Adria to launch CRJ1000

The CRJ1000 soon in Adria livery

In November 2007 Adria Airways placed an order for one Bombardier CRJ1000 NextGen aircraft, a completely new plane in the production stages. The Slovenian national carrier will now become the launch customer of this aircraft type, which should arrive in the first half of 2010. The aircraft has a capacity of 100 seats but is much more cost effective than others in its class. Bombardier's first production CRJ1000 NextGen is undergoing final interior installations at the company's Mirabel, Quebec, facility in Canada. Aircraft 19001 will shortly join Bombardier's CRJ1000 prototype to prepare for review by the flight operations evaluation board and entry into service, according to director of CRJ programmes Jean-Guy Blodin. The air framer has been flight testing the prototype at its Wichita flight test centre since September 2008. The testbed aircraft has logged almost 400 hours and is "over 50% done" with flight testing. The aircraft is currently undergoing icing tests. The CRJ1000 NexGen is scheduled for certification in the fourth quarter of 2009, with an entry-into-service in the first quarter of 2010.

Bombardier has secured 45 orders for the 100 seat regional jet. Besides Adria other airlines that have ordered this aircraft include Air France, MyAir and Brit Air. Adria currently operates a total of 14 aircraft with 2 Airbus A319s, 1 Bombaridier CRJ900 and 1 CRJ1000 NextGen aircraft on order.