Airbus A330 Airbus developed the A330 twin-engine, widebody commercial passenger transport to replace aircraft such as the A300, DC-10-10 and L-1011. An A330 prototype first flew in November 1992, with customer deliveries following in December 1993. Customers have a choice of turbofan engines in the 64,000-72,000-lb.-thrust class: the GE CF6-80E1, Pratt & Whitney PW4000 or Rolls-Royce Trent 700. Three A330 models are available. The A330-300 seats 335 passengers in two classes, or 295 in three classes. The A330-200 seats 293 in two classes, or 253 in three.
Two major sections of the first C919 fuselage have been connected, and the nose is in position to join them. “Final assembly is proceeding steadily,” says Comac, adding that it is trying to complete joining the structure by year-end, after which it will integrate the on-board systems. The roll-out is due in the third quarter of 2015.
The An-148 is a twin-engine regional jet designed to serve the 70-80-seat market. First flight of the An-148 took place in 2004, with type certification by Russia and Ukraine following in 2007. Power for the aircraft comes from two Ivchenko-Progress D436-148 turbofan engines. Three test aircraft and approximately 15 production aircraft were manufactured through 2013, and an additional 62 are forecast through 2023.
Launched in July 2008, Bombardier’s CSeries family is the CS100 version, which carries 110 passengers, and the larger CS300 model, seating 135 in a standard configuration. The aircraft is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW1500G geared turbofans producing up to 23,300 lb. thrust each. With an extra-capacity seating option, the CS300 can carry up to 160 passengers. CSeries service entry is slated for the second half of 2015. The CS100 will compete with the Embraer 190 and 195, while the CS300 will vie against the Boeing 737 and the Airbus A319.
The A340 is a four-engine, intercontinental, widebody commercial transport aircraft. A prototype flew in October 1991, and deliveries began in January 1993. The A340-200 and -300 were certificated by the European Joint Aviation Authorities in December 1992 and the FAA in February 1993. Both models are powered by four 31,200-34,000-lb.-thrust CFM56-5C4 turbofans. Two newer models, the longer-range -500 and the stretched -600, are powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 500s. Typical seating for the -200, -300, -500 and -600 is 262, 295, 313 and 380 passengers, respectively.
This four-engine, medium/long-range, widebody commercial passenger and cargo transport aircraft first flew as the Il-96-300 in 1988 and was awarded certification in December 1992. It is powered by Aviadvigatel PS-90A1 engines rated 35,275 lb. thrust each. The Il-96-400, a stretched version of the -300, is powered by uprated PS-90A1 engines. The Il-96-400 passenger version can carry 436 passengers in a single-class configuration, 386 in two classes or 315 in a three-class layout. Two Il-96-300 are forecast for production in 2014-23.
Airbus A318 The A318 is a twin-engine, 107-132-passenger narrowbody jetliner. Initial flight occurred in January 2002. The European Joint Aviation Authorities certified the A318 (with CFM56 engines) in May 2003, followed by FAA certification a month later. A318 deliveries began in July 2003; 79 aircraft were produced through 2013. A318s are powered by two 21,600-23,800-lb.-thrust turbofan engines, either the Pratt & Whitney PW6000 or CFM56-5B.
The ATR series are turboprop-powered regional transport aircraft first developed in 1981 by the European joint venture formed by Aerospatiale (now Airbus Group) and Aeritalia (now Alenia Aermacchi, part of the Finmeccanica group). The ATR 42’s first delivery occurred in 1985, followed by the ATR 72 in 1989. The latest versions are the ATR 42-600 and the ATR 72-600. Both -600 variants are powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney PW127M engines, rated at 2,400-2,750 shp each. Through 2013, ATR delivered 429 ATR 42s and 678 ATR 72s.
This twin-engine turboprop aircraft family initially was known as the Dash 8 series. The original Q100 made its first flight in June 1983; first deliveries followed in October 1984. The Q100 carried 37-39 passengers, and was equipped with 2,150-shp Pratt & Whitney Canada PW120/121 engines. Other models out of production are: the 37-39-passenger Q200 (with 2,150-shp PW123C/D engines) and 50-56-seat Q300 (with 2,500-shp PW123Bs). The 68-78 seat Q400 (with 5,071-shp PW150As) remains in production.
The Irkut MS-21 is a twin-turbofan, narrowbody derivative of the defunct Yakovlev Yak-242 airliner. The MS-21 family is the 150-seat MS-21-200, 181-seat MS-21-300 and 212-seat MS-21-400. All three are to be available in both basic and extended-range versions; the -200 is also to be available in a long-range variant. Power will be provided by Pratt & Whitney PW1400G or Aviadvigatel PD-14 engines. First flight is planned for 2015, with a service entry target date of 2017. Primary competition for the MS-21 is likely to come from the Boeing 737, Airbus A320 and Comac C919.
The 52-60-passenger MA60 twin-turboprop transport aircraft is a stretched version of the Xian Y7-200A, which in turn is a variation on the Antonov An-24. The aircraft is powered by two 2,750-shp Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127J engines. Initial flight and delivery of the MA60 took place in 2000. A freighter version, the MA60-500, is also marketed. In May 2010, a new variant, the MA600, was awarded certification by the Civil Aviation Administration of China.
In 2010, the hope was that by 2015 private aircraft would be widely usable in China. As of 2014, little progress has been made for propeller-driven aircraft, although helicopter operations are making progress.
This single-turboprop-powered utility/passenger aircraft first flew in December 1982. Through 2013, Cessna produced 2,319 Caravans of all types. Designed with the small-package delivery segment in mind, Caravan models in production include the Caravan 675 and 208B Grand Caravan. Both are powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114A turboprop engine rated at 675 shp. Also in production is the upgraded Grand Caravan EX model, featuring a more powerful PT6A-140 turboprop engine. The EX achieved certification in January 2013. Cessna is forecast to deliver 988 Caravans in 2014-23.
Mitsubishi formally launched the twin-engine Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ) family in March 2008; rollout was late last month. Initially, two basic models are planned: the 78-passenger MRJ70 and 92-passenger MRJ90. The MRJ70 is powered by 15,600-lb.-thrust Pratt & Whitney PW1215G engines, while the MRJ90 is powered by 17,600-lb.-thrust PW1217Gs. Extended- and long-range versions of each model are envisioned, while a 100-seater dubbed the MRJ100 is being considered. First flight is planned for the second quarter of 2015, with service entry slated for 2017.
Xian’s parent firm Avic formally launched full-scale development of the new MA700 turboprop airliner in December 2013. Program plans call for preliminary design review by the end of this year, first flight in 2016, Chinese certification in 2018 and service entry in 2019. Certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency or the FAA also will be pursued, achievement of which would enable the MA700 to penetrate markets beyond those currently served by the MA60 or MA600.
Initially, the new ARJ21 regional jet from Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (Comac) is to be available as the ARJ21-700 78-90-seater, while later introduction of the 98-105-seat ARJ21-900 is a possibility. Power is provided by two GE CF34-10A turbofans producing 18,500 lb. thrust each. Rollout of the first ARJ21-700 occurred in December 2007, followed by first flight in November 2008. Six ARJ21s were built through 2013, and 86 additional examples are forecast for production through 2023. The ARJ21 faces competition from Bombardier and Embraer.
Currently in development, the A350 is a twin-engine, widebody jetliner intended to compete with Boeing’s 787 and 777. The A350 is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines rated in the 75,000-97,000-lb.-thrust range, and will have a cruise speed of around Mach 0.85. Three basic versions are being marketed: the -800, -900 and -1000. Depending on the version, the A350 seats 276-369 passengers, and will have a range of 8,100-8,500 nm. The maiden flight occurred in June 2013. Type certification is expected in late 2014, -900 service entry in the same timeframe.
This pressurized, single-turboprop-powered, corporate/utility transport aircraft first flew in May 1991, and received Swiss and U.S. certification in 1994. It has seating for nine passengers in its standard layout. Portugal’s OGMA assembles green aircraft and manufactures some components. The current PC-12 production version, the PC-12 NG (Next Generation), is powered by a 1,200-shp Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67P turboprop engine. Some 1,231 PC-12s, including 443 PC-12 NGs, were built through 2013. Production of 846 units is expected in 2014-23.
Beech launched the King Air series of 8-12-seat, twin-turboprop aircraft in 1963. Since then, numerous variants have appeared. Total production amounted to 6,449 aircraft through 2013. Beechcraft, which Textron acquired last March and operates along with Cessna in a new segment called Textron Aviation, markets the King Air C90GTx, King Air 250 and King Air 350i. The C90GTx is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PT6A-135s producing 550 shp each.
