Fairchild Dornier 328 Jet

Twin Jet· 46 globally registered

The Dornier 328JET represents an unusual chapter in regional aviation history as one of the few successful conversions of a turboprop design into a pure jet. Originally developed by Dornier as the 328 turboprop in the early 1990s, the jet variant emerged in 1998 when Fairchild Dornier replaced the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW119 turboprops with Pratt & Whitney Canada PW306B turbofans mounted in underwing pods. The result was a 30-seat regional jet that combined the rugged airframe and excellent short-field performance of its turboprop predecessor with the speed and passenger appeal of jet propulsion, cruising at 400 knots compared to the turboprop's 330 knots. The 328JET found a niche among regional carriers and corporate operators who valued its ability to operate from shorter runways than competing regional jets while maintaining jet-like performance, though it never achieved the commercial success of the CRJ or ERJ families. Production ended in 2002 after Fairchild Dornier's bankruptcy, with only 110 jets built compared to over 200 turboprop variants. Today the type survives primarily in corporate, charter, and specialized roles including engine testbed operations, where its combination of performance and relatively low operating costs makes it attractive for flight test work. SkyMeter has tracked 109 flights across 11 airframes and 3 operators over routes, with CBG LLC the largest observed operator.