Pierre Beaudoin (left) and Robert Deluce (right)

Q400 a step closer to Toronto Island	April 2003

Regional Airline Holdings, Inc. (REGCO) signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) in Toronto on April 24, 2003 to acquire 10 Bombardier Q400 68- to 78-seat turboprop airliners and take options on an additional 15. The signing was attended by Pierre Beaudoin, president of Bombardier Aerospace and representatives of the federal, Ontario and municipal governments.

REGCO plans to start regional air services from Toronto City Centre Airport, commonly known as Toronto Island, to 17 cities in Quebec, Ontario, six U.S. states and the District of Columbia. All are within 500 nm (925 km), or 90 minutes flying time, by Q400 from Toronto's Lake Ontario waterfront airport.

"The Q400 is simply the best aircraft for the service we are going to provide to our passengers," said Robert Deluce, president and CEO of REGCO. "Its speed is comparable to that of a jet, and Bombardier's Noise and Vibration Suppression (NVS) system makes the passenger cabin quieter than that in some jets."

REGCO plans to build a vehicle and pedestrian lift bridge across the 150-yard (137 m) gap separating the airport from the mainland. The bridge would replace the current five-minute ride by ferry boat.

REGCO would be the first Canadian airline to operate the Q400 in scheduled service, although Hydro Québec utilizes two Q400 aircraft to transport the utility's employees between Montreal and hydro-electric generating sites near James Bay.

The Q400 is the ideal aircraft for operation at the island airport, where - like most close-to-downtown airports - there are concerns for the environment. Noise and smoke emissions from the Q400 are well below the maximum allowed under international agreement. The Q400 couples slow-turning propellers and a very high rate of climb to further help minimize the impact on surrounding neighborhoods.