Ziggy

Greetings and Salutations All,

Found this tidbit interesting

Delta A220 Order

DG announced in the last town-hall meeting that the current plans for the CRJ200 were scheduled out to end of summer 2021. But he also mentioned that they were going to start the process of finding a fleet replacement. With the CRJ series out of productions (yes, wer're taking delivery of the last three. Two in Sept, One in Oct) and currently no 50 seat jets are in production, that leaves Turbo-props as a possible 200 replacement. I know, in the past Delta has committed to a all jet fleet. But has times changed just enough for them to reconsider this stance? That still leaves the 700/900 replacement issue. I don't think we'll ever see the E-jets here and I know JM was intrigued with the MRJ, but really how viable is this option.

Interesting times for sure.

Green Needles

Delta has gone back and forth on this so many times it's not even funny. first we are going to retire the 200s, then we brought them out of the desert and droves. when you look up the definition of wishy-washy there's a picture of Delta airlines with the CRJ200 next to it. Until you're flying it, it's just another unsubstantiated rumor.

PilotBases

MRJ seems perfect for the future, but the scope compliant model M100 has been shelved due to COVID. Maybe post-2025 when the earliest 900s start hitting drinking age.

ninerdriver

Still waiting for the release of the SpaceJet 900 in a few years.

CRJ-900 performance with an Atmosphere cabin and updated avionics.

Way cheaper than starting from scratch again.

Ziggy

According to the article, the assertion is that the A220 is a 900/175 replacement. This is possible through a 20% efficiency gains over similar sized aircraft. So, does this signal a new shift in what equipment we’re going to be operating in the future.
It states that DL only has 30 for now on property, but I guess they still have 70 more on order?

PilotBases

A220 fuel burn is breathtaking. Lower than a 900 with 30 more folks in the back, and no issues with 3-4 hour legs into the wind with an alternate. 95 total orders split between the -100 and -300. The A321neo is also astonishing, barely burns more than a loaded 175, with 757 capacity. The GTF is amazing when it runs right.

My uneducated guess is the 900 slides down into many of the former 200 routes at slightly reduced frequency, post Covid. 175 probably does the longer runs from NYC that the 900 did now and then.

Ziggy

Agreed, but at some point 200’s will too expensive to maintain. Which I am inclined to believe is sooner rather that later. As I see it the only viable replacements right now would be ATR 72 and the Q400 Nextgen. But, that would go against DL philosophy of an “all jet fleet”.

Ziggy

I’m not sold on the MRJ’s, why go with an unproven entity with an unproven aircraft? I personally would take a serious look at the 175-E2 before the MRJ, so am I missing something?

PilotBases

175-E2 isn’t scope compliant at all. It’s longer than the original -175 by a few frames, with a much bigger wing and heavy engines.
ATR42 would be possible. Probably a better aircraft to use on the short range DTW, ATL, and NYC routes.

The Deuce has a lot of life left in it. Not even close to cycles even for the ones in operation, and there’s scores of them in IGM that were parked after only 8 years of flying. There’s many AY tails “napping” there.

undedv

Because the E2 is too heavy for scope compliance, and they (DL) don’t want to put all their fish into one basket with embraer products. MRJ talks seem to have been a done deal if there wasn’t a Covid disruption to 2020.

And in regards to your previous post about “surely the 200 will get too expensive to maintain,” there’s no shortage of hulls in the desert that could be reactivated and/or have parts pulled from them when that point is reached. Heck, we recently got 19 bonus 200s to use or potentially part-out from OO.
Look how long the MD88/90 stuck around, or the DC-9. As much ‘will they / won’t they’ as DL has had with killing the 200 that bird isn’t going anywhere anytime soon

Edit: Aaaaaand PilotBases beat me to it, I really need to refresh before I post