Bombardier launches green planes program

Bombardier, based in Montreal, unveiled its program for the new CSeries family of aircraft on July 13 in England, on the eve of the industry's prestigious Farnborough International Airshow.

In announcing the launch of the 110 to 130-seat airliners that will seat five abreast, the firm signaled that it is positioning its new jets as challengers to the smallest aircraft in the 737 and A320 lines built by Boeing and Airbus. "The CSeries family offers the greenest single-aisle aircraft in its class" - said Gary Scott, president of Bombardier Commercial Aircraft.

"These game-changing aircraft emit up to 20 percent less CO2 and up to 50 percent less NOx, fly four times quieter and deliver dramatic energy savings - up to 20 percent fuel burn advantage as well as up to 15 percent improved cash operating costs versus current in-production aircraft of similar size. The CSeries aircraft will set a new benchmark in the industry, consuming as little as two litres of fuel per passenger per 100 kilometers in its more dense seating layouts."

Bombardier also said its CSeries family will feature increased use of composites and aluminum lithium, a next-generation engine - the Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbofan - and other new systems technology, including fly-by-wire and fourth-generation aerodynamics.

The new jets, funded partly by the Canadian and British governments, have a list price of about US$46.7 million and are scheduled to go into service in 2013.

Lufthansa has signed a letter of interest for as many as 60 jets, including 30 options, with Bombardier. Executives from the leading German airline said they were pleased to be launch customers and attended the Bombardier news conference, which was staged at the Canadian firm’s CSeries pavilion at the airshow.

Bombardier said its new airliner family is intended to "meet the growing needs of the 100 to 149-seat commercial aircraft market category." The firm estimated that market to number some 6,300 aircraft - which, Bombardier said, represents more than US$250 billion revenue in the next 20 years. The company also said it "expects to be able to capture up to half of this market."

According to Bombardier, final assembly of the airliners will occur at the firm's facility in Mirabel, Quebec. The aft fuselage and cockpit are to be manufactured at Bombardier's Saint-Laurent facility, also in Quebec. The wings will be designed and manufactured at the company's site in Belfast, Northern Ireland.