Final CRJ delivered

The end of an era took place on 26 February at Mirabel Airport as the final ever produced CRJ was delivered. The aircraft, N840SK (15499), a CRJ900LR for SkyWest (flying for Delta Connection) flew a few goodbye rounds above the airport before flying on to Nashville (TN) for delivery.

In total 1,945 CRJs have been delivered, that all started with the CRJ100, which was developed by Canadair from the Challenger business jet. The programme was launched in 1989 and the Canadair-branding was retained, despite the take-over by Bombardier. The CRJ100 could seat up to fifty passengers and the type was further developed with more modern engines and other improvements into the CRJ100ER, LR and CRJ200. It was produced between 1991 and 2006 and 1,021 were built.

In 1995, Bombardier designed a longer variant of the CRJ, which could seat up to 78 passengers, the CRJ700, followed in 1998 with even longer versions, the CRJ900 (90 passengers) and the CRJ1000 (104 passengers).

On 1 June 2020, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries acquired the CRJ-programme. Not to build the type themselves, but for the parts and support infrastructure, which it planned to use for its own MRJ SpaceJet. With this programme on indefinite pause, the question is what MHI wants to do with it now.

Photo by MHI.