Bombardier intends to move forward on a larger version of its popular 70-seat Q400 turboprop, Commercial Aircraft President Gary Scott said yesterday.

Speaking at the SpeedNews Commercial Aviation Industry Suppliers Conference in Los Angeles, Scott said, "We will build a bigger version of this airplane. It is just the timing to be determined." Responding to a question from the audience, he said, "We're looking at how big, 90 or 100 seats, and should it be a simple stretch or more? Over the course of the next 12-24 months we will sort that out."

Bombardier would be ready to deliver the aircraft in a 2013-14 timeframe, he added, or in approximately the same period as the CSeries 110/130-seat jet the company launched last year. "It's definitely in our future," he told ATWOnline separately. "The question is when."

Scott's remarks came just a few weeks after Jim French, chairman and CEO of Flybe, a big Q400 customer, urged Bombardier to "build the 90-seat Q400." French made his comments during his acceptance speech as Flybe was presented ATW's Regional Airline of the Year award in ceremonies in Washington . The Q400 program has received 347 total orders, 233 of which have been delivered.

During the SpeedNews conference, Scott said that 2009 is "obviously a very difficult year," with new orders "starting to dive" and a lot of near-term adjustments to delivery schedules . However, the company's long-term outlook is rosy, with forecast demand for 12,900 new units in the 20/149-seat segment between 2007 and 2027. Of that number, approximately 6,300 will be in the CSeries class of small narrowbodies, a further 4,300 will be regional jets and the remaining 2,300 will be turboprops. Most growth will occur in the 60/99-seat and 100/149-seat categories.

He also declared, "We are absolutely committed to the CSeries," which was launched last summer with a letter of interest from Lufthansa for 30 firm orders plus 30 options . SpeedNews and ATWOnline are owned by Penton Media Inc.

by Perry Flint