Bombardier Introduces the World’s Only 90-Seat Turboprop

Singapore Airshow – Bombardier Commercial Aircraft today again demonstrated the unique versatility of the Q400 aircraft by introducing the world’s only commercial turboprop capable of carrying 90 passengers.

“As part of Bombardier’s ongoing commitment to the evolution of the Q400 aircraft program, we are thrilled to offer customers increased capacity on regional routes with high passenger demand and the growth potential to increase profitability,” said Fred Cromer, President, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft.

“We are witnessing growth in the number of passengers per departure in the turboprop market and Bombardier is responding with a 90-seat Q400 aircraft – a new segment solution ideally suited for current and future short-haul and high-demand markets,” said Patrick Baudis, Vice President, Marketing, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. “Once again, Bombardier’s innovation leads the pack – industry players have talked about developing a 90-seat turboprop, and today, only Bombardier has turned that vision into a reality.”

As a confirmation of Bombardier’s focus on continuous improvement aimed at addressing traffic growth and customer bottom line, Bombardier is also pleased to announce a 2,000 lb-increase in payload and an escalation of the A-Check and C-Check intervals from 600/6,000 to 800/8,000 flight hours*, all available for entry-into-service as early as 2018.

Compared to other turboprops, the Q400 aircraft offers unique speed flexibility driving higher scheduling efficiency; and 12 to 14 additional seats which when combined, deliver over $8 million US in extra value to customers.

About Q400 aircraft
Designed as a modern, 21st-century turboprop, the Q400 aircraft is the most recent development in the Q Series family of aircraft. It provides unmatched performance, operational flexibility and passenger comfort.

Thanks to its combination of turboprop attributes, jet-like features, industry-leading passenger experience and light environmental footprint, the Q400 aircraft is exceptionally versatile and can be adapted to a variety of business models.

By offering 12 to 14 seats more, 20 per cent cash operating cost advantage per seat, and over 30 per cent higher speed, the Q400 turboprop delivers over $8 million US additional value per aircraft compared to competing turboprops. Its speed -- 160 km/h faster than conventional turboprops – puts the aircraft’s flight time within minutes of jet schedules, at the same seat cost as larger single-aisle jets.

The Q400 aircraft family includes over 60 owners and operators in almost 40 countries. The worldwide fleet, which has logged more than 6.7 million flight hours, has transported more than 413 million passengers. Long recognized as a high-value asset by operators, the Q400 aircraft is now also attracting growing interest from the leasing community. Bombardier has recorded firm orders for a total of 547 Q400 aircraft.