I had a talk a while ago with a Fairchild/Dornier maintenance guy in SAT who was working on the 328TP. He basically stated the same as VnV. The problem with the 328 besides the high price is that you need a mature mx department. Air Wisconsin (United Express) is returning some 328TPs already.
May I add that the lenghly certification process is a huge part of Dornier's collapse. Dornier - being German - was exposed to the all too familiar bureaucratic process in Germany. I honestly believe that Dornier could have survived would they had been located outside Germany.
(Hell, you can't even take a crap without a prior written permission. By the time you get it - you went through 46 different people who then referred you to 78 other bureaucrats and told you to correctly fill out document 78A subpara d.2.b.III and submit it to Mr.X who will get back to you when he's got time and returned from his vacation - you realize that it is ... too late!)
Internally, so I heard there were lots of frictions within the company.
Not to forget that the Do428 had to be cancelled, too. Especially Midwest Express was delighted.
Well, that is the last great German aviation company that we have to bury. I am kinda sad, because I liked most of their pre- and postwar designs.
I guess we can see the lighter side and say that no more German commercial aircraft manufacturer can go broke (after the Cargolifter and Dornier)
Deutschland, das Zukunftsland!
Last edited by Squawk7777; 14th June 2002 at 01:24.