~~~^~~~
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2001
- Posts
- 6,137
Very true. Joe Leonard said they don't cost a whole lot more to operate than the CRJ back when AirWisconsin was doing the AirTran flying - and - AirTran was supposed to have gotten these for less than Delta purchased the CRJ's for. AirTran was begging for more 717's if they could get Boeing to put the MD88's additional fuel and a slightly better wing on the airplane for transcons. Boeing said no and AirTran was so annoyed they looked hard at the Airbus option before remaining with Boeing.They were. It is called the 717.
As far as Boeing is concerned, little airplanes equal little profits. Particularly if they have to compete with heavily subsidized Brazilian and Canadian companies. Boeing apparently has a home run on its hands with the 787 and will probably get on with a 737 replacement as soon as the majority of the Certification is completed on the 787.
A US Manufacturer in the 100 seat race would probably be in worse shape than Douglas and Lockheed found themselves in with the DC10 and L1011. Both were good designs but the competition prevented either from breaking even. The L1011 chased Lockheed out of civil aviation forever and the DC-10-30 based MD11 put Douglas completely out of business. Boeings decision to stay out, then build the 767 was an excellent call.
I think Bombardier has spent nearly a Billion, maybe more, and has another couple Billion to go before it fields a E170/190 style jet. They have a target market slightly above the Embraer product, but that is well within striking range of the smaller versions of Boeing's rumored 737 replacement. Bombardier and Canadian politicians have obviously struggled with this decision for a couple of years now....