Seven Bombardier CRJ700 NextGen regional jets sold as VIP/special mission aircraft to an undisclosed Chinese customer in December are to be outfitted by Canadian completions company Flying Colours.
They will the first CRJ700s to be completed by the Ontario-based refurbishment specialist, which has until now focused on the smaller CRJ200.
During 2013, Flying Colours will deliver five Challenger 850s - Bombardier's name for corporate CRJ200s - and has converted 12 used CRJ200s into its own VIP configuration, which it markets as the Execliner. It is also carrying out its first completion on a CRJ900, for an undisclosed US customer, although China is its main market.
The CRJ700s will be completed over two years, with the first arriving at Flying Colours' Peterborough site in the fourth quarter of this year, and the final aircraft due for delivery in the first quarter of 2015.
Flying Colours will source supplemental type certificates for the conversion and final certification will be carried out by the Chinese civil aviation authority, with which Flying Colours has worked for a number of years.
Source: Flight International
