Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES Max Kingsley-Jones/LONDON
Bombardier and US regional carrier Horizon Air are negotiating a deal for at least 20 Dash 8 Q400 turboprops. An order from Horizon would represent a critical breakthrough in the North American market for the Canadian manufacturer.
Although not confirmed by either party, the negotiations are believed to be based on a modification of the agreement between Horizon and Bombardier over purchase rights on up to 30 Dash 8 Q200/Q300s. The airline flies 39 Dash 8-100/200s and has ten Q200s on firm order. It also has an outstanding order for 25 70-seat Canadair Regional Jet Series 700s, mostly to replace Horizon's 21 68-seat Fokker F28 Mk4000s.
Although the CRJ-700 offers the same capacity as the Q400, the turboprop could be used to grow business on routes where the jet service would not be cost-effective. The Q400's high cruise speed enables it to operate similar block times to those of small jets such as the F28 and BAe 146.
Horizon marketing director Dan Russo says several aircraft have been examined, but that "we have not made any commitment yet". Russo admits that the purchase of a larger turboprop can be reconciled with the planned addition of equally sized regional jets, as the turboprop "could be operated on routes that, at certain times of the day, could use an aircraft with more than 37 seats".
Bombardier has announced options and orders for only 93 Q400s, virtually all from European operators. The biggest customer, SAS Commuter, has 17 on firm order. According to Trung Ngo, vice-president of marketing at Bombardier Regional Aircraft, the four Q400s involved in the flight test programme are completing the 1,600h of testing. "Canadian approval should be received during June, with the USA following in July, and European certification by late summer/early autumn," he says. This will enable first deliveries to take place to Taiwan's UNI Air and to SAS Commuter in about three to four months, he adds.
Flight testing has confirmed that the aircraft has met or bettered its original performance targets, says Ngo. "Target cruise speed is 10kt better [at 360kt], while maximum speed is up from Mach 0.7 to M0.73," he says. Climb performance is also better, and cruise specific air range is 1.8% greater than the target.
Production of the new model at Bombardier's plant in Downsview, Toronto, is moving to two units a month. A dozen aircraft are due for delivery this year, including eight to SAS, two to UNI Air and two to Austria's Tyrolean Airways.
Source: Flight International
