Andrew Doyle/TORONTO
Augsburg Airways has entered negotiations with Bombardier Aerospace for five Dash 8-Q400 turboprops after selecting the type for its 70-seater requirement.
Meanwhile, the fast-growing German regional has converted options into firm orders for three smaller -Q300s, for delivery between February and March 2000, to replace three ageing -100s.
The airline is hoping to wrap up a deal for the -Q400s by April, and wants to take delivery of the first three aircraft in time for its summer 2000 schedule, according to Augsburg Airways vice-president marketing and sales, Claus Fischer. "It's really a matter of pricing," he says. List price is about $19 million.
Fischer says that the high cruise speed of the latest Dash 8 model - 350kt (650km/h) - means that Augsburg will be able to serve longer-range destinations. A move to jet aircraft was rejected because the Bombardier Regional Jet Series 700 does not have the airfield performance required to use the carrier's Augsburg Airport base and would be more expensive to operate on short flights, he says.
The 70-seaters are required by the privately owned Lufthansa franchisee to expand capacity, and could also be used to launch charter flights to destinations in the Balearic Islands and Greece.
Augsburg says that it made its first profit last year, although audited figures are not yet available. It achieved spectacular growth during the year, more than doubling turnover to DM146 million ($84 million) on the back of an 86% jump in passenger numbers.
Its Dash 8 fleet comprises 14aircraft - set to grow to 22 during the next five years. The route network includes domestic destinations in Germany, plus international flights to Croatia, Italy and the UK.
Bombardier has not announced any orders for the Dash 8-Q400 since July, when SAS converted options on two. The firm order backlog stands at 30, plus 51 options, from five customers. Five aircraft are involved in the flight test programme, with Transport Canada and US Federal Aviation Administration certification planned for May, ahead of the first delivery in the third quarter to launch customer Uni Air of Taiwan.
Source: Flight International
