Regional Jet Market Heating Up

Competitive pressure was turned up just a touch on two fronts for Bombardier Inc.

India's government-funded National Aerospace Laboratories said it plans to design and build a 90- to 110-seat regional jet, which would compete against various planes from Bombardier Aerospace.

And in Europe, a senior executive at ATR was more precise about the aircraft firm's plans to build an all-new 90-seat turboprop.

Mario Formica, head of marketing for ATR, which is jointly owned by Europe's EADS consortium and Italy's Alenia, said at a regional airline meeting in Milwaukee that the company is looking at a 2011 launch and entry into service in 2016 for its 90-seater.

Bombardier and ATR each claims to have a little more than 50 per cent of the global turboprop market. Bombardier announced two years ago it was weighing putting out a stretch version of its 70-seat de Havilland Dash-8 Q400, the Q400X.

But Bombardier Aerospace spokesperson John Arnone said the matter is still at the study stage -"a conversation with customers."

Asked whether this put some heat on Bombardier to firm up its decision either way, Arnone called the question "speculative."

Written By Francois Shalom, of The Gazette

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