by Leslie Vance
October 25, 1999
Airline travel is going through a transition that will effect travel from
smaller airports to the major hub terminals. This change is coming gradually,
but it is already making a significant impact. The change is not with the routes
or the time slots, but with the types of aircraft used for these flights. The
smaller propeller driven aircraft are being replaced by small jet
aircraft.
The Turbos
Airlines have utilized the
smaller propeller driven aircraft to fly its passengers to and from the non-hub
airports. These aircraft use turbine engines and are some of the most
sophisticated aircraft flying today. They are referred to in the aviation
industry as "turbo-prop" aircraft.
One of these turbo-prop aircraft is the
Saab Fairchild (SF340) which carries between
20 to 39 passengers and contains glass cockpit instruments and state of the art
navigation systems. It is widely used in the commuter sector by American Eagle,
an American Airlines commuter, and Northwest Airlink, a Northwest Airlines
commuter.
The instrumentation in this small turbine engine aircraft compares directly with the high level of sophistication found in a large jet aircraft such as the British Aerospace Airbus. Some of the older large jet aircraft, such as the Boeing 727, are still using the old vacuum system instruments for navigation. Most of the smaller turbo-prop aircraft are young and have better systems compared to the older jets being operated today. These small turbo prop aircraft are excellent aircraft and are very stable. Then steps in the Regional Jetliner.
The Regional Jets
The airlines have begun to put into use
the new Regional Jetliners that have been in production the last few years.
These aircraft are sleek new jets with all the bells and whistles. They have
state of the art instruments and all the new jet amenities with one exception.
They are no more comfortable to fly in than the turbo-props. The headroom and aisle width is virtually the same as their propeller counterpart. An example of
this aircraft is the Bombardier built Regional Jet
(CARJ) more commonly called the RJ. This aircraft is widely used by Comair a
Delta Airlines Partner.
Another aircraft is the new Embraer regional jet, the ERJ135. It is very
much like the RJ and is operated by American Eagle, a regional airline in
connection with American Airlines. These aircraft are reasonably new to the
airlines and have to perform to get any real recognition in the industry.
Another interesting point to the Regional Jets is that they carry only a few
more passengers than the turbo-props. There does not seem to be a major change
in the revenue that will be earned with the addition of these jet aircraft. They
are more expensive and more costly to fly.
With all this in mind, why
are the airlines changing to the small more sleek jet aircraft that carries just
a few more passengers than the turbo-prop aircraft? The airlines will say it's
for normal modernization and aircraft upgrades for safety and service. If that
is so, why spend all that money for new smaller jet aircraft when the same job
is being accomplished by the turbo-prop aircraft?
The Passengers
The answer is the passengers. When I say
passengers, I do not mean the number or capacity of the aircraft. It's what the
passengers want or feel more comfortable with. Most modern day airline
passengers do not really know exactly what they are in store for when they
purchase their tickets. The focus is on destination, time, and purchase price.
The type of aircraft only comes in to play when it is time to board the plane.
Passengers do not know much about the small turbo-prop aircraft and the first
instinct is fear and uneasiness. I have even heard them referred to as crop
dusters by a passenger.
The press and television coverage of these commuter
aircraft has been far from positive in the past. Recent accidents have also
played a factor in the public reaction to these small aircraft. As passengers
experience this short flight to later board a large jet aircraft at a major
airport, they begin to pay more attention to the types of aircraft they will be
flying on for the next flight. The result is less booking for the turbo-prop
aircraft and more bookings for jet powered aircraft. Passengers feel that the
jet powered aircraft is more modern and sophisticated and therefore safer. The
airlines and their consultants have seen the new passenger trends and are rising
to meet the demand.
Conclusion
As Aviation grows as a mode of transportation, we
can expect to see the needs of passengers focused on more aggressively by the
airlines. In the past, it has been what is the most cost effective and easier
for the company providing the service. Now there is a new factor for the
airlines to contend with-Quality and Passenger Satisfaction. The industry is in
a transitional phase and the benefits should make things better for the
passenger.
So are the turbo-props out of the picture? Well, the demand for them
is still there at smaller airports that cannot handle the jet aircraft. The new
jets will for the most part replace the turbo-prop aircraft at the larger
airports. The demand for them is too great. As the modernization of our airports
continue and their runways get longer, the turbo-prop aircraft will fall to the
way side of the new Regional Jets.
Copyright © 1999