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Bombardier Aerospace announced that its technologically advanced Q400 NextGen regional airliner has departed on a three-week, multi-country demonstration tour of the Latin American region, including planned stops in Peru, Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, Panama and Mexico. The tour will also include stops in the Caribbean – the Cayman Islands and the Bahamas.
The Q400 NextGen aircraft, newly painted in a special livery to mark the demonstration tour, commences the Latin American leg of the tour with a static display at the 2014 FIDAE (Feria Internacional del Aire y del Espacio) Air Show in Santiago, Chile from March 25 to 28. FIDAE is the largest air show in the Latin American region.
Since the Q400 NextGen airliner’s last demonstration tour of the region in 2012, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft has introduced an optional extra capacity version of the aircraft with seating for up to 86 passengers – this is up to 14 more seats than any available commercial turboprop. The extra capacity aircraft provides up to a 17 per cent seat-cost advantage for operators.
“The Q400 NextGen airliner is already well known for its fuel efficiency, operational flexibility, low-cost operation, reduced environmental impact and unmatched passenger experience,” said Ray Jones, senior vice president, sales, marketing and asset management, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. “The immediate availability of the extra capacity configuration is another advantageous feature that positions the Q400 NextGen aircraft well ahead of the competition in terms of potential revenue and profit generation.”
“For airlines in Chile and other mountainous areas, the Q400 NextGen turboprop offers a rate of climb that is twice as fast as competing turboprops and it is the only commercial turboprop certified to operate at airfield elevations up to 14,000 feet (4,267 m) and airfield slopes of up to 4.6 per cent. It has a generous single-engine service ceiling and an optional drop-down oxygen system. The Q400 NextGen aircraft’s speed and 99.5 per cent dispatch reliability also provide operators with the flexibility to replace older-generation jets on short to medium-haul routes,” noted Kevin Smith, vice president, sales for the Americas, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft.
Latin America is experiencing robust economic growth that is projected to continue with the upcoming 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil. These major international sporting events are spurring regional growth, including investment in secondary aviation infrastructure, and the development of low fare carriers, providing wider access to affordable air travel.
Bombardier’s current 20-year commercial aviation market forecast projects deliveries of 1,120 units in the 20- to 149-seat category to Latin America and the Caribbean (including Mexico) through 2033. More than 60 per cent of the deliveries are expected to be in the 100- to 149-seat segment – the segment for which Bombardier’s new advanced-technology CSeries single-aisle mainline jet transport is designed – while most of the remainder will be in the 60- to 99-seat segment. Currently, approximately 60 Bombardier Dash 8/Q-Series turboprops and CRJ regional jets are in service in Latin America and the Caribbean.
