| The CRJ1000 NextGen program reached a major milestone on schedule on February 6, 2008 when the prototype 86-foot (26.2 m) wing was mated to the fuselage of the stretched CRJ900 to create the CRJ1000 NextGen prototype, SN 19991. The largest regional aircraft built by Bombardier, the CRJ1000 NextGen is 9.05 feet (2.67 m) longer than the CRJ900. It has a wingspan that is 4.36 feet (1.33) longer and a cabin interior that is 7.8 feet (2.37 m) longer. The new centre fuselage and wing are considered "development" parts, i.e., they are not the final production items.
Announced in February, 2007 the 100-passenger CRJ1000 NextGen has attracted 39 firm orders plus 23 conditional orders and/or options. The firm orders are from Brit Air, 8; myair.com, 15; undisclosed operator; 15; and Adria Airways, 1.
The next steps after wing mating are installation of the aircraft systems, including the planned enhancements to the Rockwell Collins avionics suite, and the required flight test equipment. Aircraft 19991 is scheduled to make its first flight in the second quarter of 2008. Following a brief series of flights at the Bombardier CRJ700/900/1000 manufacturing facility at Mirabel, Quebec, 19991 will be ferried to the Bombardier Flight Test Center at Wichita, Kansas.
That aircraft will be joined in Wichita in the second quarter of 2009 by aircraft 19001, the first production CRJ1000 NextGen aircraft. Complete with a production interior, 19001 will be used to test systems not available on the prototype, such as environmental control system, cabin noise, PA and audio systems, final fuel calibration and cargo area smoke tests. Aircraft 19001 will also assist with the Operational Evaluation exercise for Canadian, U.S. and European regulatory authorities.
The flight test program is expected to take about 590 flight hours up to basic certification, scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2009, plus about 150 flight hours to support entry into service. As Jeff Kirdeikis, CRJ1000 Flight Test Program Lead explained, "590 flight hours is appropriate for a derivative program with only a few major systems changes. The test program for a new 'clean sheet' design would be about 1,800 flight hours."
Cold weather testing for the CRJ1000 NextGen will likely take place at Iqualuit, Nunavut in Northern Canada, and hot weather testing will likely be performed at Yuma, Arizona.
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