Mark Hanant
Bombardier Aerospace unveiled a mock-up of the passenger cabin of its proposed BRJ-X yesterday, but it will still be the end of the year before the final decision on launch of the 90-to-100-seat regional twin-jet airliner is announced.
Following the official launch of the new Continental super mid-size transcontinental business jet, Robert Brown, president and CEO of Bombardier, stresses the importance of the regional jet sector to the Bombardier portfolio.
Category
Bombardier believes there will be a demand for 2,500 aircraft in the BRJ-X category during the next 20 years.
If the launch goes ahead in early 2000, first aircraft would be rolled out in the second quarter of 2002, with certification then due late in 2003.
Despite on-going discussions with potential customers to determine what they will want from the cabin, Bombardier seems confident that it has already broadly understood their needs, and put them in the mock-up.
But potential customers are still being encouraged to have their say.
Opportunity
Says Robert Gillespie, president of Bombardier, Regional Aircraft: "The mock-up gives prospective customers the opportunity to consider and comment on the passenger cabin as the design evolves. They will thus have a definite voice in influencing the cabin arrangement."
The mock-up, on display at the Bombardier chalet, is configured with front left lavatory, front right galley and with two rows of business seats at 102cm (40in) pitch, five rows of economy seats at 81cm and unique rotating overhead bins which make it easy to stow baggage without over-stuffing.
Source: Flight Daily News
