(NewsNation) — The American Airlines passenger jet involved in the deadly collision with a military Black Hawk helicopter Wednesday night was among the most common aircraft to fly into Reagan National Airport, according to reports.
The CRJ700 is part of a series of narrow-body, twin-engine, medium-range airliners that are produced in Canada, according to the website Skybrary. Originally manufactured by Canair, the regional aircraft is now made by Bombardier, which also makes other similar jetliners as part of its regional line.
The Bergen Record reported Thursday that the CRJ700 is typically used on short-to-medium-haul flights and that Reagan Airport handles about 1,200 flights per day. Most of those flights travel less than 1,300 miles because of the airport’s perimeter rule.
The report said that the aircraft typically includes around 70 seats, although it can be expanded to accommodate up to 78 passengers. The American Airlines flight involved in Wednesday’s crash had 64 people onboard, including its crew.
Regional jets are commonly piloted by less experienced cockpit crews because regional aircraft are meant to provide experience to pilots before they are assigned to larger aircraft, the newspaper reported.
According to a Delta Airlines description of the aircraft, the Bombardier CRJ700 is just longer than 106 feet long and has a wingspan of 76 feet, 3 inches. The plane can reach cruising speeds of 515 mph, has a range of 1,730 miles and includes two turbofan engines.
According to the Bombardier website, the CRJ700 is the lightest in the CRJ fleet and delivers “impressive efficiency, performance and fuel burn savings.
The CRJ series was launched 25 years ago, the website said, and accounts for more than 20% of all jet departures in North America.