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A Bumpier, Lower Ride for SkyWest
Regional airline SkyWest has limited altitude operations for its CRJ fleet. The measure, seen as a "company policy," has triggered rumors in the industry. (airwaysnews.com) Altro...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
When selecting flights, I work hard to avoid the SkyWest segments. At 6'4" all the "RJ's" are very uncomfortable. Now the main line carriers are using these planes on major routes and they are almost always full, making anything over an hour flight an ordeal. In my opinion, these planes should never be used beyond the regional niche. Flying them on routes East of IAH and DFW to major markets is keeping me from flying those routes.
Well you are correct about the regional niche being where they should be and that was intent, but folks got to seeing $ so there went the neighborhood.
Me too, thinking there's more to this self-imposed cruel and unusual punishment.. .
There is more to this than meets the eye... Wonder what drove that..
This restriction is not in place at other operators of the same type aircraft. Where I work, the company imposed limit on the CRJ-200 is 37000ft (and that probably isn't happening in the summer) Bombardier certified it to 41000ft, though I have no idea how they ever got one that high. As for the CRJ-700/900, the limit is the Bombardier limit of 41000ft. Those planes could probably go a little higher even, if not for the limits from the pressurization system. (and of course the certified limits) That said, 37000ft is doable almost anytime. Above that (and rarely even below that), you do need to mind the airplane weight and the air temperature. One thing to remember about the CRJ series is climb fast, as in airspeed, not climb rate. These planes climb better at altitude if you are already going faster. They don't like climbing fast then trying to accelerate once you are up.
http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/plan-stalls-mid-flight-faa-slaps-skywest-altitude/story?id=32452209