Just a correction, it's 50 firm orders with 50 options. I rarely see carriers exercise the options. Who knows tho, either way it's bad.

This is certainly big news for a small private airline in the Midwest and probably uncharacteristic of TS. I'm guessing they can see the future because this order makes absolutely no sense.

TSA as far as I know doesn't have the 50 seat restriction anymore. They fly for UA and US. If this was for Gojet, then just like the CRJNGs it would have probably said Gojet in the order. I have no doubt in my mind that they will dangle this carrot to TSA first since they're probably desperate at this point. It's the perfect whipsaw. But let's not get ahead of our selves the airplane hasn't even been built yet.

They're looking ahead.

Pilots have always had trouble with that.

In 1992 Comair was looking ahead.

It started with one innocuous little order that most everyone pooh-poohed at the time.

It's happening again.

Pilots are still not looking ahead.

Sad............you think they'd have learrned by now.

How so?

The MRJ-90 is bigger and heavier than a EMB-175.

If it's the MRJ-70, it's like an EMB-170. These are already a known quantity.

This order of 50 with 50 options is not an addition of '100 new regional jets', but rather either a replacement of some jets currently in the system (MRJ-70), or new jets that are too large to fit under a scope clause in the current system (MRJ-90).

If there is an opportunity to use them, I like the codeshare idea, similar to the way Midwest Airlines was chopped off @ the knees by Republic. Codeshare can take your small jets, your medium jets, and your large jets. It's the new scope.

It's not a typo for the two smaller models, but the 90-seat version is more like 1500+ NM.

Actually the 800 NM range makes perfect sense...if your service area is the japanese home islands.

If TSA is really ordering 70 seat MRJ's, one would assume it is for short-haul work out of ORD/IAD.

The range chart in the PDF presentation is centered around Denver.

I remember when I was in training and Rick Leach was saying how excited the company was about the MRJ. Well, I guess he was serious. Unfortunately he's President of G7 also. These planes will all go over to that side and TSA will be left with nothing. Either way, expanding regional flying anywhere doesn't excite me much.

Mitsubishi Aviation + Trans States (Holdings) = lots of broken airplanes.

Lets not assume they already have an agreement with a major airline to fly these for.

If this pans out its good news for the short term, HORRIBLE news for the long term.

Eitherway, the first airplane won't hit until 2014. Just a reminder to everyone, it is 2009 right now. And you know that delivery time lines NEVER go according to the plan - so tack a year or two onto that.

Fully Operational
 

The Dark Side is making plans that will make them "fully operational"