The configuration of the new Fairchild Dornier 728 family of regional jets has been finalized, albeit slightly skinnier than originally advertised. The cross section has been reduced from 134 inches-the same as the British Aerospace RJ85/100 series-to 128 inches. Put into perspective, it's still five inches wider than the MD-80's 123 inches. The change was requested by proposed launch customer Lufthansa CityLine for several reasons, Show News was told by Fairchild Aerospace President Jim Robinson. One benefit was a reduction in empty weight of 450 kilos (nearly 1,000 pounds), which results in a marginally improved fuel burn.

The real decision, came down to a competitive issue, however. "We were going back and forth between Lufthansa and Crossair [the other proposed launch customer]. Crossair wanted the wider cross section; Lufthansa wanted the narrower cross section. "And we finally-just based upon the science of it and the performance-went to the narrower cross section," Robinson said in an exclusive interview. As he explained it, the 134 inches allows for a marginal six-abreast seating configuration, which was pretty much standard on earlier BAe 146s (the RJ85/100 predecessor). That could encourage low-cost operators to fly the aircraft six abreast against those with only five abreast, for which the airplane is being designed.

"They just did not want to see it operated that way. It really does not really make a good six-abreast anyway," he said. "Crossair's reasoning was that it would make a more comfortable five-abreast in their marketplace and they have proven to be very successful at it."

Customers do have their input. Both Crossair and Lufthansa CityLine have placed provisional orders for 60 each plus 60 options. Final contracts are not expected much before year-end, however. Crossair has a supervisory board meeting in October and Lufthansa has one in mid-December. "The intention is to sign contract with both of them by the end of the year. So we are trying to hammer out the details now, get the i's dotted and the t's crossed now so that when the supervisory boards meet, we may be able to sign Crossair a little bit earlier and Lufthansa a little bit later, but in both cases by the end of the year," Robinson said. There also are letters of intent from Eurowings of Germany, and from Proteus, for 15 aircraft each.

Asked about other orders, Robinson said that, "The truth of the matter is that when you are looking at 60 plus 60 airplanes firm and then another 120 options, we do not have any delivery positions until out into early 2004 for a third airline. We are reserving a few because [Crossair and Lufthansa] want us to have a launch U.S. customer. We do not have one now and we will not have one by the end of the year. So it is going to be difficult to sign up a third customer in Europe, which is where most of the prospects are, by the end of the year given those kinds of delivery positions," he said. In the first two years of production-2002 and 2003-the company will be ramping up to meet the needs of Crossair and Lufthansa. He said that of the 120 firm orders for the 728 family, 80 will be the 728 in the 70-seat-plus configuration. The remaining 40 will be roughly split between the 50-seat-plus 528 and the 90- seat 928.

Robinson dismissed the misconception that Fairchild Dornier has launched four new programs simultaneously-the stretch 428JET, the 528, 728 and 928. "This is really two programs with the 428 and the 728 family. We are building the 728 much like Airbus when they went from the A320 to the A321 and the A319. That is very similar to what we are doing, but there is still some level of skepticism out there when people think of it in terms of four programs. We are only working on two programs in addition to the final phases of certifying the 328JET. But that will be done early next year."

He said there is a "high level of interest in the 428, both in North America and, surprisingly, now in Europe. We are now well underway on that program." The Pratt & Whitney PW308 has been selected, Aermacchi has about 100 engineers working on the fuselage near Milan and wing design is being done in Germany with production to commence in a new building in San Antonio, to be completed in November.

"Frankly, we will probably get a 428 fleet order before we get a 328JET fleet order," Robinson said. "We have a customer that, depending on a couple of-I won't said insignificant, but not major-issues, I think we can sign up on the 428." In the U.S.? "Yeah." Crossair also is evaluating the 428 as a Saab 340 replacement. In the U.S., Delta Connection Comair, TWExpress Trans States and USAirways are looking at the 428, he said. Robinson said he has promised certification of the airplane by the end of 2000, 28 months away.

Robinson said the way the market has been shaking out, the 32-seat 328JET will become accepted as a 19-seat turboprop replacement. "If you look at the one pretty decent order we do have in the U.S., with Midwest Express, that is what they are doing. They are replacing [Beech] 1900Ds and the airlines are simply looking at it and saying, 'I am not, on a one-for-one basis, going to replace a 30-seat prop with a 30-seat jet. I'll take a mixture if I can have commonality. I will take a mixture of 328s, 428s and so on.' But they believe that with the jet stimulation factor, they cannot simply have a fleet of 328s. That is why the 428 has become so important in our strategic plans," he added. "I am talking about jets in this case, replacing turboprops, either ours or somebody else's."

By Arnold Lewis