Un Dash 8 encore plus long que le Q400

Bombardier à prévu de commercialiser d'ici à 2013/2014 un nouveau Dash8-400 plus long , surement sous le nom de Dash8-500 ou Q500 : Une saucisse de plus. Après le Crj1000, les 777-300 , 767-400, 757-300 et le 340-600 maintenant le dash8-500

Bombardier commits to larger Q400 turboprop
Wednesday March 11, 2009

Bombardier intends to move forward on a larger version of its popular 70-seat Q400 turboprop, Commercial Aircraft President Gary Scott said yesterday. Speaking at the SpeedNews Commercial Aviation Industry Suppliers Conference in Los Angeles, Scott said, "We will build a bigger version of this airplane. It is just the timing to be determined." Responding to a question from the audience, he said, "We're looking at how big, 90 or 100 seats, and should it be a simple stretch or more? Over the course of the next 12-24 months we will sort that out."

Bombardier would be ready to deliver the aircraft in a 2013-14 timeframe, he added, or in approximately the same period as the CSeries 110/130-seat jet the company launched last year. "It's definitely in our future," he told ATWOnline separately. "The question is when."

Scott's remarks came just a few weeks after Jim French, chairman and CEO of Flybe, a big Q400 customer, urged Bombardier to "build the 90-seat Q400." French made his comments during his acceptance speech as Flybe was presented ATW's Regional Airline of the Year award in ceremonies in Washington (ATWOnline, Feb. 19). The Q400 program has received 347 total orders, 233 of which have been delivered.

During the SpeedNews conference, Scott said that 2009 is "obviously a very difficult year," with new orders "starting to dive" and a lot of near-term adjustments to delivery schedules (ATWOnline, Feb. 9). However, the company's long-term outlook is rosy, with forecast demand for 12,900 new units in the 20/149-seat segment between 2007 and 2027. Of that number, approximately 6,300 will be in the CSeries class of small narrowbodies, a further 4,300 will be regional jets and the remaining 2,300 will be turboprops. Most growth will occur in the 60/99-seat and 100/149-seat categories.

He also declared, "We are absolutely committed to the CSeries," which was launched last summer with a letter of interest from Lufthansa for 30 firm orders plus 30 options (ATWOnline, July 14, 2008). SpeedNews and ATWOnline are owned by Penton Media Inc.

by Perry Flint