First Embraer 175 plane lands at Aspen-Pitkin County Airport
Landing marks transition from CRJ-700 to E-175
Skyler Stark-Ragsdale/The Aspen Times
On a crisp December morning at the Aspen-Pitkin County airport, the first Embraer 175 landed, marking the beginning of SkyWest Airlines’ transition from the Bombardier CRJ-700.
SkyWest, a third-party airline that operates flights to and from Aspen for United Airlines, American Airlines, and Delta Air Lines, announced that United would replace some of its CRJ-700s with the E-175s over the summer.
Tuesday’s inaugural United Airlines E-175 flight carried about 40 passengers from Denver and landed just after 10 a.m. One other E-175 flight was scheduled for later in the day.
Both the E-175s and CRJ-700s carry 70 passengers, but the E-175 has an 93-foot-11-inch wingspan and a range of 1,800 miles while the CRJ-700 spans 76-feet-3-inches and can travel a maximum distance of 1,611 miles, according to previous reporting from The Aspen Times.
The Embraer’s newer technology, longer range, and better reliability means it should cut down on cancellations and diversions, which are frequent in Aspen, and can circle a bit longer in attempting to land. The newer plane’s improved avionics allow it to fly into Aspen with lower approach minimums or in worse weather, Airport Director Dan Bartholomew said.
“Hopefully, this will help with cancellations and delays,” he said. “The avionics are so much better in this plane.”
The wingspan of the E-175s is just inside the airport’s current restriction. Fly Aspen Snowmass consultant Bill Tomcich, who was onboard the inaugural flight, said that these planes are powered by similar engines to the CRJ-700s, so it has comparable noise levels.
The biggest difference between the two planes is that the E-175 engine is mounted beneath the wings, as opposed to the tail, which creates slightly different acoustics. The E-175s also have modern avionics on board, like satellite-based navigation, which are not available on older CRJ-700s.
“The engine is what makes it quieter,” Bartholomew said “It’s a more controlled approach, so it doesn’t have to land as fast or hard with engine adjustments.”
In 2019, the E-175s were introduced to the Eagle County Regional Airport. They were also introduced at the Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport over a year ago. The E-175s also allow full-size carry-ons to be brought on board and stored in overhead compartments rather than checked with the rest of travelers’ luggage.
Along with other passengers, brand new Aspen Skiing Company employees, Katie Reeves from Denver and Finley Geis from Kauai, received swag bags and snacks from airport staff as they got off the plane and entered the airport.
“I’ve been in the other planes. It was so smooth here. We could put all this in,” Reeves said, motioning to her carry on bags. “You didn’t have to gate check anything.”
Three daily E-175 flights to and from Denver will now be a regular occurrence at the Aspen airport until Dec. 19. After that, flight frequency will increase as the airport looks to expand flights to the West Coast. The airport converted four out of the eight tarmac parking spaces for the E-175 by fortifying concrete pads for its landing gear. At least three more will be converted.
The inaugural flight comes after one of Pitkin County’s most contentious local elections in recent years. Two questions on the November ballot aimed to determine the future of the airport.
The prevailing Ballot question 1C sought to amend Article II of the county’s governing document, the Home Rule Charter, to reaffirm the county’s power to approve and carry out the layout plan for the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport, which includes widening and relocating the runway.
Ballot question 200, a citizens initiative which failed when taken to a public vote, sought to amend the Home Rule Charter to restrict county officials’ decision-making power regarding the expansion or relocation of any runway at the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport beyond the dimensions and locations that existed on Jan. 1 without voter approval.
Just a couple of weeks after the election, with the support of local voters and the Federal Aviation Administration behind them, the county approved the Airport Layout Plan, which paves the way for a terminal renovation and runway reconstruction for aircraft with 118 foot wingspans. An approved ALP gives the Aspen airport opportunities for federal funding from the FAA for these projects.
“It was amazing watching it come in,” Bartholowmew said. “I mean, this has been about three years in the making between improvements out on the ramp to make it happen.”
Regan Mertz can be reached at 970-429-9153 or rmertz@aspentimes.com.
Monday’s Aspen, Snowmass road conditions were worst ‘seen in 30 years,’ sheriff says
Not one, not two, but eight Pitkin County weather-related traffic alerts were issued between 7:20 a.m. and 5:40 p.m. Monday.
