ENGINES FOR REGIONAL JETS

As far as transportation is concerned, the focus is beginning to shift from fossil fuels to electric Power or alternate fuel using Hydrogen Fuel Cells

- AJIT AGTEY

AS THE NAME REGIONAL Jets suggests, these airplanes are in a different class from others. Therefore, it is necessary to see the various different classes and categories of airliners. Airliners get classified based on passenger-carrying capacity, All Up Weight (AUW), number of engines, number of aisles, and their flying range. There are various combinations of the criteria listed above and hence there are a large number of categories of airliners.

DEVELOPMENT. Typically, a Regional Jet is a small aircraft meant for operating regional flights. Its definition has undergone a change through a process of evolution. Initially, it was classified as a class that could carry 66 to 100 passengers. These days Regional Jets typically carry between 66 to 150 passengers. That puts most of these aircraft in the sub-40-tonne AUW category. Incidentally, India offers landing parking charges waiver for aircraft below 40-tonne AUW operating under the UDAN banner.

Regional Jets usually have less than 150 seats and are typically produced by aircraft manufacturers that specialize in making small aircraft. For example, neither of the two biggest airliner manufacturers, namely Airbus and Boeing, produce Regional Jets. Instead, these are produced by Embraer, Bombardier, Sukhoi, Antonov and COMAC. A comparative list of Regional Jets, currently in operation, is placed below.

• Antonov An-148 (2009– 68–99 seats)

• Bombardier CRJ700 series (2001– 66–104 seats)

• Comac ARJ21 (2016– 78–105 seats)

• Sukhoi Superjet 100 (2011– 87–108 seats)

• Embraer E-Jet and E2 Family (2004 - 66-124 seats)