C100 At Paris Airshow

[blues deville]

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Bombardier leaves Paris satisfied but without CSeries orders

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Satisfied with what? Leaving the sales team behind in Paris.

Once upon a time DeHaviiland had an interesting strategy in their sales department. Rather than going out of their way to make the smallest fleet customer feel as important as the big ones (Boeing has this history.....Nordair vs. United for example), DeHav would ask why should they sell you an airplane.

[J.O.]

Would my unfamiliarity with your characterization of the properties of said harness strap be related to my (relative) youth or general endowment?

If and when you've experienced a rejected takeoff at high speed with maximum autobrake, you will probably have a better sense of what I meant.

[Tango Foxtrot]

FTV5 flew nonstop from Zurich to Mirabel on June 19th. 3350 nautical miles, 6204 kilometers in 8.4 hours airtime.

cseries.com

[Maverick]

I really believe that if this aircraft can get its foot in the door it will be a winner!

It's the most advanced narrowbody in the market by far.

Everything narrowbody that Boeing, Airbus and Embraer are producing is last generation. The A350 and 787 are equivalent. Nothing else is!

Go Bombardier!

[Super 80]

Parkerflot recently converted 37 A319 orders to A321 orders. This coincidentally is the number of 757's being retired in 2015 although only 35 A321's will be delivered this calendar year from both the original US Airways and AMR orders.

[Thebean]

BBD better start making some sales or the C-series will be DOA.

1,223 firm and options were announced at the Paris Air Show with a book value of almost $70b

BBD got a grand total of 6 of them with a book value of $124m.

Viking got 50 with a book value of $800m.

BBD will be very brave about how Paris doesn't matter, but it does. The program is clearly on the Titanic Watch. They need sales and NOW.

It doesn't take a genius to figure out how BBD is going to sell aircraft. Deep, deep discounts, ultimately underwritten by your tax dollars and mine.

Without meaningful sales, the plug has to be pulled. And who wants a fleet of orphans? Certainly not lessors.

It's a classic spiral dive.

[Guest]

No more tax dollars period no matter the industry. Private industry must be allowed to sink or swim based on their ability to generate a profit. We should use our savings to retrain and or move displaced workers to areas of Canada that have a need for them.

[blues deville]

What is it with our airliner industry? Dash 8's and CRJ's but anything more than 100 seats seem to be someone else's territory.

[Thebean]

What is it with our airliner industry? Dash 8's and CRJ's but anything more than 100 seats seem to be someone else's territory.

Delusions of grandeur.

If they'd stuck with their knitting and a produced a turboprop to seriously compete with ATR in the 200 to 350 mile sector range, they'd have a fat order book.

[DEFCON]

If BBD was to go tu, wouldn't the C Series program be highly saleable?

[Guest]

If BBD was to go tu, wouldn't the C Series program be highly saleable?

Seems that few airlines want the aircraft so why would anyone buy the program?

[Super 80]

The problem with the C Series is that the fundamental concept is the product of another era. The BRJ-X was intended to go up against the MD-95, 737-600 and A318. This is a size of mainline aircraft that has basically disappeared. Today even the CS300 is running into the same forces as the mainline narrowbody sweetspot continues to drift upwards into the A320 and 737-800 size.

When Bombardier had their existential crisis as the end of the line for the CRJ began to loom larger they just ran with that concept. Partially to address the E-Jets and partially to break into the mainline market. But neither really works.

The bottom line is the C Series customer will still need a large regional jet and a larger mainline narrowbody. It's the same mistake Dornier, they were offering commonality where nobody was really looking for it.

I suspect the C Series will ultimately be relatively successful as the end of the regional jet era reinvigorates the smaller end of the mainline fleet. I also suspect some political orders will follow a successful EIS. I suspect Parkerflot stepping away from the A319 order is to facilitate a C Series order.

[Super 80]

Delusions of grandeur.

If they'd stuck with their knitting and a produced a turboprop to seriously compete with ATR in the 200 to 350 mile sector range, they'd have a fat order book.

They beat that issue to death internally. It just wasn't worth doing. They concluded they needed a clean-sheet design just to built something less capable than the DHC-8.

[J.O.]

How much of the reluctance to buy is because of their reputation for after-sales service?

[Thebean]

In airplane terms, the BBD RJ's have had very short economic life spans.

Lessors, who buy the bulk of the aircraft manufactured, don't want to be stuck with high capital cost assets who's economic lifespans turn out to be half or less of Boeing or Airbus product.

[rudder]

BBD has built a great aircraft that is the wrong size. They should have either committed to taking on the big boys in the 150 seat+ market or targeted EMB who are having great success in the 76-100 seat market.

Instead they chose the 'gap' seat range and as a result customers are telling BBD (by not ordering) that they are not looking for that gauge aircraft. Interesting that BBD should presume to tell the customer what they need.

BBD should get engineering to design a CS86 version (max certified seating 86 - 2 class config at 76 seats). Keep maximum gross weight below US scope limitations. Likely you would have an aircraft with exceptional range based on the current platform.

Commit to commercial deliveries commencing no later than 2019 and I'll bet that AC would order 60 firm plus options to renew the Express jet fleet. Give the customer what they need, not what you think they need.

[Guest]

Appears things will soon start moving.

Bombardier launches CSeries production ramp-up

By: STEPHEN TRIMBLEWASHINGTON DC Source: in 5 hours

Bombardier has launched the CSeries production ramp-up with suppliers for the CS100 and CS300 aircraft after the former recently cleared a key milestone in certification testing, vice-president and general manager Rob Dewar confirms to Flightglobal.

The CS100 has passed the 80% completion milestone for certification testing, allowing Bombardier to move forward with the production ramp-up, Dewar says.

The company had slowed the production system to a crawl a year ago even as a new final assembly line opened in Mirabel, Canada. As delays extended the CSeries flight test programme by more than a year, Bombardier wanted to avoid building too many aircraft that would require extensive design changes after certification, Dewar says.

Since last August, only three aircraft have entered the new final assembly line. The second production-standard CS100 – internally dubbed P-2 – was assembled in parallel with the second CS300 flight test vehicle named FTV-8. The third production CS100, P-3, also recently entered final assembly.

The P-2 aircraft is now painted and nearing the end of final assembly, Dewar says. Swiss International Air Lines is the CSeries launch operator, but Bombardier does not identify which aircraft are assigned to each customer.

Dewar declined to answer Bombardier’s planned production ramp up in terms of monthly rates. In 2012, Bombardier officials talked about ramping up swiftly in three years to a rate of 10 aircraft deliveries per month, rivaling Boeing’s ramp to 10 787 deliveries per month within two years of first delivery. But more recently a new Bombardier executive team has been more cautious, with chief executive Alain Bellemare saying the company plans instead to emphasize increasing the “learning curve” for the production system as quickly as possible.

The CS100 has now completed 82% of its certification tests, including receiving documentation approval from Transport Canada, the certification authority, Dewar says. As a larger derivative, the CS300 is following six months behind the CS100 in certification with about 40% of testing completed.

After completing a final round of hot weather testing in Mesa, Arizona, earlier this month, the test programme plans to complete communicating noise testing on the CS100 aircraft in a “week or so” from Oregon, Dewar says.

The next major series of tests will begin in the fall with the first production-standard CS100 aircraft named P-1. That aircraft will perform the function and reliability tests, compiling about 150h of flight time.

Bombardier plans to receive certification from Transport Canada by the end of the year and deliver the first aircraft to Swiss in 2016.

One operator has requested 120min extended operations for the CSeries, Dewar says, which is 30min longer than the certification standard. The 120min ETOPS capability is scheduled to be ready for delivery 12 months after type certification of the CS100, he says.

[MD2]

Good progress by the test program. The September tour in Toronto should generate more positive momentum...

[Guest]

There has been a lot of talk re the C series and their noise level. Following is a recent article on the subject:

Bombardier Inc shares soar as CSeries confirmed as the quietest aircraft in its class

Kristine Owram | September 10, 2015 | Last Updated: Sep 11 10:06 AM ET

TORONTO — It’s been nearly one year since Bombardier Inc. last announced a firm order for its CSeries jetliner, but the company’s head of commercial aircraft reiterated Thursday that it remains on track to hit its order target even as questions persist about the future of its biggest customer.

Bombardier brought the CS100 — the smaller of two CSeries models — to Toronto for the first time Thursday, giving government officials, business leaders and members of the media a chance to see the plane’s interior and watch a flyover demonstration.

Interest among potential customers is growing as the aircraft gets closer to certification — flight-testing is now more than 85 per cent complete — and people can see it in action, said Fred Cromer, president of Bombardier’s commercial aircraft division.

“Stay tuned,” Cromer said in an interview following the CSeries demonstration. “We feel pretty good about where we are and as we approach the end of the year for certification, that’s just going to add to that momentum.”

He reiterated that the company is on track to meet its 300-order target by the time the CSeries begins commercial flights in the first half of 2016. Bombardier has secured 243 firm orders to date but has not recorded a new one since Sept. 26, 2014.

“We’re getting interest in this plane from all regions, all business models, whether it’s emerging economies or established economies that have fleet-renewal programs,” Cromer said. “This airplane provides a perfect solution for them in (the 100- to 150-seat) category.”

Bombardier Inc stock jumps most in 4 years after China bid report values company at $8 billion

In a ‘really big get,’ Bombardier Inc hires new chief procurement officer from Lufthansa Group

Investors have been rushing back into Bombardier’s stock this week following a Reuters report that the company rejected a Chinese offer that valued its train-making division as high as US$8 billion.

Shares got an added boost Thursday, climbing 28.77 per cent to $1.88, after the company announced that the CS100 has completed noise testing and confirmed it is the quietest commercial jet in its class. This followed a 22.69 per cent jump on Wednesday, although the stock is still down 55 per cent year-to-date.

Shares continued their climb Friday, rising 1.6% to $1.91 after the opening bell.

Kevin Van Paassen/Bloomberg

Kevin Van Paassen/BloombergThe interior of the new Bombardier Inc. CS100 airplane is seen at the company's facility in Toronto.

The noise data is key for customers like Toronto-based Porter Airlines, whose CEO was on hand for the aircraft’s Toronto premiere. During the flight demonstration, the plane made two passes over the Billy Bishop Airport in downtown Toronto, where Porter hopes to operate the CSeries pending approval from city council.

Meanwhile, some of Bombardier’s firm orders remain on shaky ground. Republic Airways Holdings Inc., the CSeries’ largest customer with 40 orders, is embroiled in a long-running labour dispute with its pilots that has created significant doubt about its future.

“With respect to Republic, their position today is obviously very different than when they ordered the airplane,” Cromer said.

“I know (CEO) Bryan Bedford very well, he’s a good friend, and we’ll stay close to him and figure out if there’s a strategic way for him to use this airplane.”

However, a cancellation could prove to be a blessing in disguise, Cromer said.

“If not, that frees up near-term delivery positions that I can offer to other customers, which is attractive,” he said.

“That’s the issue with the order book … I want the order book to grow to demonstrate that the airplane has broad appeal, but at the same time I’ve got to manage those delivery positions.”

kowram@nationalpost.com

[Guest]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/bombardiers-new-cs100-aircraft-debuts-in-toronto/article26317428/

[blues deville]

That's good looking jet. The cabin interior also looks attractive and bright.

[Lakelad]

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Bombardier CSeries Is Tough Sell as Cheap Oil Revives Used Jets

Thu Sep 17, 2015 — Bloomberg News
Frederic Tomesco; Julie Johnsson

Bombardier Inc. packed the CSeries airliner with new features to help carriers cut operating costs. What it didn’t count on was cheap jet kerosene giving new life to older fuel guzzlers.

Secondhand Airbus Group SE and Boeing Co. planes are being snapped up by airlines, crimping Bombardier’s efforts to stir demand for its marquee $5.4 billion program. Data compiled for Bloomberg by Flightglobal’s Ascend Fleets show almost 1,000 sales and leases of used A319s and 737-700s since the start of 2011 -- about four times as many as the CSeries’s firm orders ever.

“Lower oil prices are not conducive to selling fancy technology that saves you fuel,” said Adam Pilarski, senior vice president for aerospace consultant Avitas Inc.

The Ascend Fleets tally exposes the pressure on the CSeries from 130-seat jets in the used-aircraft market. Mired in a CSeries sales drought dating to September 2014, Bombardier is bleeding cash because of development delays and has Canada’s worst-performing industrial stock of 2015.

Peak Oil

Bombardier unveiled the CSeries a month after oil’s $145-a-barrel peak in 2008, touting advances such as a composite fuselage and a first-of-its-kind engine. The company offers two versions, with as many as 160 seats, at prices topping out at $82 million.

There was sales trouble from the start as airlines chose bigger, more-efficient Airbus and Boeing models over the CSeries, said Richard Aboulafia, an analyst with consultant Teal Group. Buyers made room for those planes by dumping older A319s and 737-700s, crushing prices in the niche targeted by Bombardier.

Capital costs fell so low for the used models that lessors and airlines judged them to be less expensive to own and operate than the CSeries even at $100-a-barrel crude. Now, with oil plunging to about a third of its record, carriers have even less incentive to pick the newer, cutting-edge option over older jets.

“It will be a while before we start to see those retired,” said George Dimitroff, head of valuations at consultant Ascend Worldwide. “It has definitely hurt early sales of the CSeries.”

Going Used

Buyers scouting the aerospace industry’s bargain bin aren’t just cash-strapped startups. When United Airlines sought more small single-aisle planes earlier this year, it opted to lease 11 used A319s from AerCap Holdings NV and said it was considering 14 more.

'A 10-year-old Airbus A319 now leases for $155,000 a month, compared with the “very high $200,000s or low $300,000s” for a CSeries'

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[vrefplus5]

[blues deville]

Beautiful looking aircraft.

Question: Are David Clarke headsets a requirement when flying this Bombardier model or just a test pilot thing? I don't recall having to wear them with the DHC-8-102.

[boestar]

I am not sure if it is a carry over from the actual test aircraft that do not have an interior installed or not but the initial flight test aircraft can be pretty noisy. I wouldn't think it was a requirement on a fully completed aircraft.