Bombardier [BBD] last week delivered the 250th CRJ700 regional jet, to SkyWest Airlines, five years after delivering the first 70-passenger regional jet. The manufacturer lauded the carrier as one of its first and one of its best customers for the Canadair Regional Jet. SkyWest has ordered 184 CRJ200s and CRJ700s over the last decade.

SkyWest, a wholly owned subsidiary of SkyWest, Inc. [SKYW], of St. George, Utah, will use the plane as its first for partner Delta Air Lines [DALQ] as part of the Delta Connection program.

"It's fitting that this aircraft is going to SkyWest Airlines, one of the first airlines to sign a Letter of Intent for CRJ Series aircraft in March 1989, before the CRJ aircraft program was officially launched," said Steven Ridolfi, president of Bombardier Regional Aircraft. "SkyWest has been a loyal customer ever since, having re-ordered Bombardier CRJ aircraft several times since it put its first CRJ aircraft into service in March 1994. We are pleased with their continuing confidence in Bombardier and its products."

"The Bombardier CRJ is the airplane that changed SkyWest Airlines from a midsize airline flying only turboprops to one of the largest regional jet operators in the world," said Jerry Atkin, chairman and chief executive officer of SkyWest Inc. "In fact, with our recent acquisition of [Atlantic Southeast Airlines] ASA, we have become the largest regional airline alliance in the world with more than 300 Bombardier regional jets in our combined fleets. The Bombardier CRJ has been a powerful asset for us since day one and we're proud to be taking this 250th CRJ700 aircraft."

The combined SkyWest-ASA Bombardier fleet totals 321 aircraft. SkyWest currently operates 123 CRJ200s and 57 CRJ700s, while ASA operates 106 CRJ200s and 35 CRJ700s. SkyWest, Inc. is the largest single operator of these aircraft. The fleet operates on behalf of Delta Connection and United Express.

The delivery of the 250th CRJ700 was marked by a special ceremony at the Bombardier CRJ700 and CRJ900 manufacturing facility at Mirabel, Quebec. The CRJ-700 has a range of 1,685 nautical miles, a ceiling of 41,000 feet and a normal cruising speed of 515 miles per hour.

"SkyWest Airlines is excited to take this delivery that has meaning for our manufacturer, Delta and ourselves," said Eric Christensen, SkyWest, Inc. vice president of planning. "We look forward to enhancing our excellent Delta Connection service in Salt Lake City and beyond."

"SkyWest saw the potential of the regional jet in the airplane's early days, capitalized on it, and did much to prove the regional jet concept to the airline industry," Ridolfi added. "We are enormously proud of the role these aircraft have played in SkyWest's growth and we are pleased to share the milestone 250th CRJ-700 delivery with this outstanding airline."

As of Jan. 31, Bombardier CRJ aircraft orders stood at 1,436 aircraft, with 1,345 delivered to operators worldwide.

>>Contact: Bert Cruickshank, Bombardier Aerospace, (416) 375-3030.<<