Regulators put curbs on use of Bombardier jets-WSJ

NEW YORK, Aug 29 (Reuters) - U.S. and Canadian aviation regulators have put tight restrictions on the operation of some Bombardier Inc (BBDb.TO) aircraft after citing persistent safety problems, the Wall Street Journal reported in its online edition on Wednesday.

Increasingly frequent instances of stuck or improperly operating flaps on Bombardier CRJ 100, 200 and 440 jets have prompted safety mandates, the Journal said. No fatal accidents have been attributed to flap defects, the report said.

Over the past few weeks, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and the Transportation Safety Board of Canada ordered airlines flying the small jetliners to make changes in their maintenance, pilot training and dispatching practices, the Journal said.

The report said the planes were introduced in 1992 and are primarily used by commuter airlines flying for almost all major U.S. carriers.

The curbs apply to about 684 CRJ airplanes registered in the United States and 300 or more delivered to airlines elsewhere, the Journal said.

The restrictions are unlikely to have a significant financial impact because none of the affected models remain in production, the report said.

A spokesman for Bombardier's aerospace unit told the Journal the company issued a voluntary safety message to operators in March and has been working with regulators, airlines and suppliers.

No-one at Bombardier could immediately be reached for further comment.