The CRJ900: Coming Soon to an Airport Near You	September 13, 2002

Less than 26 months after program launch Bombardier's newest and largest aircraft, the 86-seat CRJ900, has achieved its first certification. On September 13, 2002 Transport Canada awarded the CRJ900 its regional jet Aircraft Type Certificate, with Type Recommendation from JAA and Type Approval from the U.S. FAA expected soon.

Flight testing of the aircraft was completed at the Witchita Flight Test Center following a 13-month program that accumulated some 895 hours in 347 flights by two aircraft. "The CRJ900 meets or exceeds published performance data established when the program was officially launched on July 24, 2000," said John Holding, executive vice-president, Engineering and Product Development at Bombardier Aerospace.

Mesa Air Group has a firm order for 20 of the aircraft, and will be the launch customer when it enters service in the first quarter of 2003. The CRJ900 will join the CRJ700 and CRJ200 in the Mesa/America West fleet.

"We look forward with great anticipation to having the entire CRJ Series in airline service," said John Giraudy, president of Bombardier Regional Aircraft. "Like its smaller siblings, the CRJ900 will have the lowest operating costs of any aircraft in its class, providing its operators with excellent profit potential."

And with 94 per cent systems commonality with the CRJ700, existing CRJ customers like Mesa can offer their customers larger passenger capacity while providing a high degree of operational compatibility and fleet flexibility-Good news to operators in these cost-conscious times.

The CRJ900 is on track to tackle the new 90-seat market and expand the most successful regional aircraft program in history.