Farnborough 2000 will see the first public demonstration flight of the Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet, Series 700, the 70-seat variant of the Canadian manufacturer's popular regional jet line.

Based on the 50-seat CRJ now in service with dozens of airlines around the world, the CRJ700 features a longer fuselage, new wings with leading edge devices, and a more powerful variant of General Electric's CF34 engine.

Bombardier is expected to announce new orders for both the 50- and 70-seat CRJs, and may use the show as an opportunity to launch the CRJ900, a proposed 90-seat variant.

Michael Graff, president and chief executive of Bombardier's Aerospace unit, said the cost of "going forward" with a 90-seat CRJ would be much less than the C$500 million ($340 million U.S.) price tag associated with stretching the 50-seat CRJ.
"The CRJ900 would require only a two-year development program rather than the four years needed for the CRJ700," Graff told Reuters earlier this week. "If we would do that, we would [have] at least a two-year lead over anyone else going into the market."

Speculation has surrounded the future of large (70- to 110-seat) regional jets, especially with regard to the U.S. market, where scope clause restrictions in pilots' labor contracts stand to limit regional jet proliferation.

Lessor GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) allayed at least some of those fears last month with firm orders for 150 regional jets, including 10 CRJ900s and dozens of 70-seat RJs from Bombardier, Embraer and Fairchild.

"We didn't base our decision on the status of the U.S. market," said Henry Hubschman, GECAS' president. "We will find homes for these aircraft."

By Paul Richfield