addition, more than 30 operators have opted for corporate variants of these aircraft.
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