Sep 05 2013

CSeries first flight likely before September 17, 2013

Bombardier_logoAccording to published reports from Bombardier, the company plans to have the maiden flight of the prototype CSeries aircraft completed by September 17th, 2013.

Bombardier will host an event at its facilities at Mirabel on September 17 for employees and other stakeholders and plans to have the CSeries prototype present on display at minimum with the goal of having the aircraft perform at least one flyover of the proceedings. The manufacturer is uncertain at this point whether that will be the first flight date, which is dependent on weather and other factors.

Sep 04 2013

SkyWest to remove 24 CRJ200s from fleet by end of 2013

SkyWest LogoSkyWest continues its plans to return 24 CRJ200s to Delta Air Lines by the end of December 2013 as part of the airline’s transition to CRJ900s as part of an agreement signed in August last year with Delta.

By May 2013, Skywest had added five CRJ700s and 29 CRJ900s to its Delta Connection network and transferred 22 CRJ200s to its American Eagle network by the end of June 2013. It also retired two additional CRJ200s.

SkyWest’s 18 remaining Delta Connection CRJ200s will leave the fleet in 2015 and 2016 according to announced plans by the airline.

Aug 30 2013

Bombardier recieves CSeries first flight permit

Bombardier CSeries Aircraft

Bombardier announced on August 30, 2013 that it had received the first flight test permit from Transport Canada for the first CSeries aircraft. The permit allows the company to operate the flight which is expected in the coming weeks. The aircraft is currently operating high-speed taxi runs.

The first flight of the CSeries has been delayed several times. The initial date of first flight was to have been by the end of 2012. It was delayed to June 2013, then July and now is expected before the end of September 2013.

Aug 29 2013

Gazpromavia recieves first Sukhoi SuperJet LR

Gazpromavia SSJ100LRSukhoi delivered the company’s first SSJ 100-95LR to Gazpromavia on August 29th, 2013 at the MAKS 2013 Air Show. The aircraft is registered RA-89018, and is MSN 95033. Gazprom Avia is the first airline to operate the Long Range SuperJet. The aircraft is the first delivery from a 2011 order for ten of SSJ 100s due for delivery by the end of 2015.