Bombardier is looking at offering a NextGen cabin interior to customers of older Dash 8 turboprops, as a means of further extending the life of the aircraft.
The Canadian airframer already offers a structural life extension programme for the Dash 8-100 that "can be applied to the Dash 8-300 as well", taking their 80,000-cycle threshold to 120,000 cycles, noted Gordon Pratt, director of Q Series programme management at Bombardier, during an interview today.
"Combine that with the interior of the NextGen style and update the avionics with retrofits, and we can sustain our current customers with current airplanes for a long time in the future," said Pratt.
While a decision has not yet been taken on offering NextGen for older Dash 8s, Gordon said: "That's something we're discussing with customers who would be interested. It's quite a viable way to bring customer comfort on the airplane for a very small amount of money."
He said such a modification would be "totally viable, totally achievable" and would include the NextGen design "with the LED lights, [the sidewall's] curved features and organised styling".
C&D provides the interior for the Q400 NextGen, which features the refreshed style. B/E Aerospace provides the seats, said Pratt.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
