Originally Posted by Excargodog

GoJet Airlines takes first CRJ550 for United Express ops

Illustration of Bombardier CRJ550 Illustration of Bombardier CRJ550© Bombardier
14.08.2019 - 18:52 UTC
GoJet Airlines (G7, St. Louis Lambert Int'l) has taken delivery of the first CRJ550, a converted version of the CRJ700, on August 7, 2019, and has already begun crew familiarisation flights ahead of the launch of operations for United Airlines (UA, Chicago O'Hare), ch-aviation research has revealed.

N504GJ (msn 10022) was ferried from Montréal Trudeau to Chicago O'Hare on August 7 under GoJet's code. On August 9, the airline operated its first technical flight to St. Louis Lambert Int'l, Flightradar24 ADS-B data shows. Social media photos confirm that the aircraft is already reconfigured and repainted into United's new livery.

The aircraft is a 17.6-year-old unit owned by SkyWest Airlines (United States of America) (OO, Salt Lake City). Prior to conversion to the CRJ550, it was operated by ExpressJet Airlines (EV, Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson) on behalf of American Airlines (AA, Dallas/Fort Worth). It was retired from active service in November 2018 and spent the winter season grounded at Tucson Int'l prior to a ferry flight first to Amarillo and St. Louis Lambert Int'l and then to Montreal for conversion in July 2019.

As of April 30, 2019, the Bombardier Aerospace regional jet has accumulated 39,585 flight hours and 30,152 flight cycles throughout its life.

According to United, after the reconfiguration, the aircraft will be equipped with 50 seats, 15 less than previously, including ten in business class, 20 in premium, and 20 in economy.

United will add at least fifty CRJ550s, all converted from CRJ700s. The first twenty-five units are due for delivery in 2019 with the remainder due the next year. All fifty will be operated by GoJet Airlines under a ten-year contract. No other carrier has so far committed to the CRJ550.

GoJet Airlines already operates twenty-five CRJ700s on behalf of United, the ch-aviation fleets advanced module shows.


As of 10 hours ago:

https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/n...ed-express-ops

Originally Posted by FlyingKat

Interesting article but full of holes. First, Gojet has taken delivery of other 550s beside this one since July. An EX Horizon 550 has been in the hangar in STL for a while. Second there is no mention of a date for initial service just "technical" flights. Third Gojet is not operating 25 700s for United as they have been parking them since Expressjet put the first 175 into service in June. This article is so full of inaccuracies it is hard to take seriously, except that instead of one 550 sitting in STL now they have two and still does not give a timeline for re certification as a 550 so it can be operated in revenue flights for UAL.

Originally Posted by Jungedrache

Are the two 700’s sitting in TUS with the new United livery yours? I don’t have a picture but I was there a couple of days ago and saw them from the terminal.

Originally Posted by LadyJustice

There does not seem to be any progress on getting the airplane certified from what I can find. I think the Max problems are really going to slow down the 550 certification.

Any verified progress that anyone can point too? There must be something showing planned certification.

Originally Posted by KyberCrystal

That information doesn't get published. You have to keep communicating with people who work on or near the project to get updates on it's progress.

Originally Posted by DavidAdams

Heard that the CRJ550 is now an FAA certified aircraft? Is this true?