Sep 25 2012

AirBaltic orders four new DHC-8Q-400s

Air Baltic logoAirBaltic announced that it will be taking delivery of four new Bombardier DHC-8Q-400s on leases planned to begin in the first quarter of 2013.

The airline indicated that it was a less complicated option to lease four new aircraft than any other option it had considered. The four aircraft are scheduled for delivery in May and June of 2013.

After these aircraft enter the fleet, AirBaltic will operate a total of eight Q400s. The airline’s total fleet at that time will consist of 10 Boeing 737s, eight Q400s and two Fokker 50s. Two 757s the airline holds are on lease to another airline. When all of the Q400s have entered the fleet, the airline will then complete the removal of the Fokker 50s.

AirBaltic also plans to take delivery of 10 CS300s between 2015 and 2017 which will replace the airline’s 737 fleet as they are returned from lease. The agreement with Bombardier for these aircraft has not been converted into a firm order, but is expected before the end of 2012. The airline has stated that they expect to receive their first CSeries aircraft from their initial order by the end of 2013.

Sep 24 2012

CSeries first flight likely to slip into 2013

Bombardier_logoIn several reported interviews, Bombardier admitted that the first flight of the prototype CSeries aircraft FTV-1 could likely slip into the first quarter of 2013. In more positive news, it was also announced that the first set of flight ready wings to be delivered to Bombardier will occur before the end of October 2012.

It is expected that complete assembly of the static test article will be completed by the end of October and then attention will turn towards the completion of FTV-1.

Bombardier has indicated that the first flight of the program is not as important as the initial in-service date to its customers and is driving the program to meet that stated date of the last quarter of 2013.

It is felt by executives of Bombardier that the more likely date of the program’s first flight will be in the first quarter of 2013 when delays are taken into consideration.

Sep 23 2012

Conviasa takes delivery of first Embraer 190

Conviasa LogoOn September 21, 2012, Conviasa took delivery of the airline’s first Embraer 190. The airline has ordered a total of six of the aircraft type from Embraer with options for a further 14 aircraft.

The aircraft is ERJ-190-100STD, MSN 19000509, registration YV2849. The aircraft is configured with 104 seats in economy class.

Conviasa is the eleventh operator of E-Jets in Latin America and the Caribbean. The company services 14 domestic and 9 international flight destinations.

In addition to the planned purchase of further Embraer 190s, the airline currently operates four CRJ-700s on domestic services.

Sep 22 2012

The History of Canadair Regional Jet MSN 7004

This is one in a series of articles on Winglets which track the histories of Canadair Regional Jets.

Canadair Regional Jet RJ200LR MSN 7004 C-GRJJ in service with Lufthansa Cityline (Photo By: Torsten Maiwald)

Canadair Regional Jet RJ100ER MSN 7004
C-GRJJ in service with Lufthansa Cityline
(Photo By: Torsten Maiwald)

  • MSN 7004
  • C-GRJJ, D-ACLA, C-FLNS, XA-UHM, C-FYFS, 5Y-BWR
  • Fourth Canadair Regional Jet Built
  • First CRJ delivered to airline service. Operated for Lufthansa Cityline, ALMA de México, and then DAC East Africa who subleased to CMC Aviation. Operating for United Nations Humanitarian Air Service in Kenya as of 2012.
  • Originally a RJ100ER, converted to RJ100LR then converted to RJ200LR configuration.

Aircraft History

C-GRJJ, 7004, was the fourth Canadair Regional Jet built and the first to go from Canadair directly into airline service. 7004 was leased from Canadair by Lufthansa Cityline and was delivered on October 29th, 1992. At that time 7004 was configured as a RJ100ER aircraft and remained as such when 7004’s registration was changed on January 19th, 1993 to D-ACLA. This was not, in fact, the intended registration for 7004, which was to be D-ARJA, but was not used. All further CRJs in Cityline’s first order were to be registered as D-ARJA and upwards, but did not and followed the D-ACL series instead.

It became apparent that the RJ100ER configuration would be insufficient for Cityline’s needs and 7004 was returned to Canadair for modifications and then returned to Cityline in the RJ100LR configuration under the same registration it had before. 7004 continued to operate in various titles but under the ownership and operation of Cityline.

In 2006, 7004 was returned to Bombardier and then was modified to the RJ200LR standard and held the registration C-FLNS before it was leased to ALMA de México in June 2007 in that airline’s full colour scheme. 7004 operated with this airline until November 2008 using the registration XA-UHM when ALMA de México ceased operations. 7004 then returned to Canada and was stored for a time at Dorval International airport through the balance of 2007 and all of 2008.

In January 2009, 7004 was taken on by Avionco Canada and its registration changed to C-FYFS. The aircraft was then offered for lease internationally and in April 2009, 7004 was handed over to CMC Aviation. 7004 then operated under United Nations colours and titles for a time before changing hands again and DAC East Africa operated 7004 for the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service in Kenya where it continues to operate as of 2012.

 

Canadair Regional Jet RJ100ER MSN 7004 C-GRJJ in service with Lufthansa Cityline (Photo By: Torsten Maiwald)

Canadair Regional Jet RJ100ER MSN 7004
C-GRJJ in service with Lufthansa Cityline
(Photo By: Torsten Maiwald)

 

Canadair Regional Jet RJ100LR MSN 7004 D-ACLA in service with Lufthansa Cityline in Lufthansa colours (Photo By: Ad Vercruijsse)

Canadair Regional Jet RJ100LR MSN 7004
D-ACLA in service with Lufthansa Cityline in Lufthansa colours
(Photo By: Ad Vercruijsse)

 

Canadair Regional Jet RJ100LR MSN 7004 D-ACLA in service with Lufthansa Cityline in Lufthansa Regional colours (Photo By: Anto Blazevic)

Canadair Regional Jet RJ200LR MSN 7004
D-ACLA in service with Lufthansa Cityline in Lufthansa Regional colours
(Photo By: Anto Blazevic)

 

Canadair Regional Jet RJ100LR MSN 7004 D-ACLA in partial Lufthansa Regional colours after lease (Photo By: Michael Frische)

Canadair Regional Jet RJ200LR MSN 7004
D-ACLA in partial Lufthansa Regional colours after lease
(Photo By: Michael Frische)

 

Canadair Regional Jet RJ200LR MSN 7004 XA-UHM in service with ALMA de México (Photo By: Enrique C.Rivera)

Canadair Regional Jet RJ200LR MSN 7004
XA-UHM in service with ALMA de México
(Photo By: Enrique C. Rivera)

 

Canadair Regional Jet RJ200LR MSN 7004 5Y-BWR in service with CMC Aviation in UN Humanitarian Air Service Markings (Photo By: Jim Wilson)

Canadair Regional Jet RJ200LR MSN 7004
5Y-BWR in service with CMC Aviation in UN Humanitarian Air Service Markings
(Photo By: Jim Wilson)