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.
328JET | |
---|---|
Tyrolean Jet Services 328JET | |
Role | Airliner |
Manufacturer | Fairchild Dornier |
Primary users | Hainan Airlines Skyway Airlines Vision Airlines |
Number built | 110 |
Developed from | Dornier 328 |
Variants | Fairchild Dornier 428JET |
Developed into | Lockheed Martin X-55 |
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.
Variants
- 328JET - Turbofan-powered variant, formerly the 328-300.
- Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft - a Dornier 328J with its mid/aft fuselage and empennage replaced with advanced composite materials. The ACCA is a Lockheed Martin demonstrator to advance composite usage on next-generation tactical air mobility transports for the US Air Force Research Laboratory.
Operators
- In August 2010 a total of 54 Dornier 328Jet aircraft remain in airline service. The only operators with a fleet of more than five are Ultimate Jetcharters (based in Ohio at the Akron Canton Airport) with 10, Tianjin Airlines with 11 and Sun Air of Scandinavia with 6. Some 13 other airlines also operate smaller numbers of the type.
Specifications (Dornier 328JET)
Source
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairchild_Dornier_328JET