CRJ-1000 Makes First Flight

Bombardier's long and skinny CRJ-1000 prototype took to the Canadian skies for the first time during its maiden flight yesterday from their production facility at the Mirabel Airport in Montreal, Quebec. During the 25 minute flight, the CRJ-1000 reached an altitude of 30,000 feet and flew at a maximum speed of 260 knots. "We put the gear up, operated the flaps and slats and exercised our new 'fly-by-wire' rudder," says Jacques Thibaudeau, one of the test-flight crew members. Bombardier is saying it handles much like the CRJ-900 so transitioning flight crews to the larger 100-seater should be no problem. After a few more flights, the prototype will be flown to Bombardier's Test Flight Centre at Mid-Continent Airport in Wichita where it will be joined next year by the first production aircraft for its flight operations review and certification process. Entry into service is expected in the fourth quarter of 2009. Hopefully, the PointNiner crew will get a chance to see her during the testing phase like we have with the other CRJ stretches as Wichita is just down the road from our base of operations.



Pictures: Bombardier
[Bombardier via Flight Global]

Home to PointNiner

First CRJ-1000 Heads Outside

Bombardier's first and only CRJ-1000 broke its cover here and headed out for what looks like a tank of Jet A at Mirabel Airport in Montreal. One thing's for sure...this ain't your daddy's Challenger jet. In fact, it's twice as long! This stretched out flying tube is longer than a classic 737 now. Entry into service is expected next year.

Photo Credit: Justin Jones via Airliners.net

Home to PointNiner

New CRJ-1000 pics

Bombardier has again dropped some new photos of their CRJ-1000 regional jet. And no, your screen does not need to be adjusted, these pics are not strecthed to fit. This is really how long and skinny the plane will be. The fine French Canadians are anticipating a 2009 4Q delivery.




Return to Contact Ground .9

CRJ 1000 makes the 757-300 look stubby

These photos from Flightblogger are, I believe, the first known photos of the first CRJ 1000 by Bombardier. I remember when the 900 came out I thought it was too skinny and long. This one is almost obscene. It looks like it could snap in half. Forget the 757-300, it makes the Fairchild Metro look like a widebody.