Aircraft Digest | International Aviation HQ

Hughes XF-11: The Rise And Fall of The F-11 That Could’ve Changed The World!

14Jul

By Charles YongzhengNo Comments

Aircraft Digest

Hughes XF-11: The Rise And Fall of The F-11 That Could’ve Changed The World!

The heaviest and fastest twin-engine aircraft in the world at the time, the Hughes XF-11 was poised for success. Despite placing a large order for the aircraft, the US military eventually cancelled the XF-11 contract and the world was never truly the same again... Personally designed by Hughes Aircraft owner Howard Hughes to be a fighter, and later a reconnaissance aircraft, the aircraft (developed in secret) received national attention in 1946 when the aircraft crashed on its first flight, nearly killing Howard Hughes. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Pre-Hughes XF-11 In 1932, millionaire businessman Howard Hughes established the Hughes Aircraft Company as a subsidiary of the Hughes Tool Company (a manufacturer of drill bits founded by his fat...

Bombardier CRJ200: The Regional Jet we Love to Hate!

23Jun

By Alexander PaskNo Comments

Aircraft Digest

Bombardier CRJ200: The Regional Jet we Love to Hate!

Today, the Bombardier CRJ200 is the bestselling member of the CRJ family of jets, being loved by airlines the world over. Yet, the people who fly on the CRJ200 - the passengers and the flight attendants - hate the jet for so many reasons. Built between 1996 and 2006, Bombardier would produce a total of 709 CRJ200s, becoming a favorite of literally hundreds of operators in hundreds of countries, with the jet still being used today! (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Pre-Bombardier CRJ200 In 1986, Canadian manufacturing conglomerate, Bombardier, would acquire Canadair - Canada's national aircraft manufacturer which was then being privatized by the Canadian government, for a total of $200 million (Canadian). Beyond acquiring the internationally re...

Saab 2000: The Worst Turboprop Airliner Ever?

12Jun

By Alexander PaskNo Comments

Aircraft Digest

Saab 2000: The Worst Turboprop Airliner Ever?

When Saab began working on what they called the Saab 2000 in 1988, it was intended to be the best turboprop on the market. However, a little over a decade later, Saab would production of the aircraft having built only 63 copies... Despite being superior from a technical standpoint than many of its turboprop-powered contemporaries (and indeed some of its jet-powered ones too!) it would prove to be one of the least popular mass-produced regional airliners in history! (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Pre-Saab 2000 Prior to the introduction of the Saab 2000, the concept of regional airliners was not a new one. Indeed, the first regional airliners (such as the DC-1 and DC-2) had entered service in the 1930's and 1940's. However, it wouldn't be un...

Bombardier CRJ100: Founding an Aviation Dynasty!

29May

By Salomón MarcoNo Comments

Aircraft Digest

Bombardier CRJ100: Founding an Aviation Dynasty!

Today, Bombardier is famous for its line of regional jets, including the CRJ700, CRJ900 and CRJ1000. However, without the Bombardier CRJ100, none of these jets would exist - after all, the CRJ100 was the base for all of them! All in all, Bombardier would build 226 CRJ100s, which would soon become a favorite of airlines across the world. Even though many airlines are retiring their CRJ100 fleets, many airlines are desperately trying to hold onto theirs for as long as possible... (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Pre-Bombardier CRJ100 In 1963, American engineer, Bill Lear, first flew what he called the Learjet 23. Entering service in October 1964, the Learjet 23 would become the first modern business jet, with Lear soon building the Learjet 24 in 1...

Douglas DC-2: The Little Brother of The DC-3 Everyone Forgets!

15May

By Alexander PaskNo Comments

Aircraft Digest

Douglas DC-2: The Little Brother of The DC-3 Everyone Forgets!

Although the Douglas DC-2 has since been outshined by its much more successful sibling, the DC-3, the DC-2 was one of the best commercial airliners of its day, with it still being flown today! Whilst initially designed by Douglas to be a commercial airliner, the DC-2 soon saw action as a military aircraft, a VIP transport and even an air racer... (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Pre-Douglas DC-2 In 1925, Dutch aircraft manufacturer, Fokker, introduced the Fokker F.VII, better known as the Fokker Trimotor, to compete with the Ford Trimotor that was under development at Henry Ford's Ford Motor Company. Upon the Ford Trimotor's introduction in the summer of the following year, both trimotors would prove to be quite successful, with both aircraft...

Saab 340: Saab’s Most Successful Regional Turboprop Yet…

28Apr

By Alexander PaskNo Comments

Aircraft Digest

Saab 340: Saab’s Most Successful Regional Turboprop Yet…

Today, when you think "Saab" you probably think of the cars that they make. Yet, Saab are also a major manufacturer of fighter jets for the world's militaries, but it has also produced two turboprop airliners: the Saab 340 and Saab 2000. Despite being the smaller of the two turboprops, the 340 is actually the more popular of the two turboprops, with Saab producing 459 340s in only a 16 year period, making it one of the most successful regional airliners to date! (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Pre-Saab 340 The late 1960's and early 1970's were some of the best years in aviation history, especially so for regional airliners. You see, whilst regional airliners had sort existed beforehand, the 1960's/1970's established regional airliners as its o...

Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia: The Worst Turboprop Airliner Ever Made?

21Apr

By Alexander Pask1 Comment

Aircraft Digest

Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia: The Worst Turboprop Airliner Ever Made?

Today, Embraer is famous for its regional jets, primarily its ERJ, E-Jet and E-Jet E2 families. Before producing regional jets, Embraer produced regional turboprops, with their most famous being the Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia. Despite selling 354 times and being loved and used by airlines all across the world, many of the Brasilia's passengers absolutely hate the jet... (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Pre-Embraer EMB-120 Over the course of the late 1960's and 1970's, whilst the jet craze of the 1950's was still in full swing, the concept of regional and feeder airlines became quite popular, with hundreds being set up during this time. Whilst regional jets did existed, they were quite expensive and almost impossible for these newer airlines to ...

Embraer ERJ-135: The Most Versatile Regional Jet Yet?

7Apr

By Alexander PaskNo Comments

Aircraft Digest

Embraer ERJ-135: The Most Versatile Regional Jet Yet?

Today, Embraer is most famous for producing regional jets, which have taken the world by storm in recent decades. For the most part, this is thanks to the Embraer ERJ-135 and its longer cousin, the Embraer ERJ-145. When the ERJ-135 was introduced, it was intended to be a low-cost alternative to the larger ERJ-145. However, once it was introduced, it soon proved to be much more than just a smaller ERJ-145, to become an invaluable aircraft in any airline's fleet! (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Pre-Embraer ERJ-135 When the first jet airliners were released in the 1950's, such as the de Havilland Comet, Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8, they were mostly long-haul airliners used on high-demand transatlantic and transatlantic routes. By the end of the...

Embraer ERJ-145: The Best Regional Jet Yet?

31Mar

By Alexander PaskNo Comments

Aircraft Digest

Embraer ERJ-145: The Best Regional Jet Yet?

Today, Embraer is famous for its regional jets, which often compete with both Airbus and Boeing, and sometimes outclass them! This mostly thanks to the Embraer ERJ-145, Embraer's original regional jet... Whilst Embraer had made regional airliners before, mostly turboprops, these were mostly used by small commuter airlines, who fed into much larger airlines. However, the introduction of the Embraer ERJ-145 saw Embraer-made aircraft actually be used by these much larger airlines, rather than by independent airlines who were operating as these larger airlines! (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Pre-Embraer ERJ-145 Despite what you may think, the concept of a regional airliner isn't all that new. The first modern regional airliners were released fo...

Boeing 767-200: The Making of an Air Icon!

24Mar

By Alexander PaskNo Comments

Aircraft Digest

Boeing 767-200: The Making of an Air Icon!

Today, the 767 is arguably Boeing's second most famous widebody airliner, after the 747. For the most part, this is due to the Boeing 767-200, which was among the best airliners of its day! When the 767-200 was introduced in 1982, it was among the largest twinjets ever flown, being one of only two widebody twinjets. Due to this many people earnestly believed it would fail dismally. How wrong, they were... If you flew on a 767 in the 1980's and/or 1990's, chances are high that it was a 767-200! (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Pre-Boeing 767-200 The 1950's had sparked what we know as the commercial jet age. The introduction of the first jet airliners like the Comet, Boeing 707, Douglas DC-8, Convair 880 and Convair 990 revolutionized the airli...