Fairchild Dornier 328JET

328JET
Tyrolean Jet Services 328JET
Role Airliner
Manufacturer Fairchild Dornier
Primary users Hainan Airlines
Skyway Airlines
Vision Airlines
Developed from Dornier 328
Variants Fairchild Dornier 428JET
Developed into Lockheed Martin X-55

The Fairchild-Dornier 328JET is a commuter airliner based upon the turboprop-powered Dornier 328. A proposed stretched variant was the 428JET.

The 328 was designed and placed into initial production by the German aerospace firm Dornier Luftfahrt GmbH, but in 1996 that firm was acquired by the United States aerospace company Fairchild Aircraft. The resulting corporation, named Fairchild Dornier, continued the production of the 328 family in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, conducted sales from San Antonio, Texas, and supported the product line from both locations.

Contents

Design and development

Due to public perception of noise and reliability issues with turboprops, Fairchild-Dornier developed the turbofan-based 328-300 or 328JET, of which 83 were sold. The 328JET utilized the same cabin arrangement as the 328. Fairchild-Dornier also began development of the stretched 428JET, a 44-seat version of the 328JET.

The declining commercial success of the 328JET meant that Fairchild-Dornier was unable to finance the development of further models. The 328JET was therefore the last commercial aircraft to be produced by the former Dornier business before it became insolvent in 2002. Following Dornier's insolvency, AvCraft Aviation of Virginia acquired the rights to the 328 program in March 2003, including the 32-seat 328JET and 328 turboprop, 18 328JETs in various stages of assembly, and the development work on the 428JET. After the successful sale of these airplanes, AvCraft negotiated arrangements with suppliers to resume production. The first newly built 328JET was delivered in 2004. AvCraft also took on the production of these aircraft, due to low profit expectations for its other projects, until it filed for bankruptcy itself in 2005. The resulting firm was acquired by private equity investors and reformed as M7 Aerospace.

328 Support Services GmbH has held the type certificate for the 328JET since June 2006.[1][2]

Variants

Operators

Specifications (Dornier 328JET)

Variant Fairchild Dornier 328JET[4]
Crew 3 (2 pilots + flight attendant)
Seating capacity 32 to 34
Length
Wing span
Height
21.28 m (69 ft 10 in)
20.98 m (68 ft 10 in)
7.24 m (23 ft 9 in)
Engines (2x)
Thrust (2x)
P&W PW306B
26.9 kN (6,050 lbf)
Max Zero Fuel Weight (ZFW) 13,070 kg (28,814 lb)
Max payload weight 3,500 kg (7,716 lb)
Max Take Off Weight 15,660 kg (34,524 lb)
Maximum range 3,705 km (2,000 nmi)
Maximum cruising speed 405 knots (750 km/h)
Flight ceiling 10,668 m (35,000 ft)
Certification Date July 1999

Accidents and Incidents

See also

Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

References

  1. ^ 328 Support Services GmbH - Home Page
  2. ^ FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet No. A55NM Revision 6
  3. ^ Flight International 24–30 August 2010
  4. ^ "The Fairchild Dornier 328JET Aircraft Data". Airliners.net. http://www.airliners.net/aircraft-data/stats.main?id=213. Retrieved 2008-08-08. 
  5. ^ [1]

External links