Originally Posted by
20driver
The EMB 175 seems to limited for operations here and overall does not seem a great performer.
The other alternate mentioned is the A220 but right now that is pretty much Delta - which is operating the planes on mainline contracts.
What I want to establish is which of the recent 737 or A319/320 models could operate here. It seems the worse case is the summer due to temperatures and altitude. United and Southwest are the dominant airlines in the region and they tend to be 737.
ASE is a challenging landing. ASE is 8000 feet long at 7680 feel elevation. It is basically one way in and out. I was told by a Skywest training captain the the max weight single engine escape only guarantees 50 feet of ground clearance which sounds pretty scary to me. Only a small number of Skywest crews are allowed to operate to Aspen.
Here at London City the Embraer has been a longstanding principal operation, the shorter 170s have been sold (to the USA !), but the E190 is dominant. They operate where it is impossible for the A319/737 to do so, these latter not being allowed (the A221 is but not the A223). Time was, before the Embraers came along, that the 146 was the "only possible" jet here, and I think you may recall the same was said about that type at Aspen too.
This airport does not have the elevation, but does have just a 4,500 foot runway, and the Embraer is often off in less than half that, with a very considerable angle of climb. London City has comparable challenges, it's a Captain Only landing, needs special training, and has significant engine-out limit climbout restrictions in its inner city location, due to nearby tall structures, which have caused other types not to be allowed but the Embraer is fine. Fully loaded lights with the Embraer take off to as far away as the Greek islands (and have quite a bit to spare - we took this, there was a thunderstorm over the island airport, and we held for half an hour, whereas an Italian charter 737 coming in from half the distance at the same time had insufficient fuel to do so and diverted to Athens). So I think you will find performance is fine. .