Definition
A small jet airliner, typically seating between 30 and 100 passengers, used by airlines to operate shorter routes that connect smaller cities with larger hub airports. Regional jets are designed for shorter stage lengths than mainline narrow-body or wide-body airliners, and are commonly flown by regional airlines operating under contract for major carriers.
Plain English
A small passenger jet used on shorter airline routes, usually flying between smaller airports and major hubs. It carries fewer people than a typical airliner you might picture for a long trip.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA acronyms, air traffic control discussions, instrument procedure environments, and traffic advisories involving airline aircraft.
Derivation
Regional refers to flying within a geographic region rather than long-haul routes. Jet refers to jet-powered propulsion, distinguishing these aircraft from the turboprops that previously dominated short-haul regional flying.
Why Pilots Care
Regional jets share airspace, approaches, and terminal procedures with general aviation traffic. Knowing what an RJ is helps pilots interpret ATC traffic calls, anticipate wake turbulence (small to medium), and understand sequencing at busy airports.
Example Sentence 1
Example Sentence 2
Performance data for the RJ showed a shorter takeoff roll than the larger airliner.