SpiceJet of India will become the first airline to use the 90-passenger version of Bombardier Commercial Aircraft’s Q400 turboprop after it received certification from Transport Canada.
The aircraft will be the first in-production commercial turboprop in the world to utilise this level of seat capacity, according to the manufacturer. “With increasing growth in the number of passengers per departure in the turboprop market, we are excited to offer our customers a higher-capacity configuration and 15% lower cost per seat compared to the previous standard Q400, leading to more profitability potential for airlines,” said Todd Young, head of the Q Series aircraft programme. “This milestone certification showcases – once again – the unique versatility of the Q400 turboprop and our continued commitment to the evolution of the programme.”
Young added that the first of the high-density Q400s would be delivered to its launch customer SpiceJet later this year. The Indian carrier placed an order for up to 50 last year.
Other improvements under development for the Q400, which first flew 20 years ago in its original configuration, include a 2,000-lb-increase in payload capacity and an escalation of the A-Check and C-Check intervals from 600/6,000 flight hours to 800/8,000 hours.
Written by: Mark Thomas
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