Dornier Do-328

The Fairchild-Dornier 328 is 30-34 seat turboprop powered commuter airliner designed and engineered by Dornier in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany. Development of the 328 started in 1985, after Dornier decided to redesign the fuselage of the Dornier 228. After Dornier's market research had indicated a substantial market for regional airliners in the 30-seat class it was decided to develop the Dornier 328. Work began in December 1988, culminating in the first development aircraft's rollout on 13 October 1991 and the first flight on 6 December 1991. The 328 was awarded EJAA certification on 15 October 1993. First customer deliveries occurred on 21 October 1993, when the Dornier 328-110 s/n 3005 HB-AEE was handed over to the Swiss scheduled carrier Air Engiadina. The initial 328-100 was followed by the production standard 328-110 with redesigned aerodynamics and increased performance. Other models are the 328-120 with improved short field performance and the 328-130 with progressive rudder authority reduction with increasing airspeed. Mid 1996 Fairchild Aerospace acquired 80% of Dornier to form Fairchild-Dornier. In 2002 Fairchild Dornier filed bankruptcy and the court appointed administrator determined that the company had to be sold in pieces. The US company AvCraft Aviation acquired the Fairchild-Dornier’s 328 program, including the 328 production line at Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany. Early 2005 AvCraft Aerospace GmbH, the German subsidiary of AvCraft Aviation was declared insolvent at a German court at Weilsheim. In December 2005, UK’s Corporate Jet Services Ltd purchased the former AvCraft Aerospace GmbH. On 2 January 2006, Corporate Jet Services Ltd created the German subsidiary '328 Support Services GmbH', headquartered at Oberpfaffenhofen near Munich. It holds the type certificate of the Dornier 328 Jet and Turboprop aircraft plus the Dornier 428, and is carrying on the worldwide support of the aircraft. Part of the company’s strategy is to work towards returning to service the Dornier 328 aircraft which are currently parked in Europa and US.

The Fairchild-Dornier 328JET is 32 seat commuter jet airliner. After Fairchild Aerospace had acquired the majority of Dornier in 1996, the new formed company Fairchild-Dornier started in 1997 with the development of the 328JET. The Fairchild-Dornier 328Jet was derived from the Dornier 328 turboprop featuring two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW306B turbofans instead of the turboprops. Next to the engines, only slight modifications to the landing gear and wings were required to convert the Dornier 328 into the 328JET model. FADEC Pratt & Whitneys were hung under the wings, the landing gear was strengthened and new Honeywell Primus 2000 EFIS panels were installed in the cockpit.

The 328JET prototype D-BJET was converted from the second 328 turboprop airframe and was flown first on 20 January 1998. Deliveries of the 328JET started in 1999. The combined USA and German engineering team developed the new 428 model based on the 328JET, but the project was turned down in 2001 when Fairchild-Dornier ran into financial problems. In 2002 Fairchild Dornier filed bankruptcy and the court appointed administrator determined that the company had to be sold in pieces. The US company AvCraft Aviation acquired the Fairchild-Dornier’s 328 program, including the 328JET production line at Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany. Next to 18 ready-to-deliver aircraft, and five in the final assembly stage, the purchase included also the 428 intellectual properties. AvCraft/Fairchild-Dornier restarted in 2004 the production of the Fairchild Dornier 328JET. Early 2005 AvCraft Aerospace GmbH, the German subsidiary of AvCraft Aviation responsible for the 328JET program was declared insolvent at a German court at Weilsheim. In December 2005, UK’s Corporate Jet Services Ltd purchased the former AvCraft Aerospace GmbH. On 2 January 2006, Corporate Jet Services Ltd created the German subsidiary 328 Support Services GmbH, headquartered at Oberpfaffenhofen. It holds the type certificate of the Dornier 328 Jet and Turboprop aircraft plus the Dornier 428, and is carrying on the worldwide support of the aircraft. Part of the company’s strategy is to work towards returning to service the Dornier 328 aircraft which are currently parked in Europa and US.

Two 328Jets were handed over to Skyways Airlines ofMilwaukee at San Antonio, Texas, on 9 August 1999. The first customer for the type. By then, orders and options had reached 162.

Fairchild was developing the Envoy, a private jet variant of the 328JET, and the 528JET, a 55- to 63-seat stretch. A larger 728Jet was planned until the company declared bankruptcy in 2002.

Gallery

328JET
Engines: 2 x PW306B turbofan.
Max cruise: 335 kts.
Capacity: 30-33 pax.
Range: 1000nm.