Mesaba takes 14

[OttoPilot]

MESABA TO RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL 15 CRJ-900’s​

November 7, 2008
By Chris Fink [email protected] ​

Mesaba Airlines has announced it was recently chosen by Delta Air Lines to receive 15 CRJ-900 NextGen aircraft, beginning in January of 2009. Mesaba will start taking delivery of this new allotment once the initial schedule of 36 CRJ-900 aircraft is completed in December.
"This announcement reinforces Mesaba's reputation of exceptional operating performance and competitive costs, which has continuously put us in position to explore new growth opportunities," said Mesaba President John Spanjers.
Mesaba will operate seven existing aircraft, which were manufactured within the past year, as well as eight new CRJ-900’s which are currently being produced for Delta by Bombardier. Mesaba will take delivery of these aircraft January through May of 2009. After undergoing conformity checks, the first aircraft will commence revenue service on February 12, with all 15 aircraft scheduled to be on-line by June.
The interior of these additional aircraft will be similar to that of the first 36 planes, and will feature the same 12 first class/64 coach class configuration as Mesaba’s current CRJ-900 fleet.​

Mesaba will operate the new aircraft from Atlanta under the Delta Connection name, and will feature Delta’s blue, red and white livery.​

Once this new delivery phase is completed, Mesaba will operate a fleet of 117 aircraft, including 51 CRJ-900’s, making Mesaba the largest operator of 76-seat aircraft in the Delta family.

 

[~~~^~~~]

Just curious - what is so "Next Gen" about the CRJ900? Sure it's the generation following the -200, but is there that much difference from the earlier CRJ-700/900?

 

[bob_sakamano]

Just curious - what is so "Next Gen" about the CRJ900? Sure it's the generation following the -200, but is there that much difference from the earlier CRJ-700/900?

There's nothing you'd notice from the cockpit. The differences are mainly aesthetic.

* Larger windows and deeper sculpted wall panels
* LED interior lighting and reading lamps (not any of the cockpit lighting, of course)
* Storage cubbies above the left side 1st class seats

AND ... a really cool sticker on the outside that says "NextGen"

 

[Cornelius]

Next Generation pilots maybe??

 

[ttuite]

Just curious - what is so "Next Gen" about the CRJ900? Sure it's the generation following the -200, but is there that much difference from the earlier CRJ-700/900?

Bigger winglets with optimized positioning, engine software modification, and some other minor performance enhancements. It has been too long ago for me to remember. Bombardier looked at the airports that Mesa was "aircraft performance" (not company deficient) limited at during their use of the first 900's and then enhanced the aircraft to eliminate some of the problems. Cities such as Denver, Phoenix, Edmonton.

 

[blesko]

Just curious - what is so "Next Gen" about the CRJ900? Sure it's the generation following the -200, but is there that much difference from the earlier CRJ-700/900?

Next Generator??? I.E when one is deferred, we'll just use the NEXTGEN.....