A regional jet (RJ) is a jet-powered regional airliner with fewer than 100 seats. The first one was the Sud-Aviation Caravelle in 1959, followed by the widespread Yakovlev Yak-40, Fokker F-28, and BAe 146. The 1990s saw the emergence of the most widespread Canadair Regional Jet and its Embraer Regional Jet counterpart, then the larger Embraer E-Jet and multiple competing projects. In the US, they are limited in size by scope clauses.
The market was consolidated as Bombardier Aviation sold its airliner programs between 2017 and 2019, leaving Embraer as the sole large independent regional jet manufacturer, while emerging players try to push competitors: the Mitsubishi SpaceJet, Sukhoi Superjet 100, Comac ARJ21, and Antonov An-148.
Definition
Regional Jet is a term in industry jargon and not a regulatory category. Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University defines the regional jet as up to 100 seats in capacity. This is also the limit capacity for two flight attendants. FlightGlobal sort the 66- to 146-seat Embraer E-Jet/E2 as a regional aircraft, but the 116- to 141-seat Airbus A220 (ex Bombardier CSeries) as a mainline airliner. Boeing defines regional jets as below 90 seats.
Regional Jet is used in the name of multiple airliners: the 50-seat Canadair Regional Jet CRJ-100/200 was introduced in 1992 and evolved from 2001 in the 70- to 100-seat CRJ700/900/1000; the 70- to 112-seat BAe 146 was renamed as the Avro Regional Jet in 1993; the 34- to 50-seat Embraer Regional Jet ERJ-135/140/145 entered service in 1996; the later 66- to 124-seat Embraer E-Jet, introduced in 2004, still carries the ERJ type certificate name; the 98-seat Sukhoi Superjet 100, introduced in 2011, was initially known as the Russian Regional Jet, and is still called RRJ-95 in its type certificate; the 78- to 98-seat Comac ARJ21, introduced in 2016, stands for Advanced Regional Jet; the 78- to 92-seat Mitsubishi SpaceJet, marketed as the Mitsubishi Regional Jet before 2019
The scope clauses, limiting the aircraft size and number in US regional airlines, are often a design point for regional jets. Since 2012, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines cap their regional airlines' jets at 76 seats and maximum take-off weight at 86,000 lb (39 t).
For an EASA assessment of aircraft noise, regional jets were defined by ICAO/ experts as MTOW aircraft.
These aircraft are widely used by commuter airlines such as SkyWest and American Eagle. The low rate of fuel consumption, which translates to low cost of operation, makes regional jets ideal for use as commuter aircraft or to connect lower traffic airports to large or medium hub airports. Regional jets are heavily used in the US Essential Air Service program.
History
1960s–1970s
In 1959 was introduced the Sud Aviation Caravelle (80 to 140 seats), ordered by Flag Carriers, the first purpose-built short-haul jetliner, a twin turbojet design for inter-European routes. The Caravelle used the forward fuselage nose section of the de Havilland Comet, the first commercial jetliner, not effective for continental-European flights. The BAC One-Eleven (89 to 119 seats) was then introduced in 1965.
In 1968, Aeroflot introduced the 32-seat Yakovlev Yak-40 and the 65- to 85-seat Fokker F28 Fellowship was introduced in 1969. In 1975, the 40- to 44-seat VFW-Fokker 614 saw service entry with its distinctive overwing engines, 19 were built. Some business jets like the British Aerospace 125 (first delivery: 1964) and Dassault Falcon 20 (1965) were operated by small airlines from the 1960s, and the small Aerospatiale Corvette (1974) was used as a regional airliner from the 1970s.
1980s
In 1978, the US Airline Deregulation Act led to route liberalization, favouring small airliners demand. US passengers were disappointed by these, lacking aircraft lavatories or flight attendants of larger jet aircraft. As feeder routes grew, regional airlines replaced these small aircraft with larger turboprop airliners to feed larger airline hubs. These medium airliners were then supplanted by faster, longer range, regional jets like the first Bombardier CRJ100/200. Early small jets had higher operating costs than turboprops on short routes. The gap narrowed with better turbofans, and closed with the higher utilization due to higher speeds.