Bombardier CRJ Type Rating Guide
CRJ-200 · CRJ-700 · CRJ-900 · CRJ-1000
Key operators
SkyWest Airlines, Republic Airways, Mesa Airlines, Air Canada Express, Bombardier Flexjet, Croatia Airlines, Eurowings (legacy), Air Nostrum, Jazz Aviation, GoJet Airlines
Licence & eligibility requirements
Frozen ATPL or full ATPL (EASA/FAA/ICAO equivalent)
Training structure
CRJ technical subjects (avionics, engines, systems), 3–4 simulator phases, OPC, Line Check
Approved training organisations
CAE (Toronto, Dallas, Denver, Amsterdam), FlightSafety International (Detroit, Atlanta), Air Canada Training Centre (Toronto)
Demand outlook
Strong in North America. The CRJ family dominates US regional operations where scope clause agreements restrict aircraft size — SkyWest and Republic are among the largest regional carriers in the world. Demand in Europe is lower as operators transition to E-Jet types.
Key facts
The CRJ family (CRJ-200, CRJ-700, CRJ-900, CRJ-1000) share a common type rating — pilots qualified on one variant can operate others with differences training.
US scope clause agreements cap aircraft at 76 seats for regional partners of major carriers — making the CRJ-700 (70 seats) and CRJ-900 (76 seats) the dominant US regional jets.
SkyWest Airlines alone operates over 450 CRJ aircraft, making it one of the largest CRJ fleets in the world and a major career entry point.
Bombardier ceased new CRJ production in 2020 — the existing fleet will operate well beyond 2035, maintaining long-term demand for type-rated crews.
The CRJ-200 is common as a first jet type rating for low-hours pilots at North American regional carriers, particularly those offering cadet programmes.