Business Aviation

The Bombardier CRJ700, CRJ900, and CRJ1000 are regional airliners based on the Bombardier CRJ200. Final assembly of the aircraft is at Montréal-Mirabel International Airport in Mirabel, Quebec, outside Montreal, Canada.

Following the success of the CRJ100/200 series, Bombardier produced larger variants in order to compete with larger regional aircraft such as the Embraer E-Jets family, Fokker 70/100 series and the BAe 146/Avro RJ family.

The CRJ900 is a stretched 76-90 seat version of the CRJ700. The aircraft features the GE CF34-8C5 engines, 13,360 lbf (59,400 N) thrust with APR, and added leading edge slats. Max GTOW is 84,500 pounds. The airplane is loosely based on the CRJ200 series with a few major improvements. The environmental packs have a target temperature instead of a hot-cold knob. The cabin has a recirculation fan which aids in cooling and heating. The engines are controlled by FADEC digital engine control instead of control cables and a fuel control unit. The cabin floor has been lowered 2 inches which gains outward visibility from the windows in the cabin as the windows become closer to eye level height. The APU is a General Electric unit which supplies much more air to the AC packs and has higher limits for starting and altitude usage. The wingspan is longer, the tail is redesigned with more span and anhedral. In typical service the CRJ900 can cruise 8-10,000 ft higher with a slightly higher fuel burn and an average true airspeed of 450-500 knots, a significant improvement over its predecessor. The FAA Type Certificate designation of the CRJ900 is the CL-600-2D24.

The first CRJ900 (C-FRJX) was modified from the prototype CRJ700 by adding longer fuselage plugs fore and aft; it was later converted into the prototype CRJ1000 by installing yet longer fuselage plugs. The CRJ900 competes with the Embraer 175, and is more efficient per seat-mile, according to Bombardier.

In 2007, Bombardier launched the CRJ900 NextGen to replace the initial version. The new model has improved economics and a new cabin common to the CRJ700 NextGen and CRJ1000 NextGen. Mesaba Aviation, operating at the time as Northwest Airlink (now Delta Connection), was the launch customer, and remains the largest operator of the CRJ900 NextGen. The Mesaba fleet of CRJ900 NextGen aircraft are configured in a two class seating configuration, with 12 first class seats and 64 coach seats.

Comair, operating as Delta Connection, has ordered 14 CRJ900s, with at least 6 in service as of Nov 2007. These are in a two class configuration, with 12 first class seats and 64 coach seats. This is due to a limitation in Delta's contract with its pilots which limits its regional carriers to flying 76-seat aircraft.

In July 2008 PLUNA received its fifth plane (from an eventual total of 7). Estonian Air ordered 3 new CRJ900 NextGen 90-seat aircraft. Also SAS ordered 13 of these in March 2008. Iraqi Airways has ordered six Bombardier CRJ900 NextGen airliners and options on a further four of the type. In June 2010 Lufthansa ordered eight CRJ900 NextGen.