Design studies commenced in 1987, with the first prototype flying on May 101991. It has a modern EFIS avionics suite featuring 6 CRTs.
Variants
CRJ-100 - original 50-seat version.
CRJ-200 - similar to CRJ-100, but with improved engines, General Electric CF34-3B1. 50 passenger seats, 2 pilot seats, 1 pilot observer seat (jumpseat) and 1 flight attendant jumpseat. The normal airline configuration is 2x2 seating in rows 1 through 12, and 2x0 in row 13. Comair also operates a 40 seat variant, which has seating rows 1, 2 and 13 removed.
CRJ-700 - stretched 70-seat version. The CRJ-700 is equipped with the General Electric CF34-8C1 engine. Maximum speed is Mach .85 at a maximum altitude of 41,000 feet (12,500 m). Depending upon payload, the CRJ-700 can travel up to 2250 miles (3,600 km) with current engines, and a new variant with CF34-8C5 engines will be able to travel up to 2516 nautical miles (4,660 km). Competes loosely with the Embraer 170. CRJ-700 comes in two subvariants - Series 701 and Series 705 - which differ slightly in dimensions and seating capacity.
CRJ-900 - stretched 86-seat version. Competes loosely with the Embraer 175.
Specifications
Variant
CRJ-100ER/LR
CRJ-200ER/LR
CRJ-700 (Series 701)
CRJ-900
Length Wing span Height
27.77 m (87 ft 10 in) 21.21 m (69ft 7in) 6.22 m (20 ft 5 in)
27.77 m (87 ft 10 in) 21.21 m (69ft 7in) 6.22 m (20 ft 5 in)
32.51 m (106 ft 8 in) 23.24 m (76ft 3in) 7.57 m (24 ft 10 in)
36.40 m (119 ft 4 in) 23.24 m (76ft 3in) 7.51 m (24 ft 7 in)