Bombardier has started a month-long campaign of CS100 aircraft route-proving exercises in Europe. The programme is underway with a dedicated CS100 aircraft operated by Bombardier from the Zurich base of launch operator SWISS.
The route-proving exercises are scheduled to include main European cities such a Brussels, Vienna and Warsaw.
Additionally, Bombardier also confirmed that the last of eight flight test vehicles – the second CS300 aircraft – has successfully entered the flight test programme in Mirabel, Québec.
The European route-proving programme is being conducted as SWISS readies for the CS100 aircraft’s entry into service (EIS). The airline’s first CS100 aircraft is scheduled to be delivered by Bombardier in Q2 2016.
The CS100 aircraft will conduct route-proving flights using typical airline flight routings and operational procedures. The flights give an indication of how the aircraft will perform in a typical airline schedule in terms of airfield performance, landings, airport turnarounds and on-ground operations.
The European route-proving programme follows one conducted last year across North America that included more than 35 cities.
In other news, recent comments by Delta Air Lines president Ed Bastian suggested that pricing may be a factor holding back CSeries sales. Referring to the aircraft as “highly engineered” Bastian referred to the challenge of “getting to a price point to get paid for that engineering”. He nonetheless described the CSeries as “an aircraft that we think and we believe can make a big difference for the industry”.
Pricing did not prevent Air Canada announcing a commitment for up to 75 of the jets on 17th February.
Meanwhile, Bombardier is waiting on a reponse to its request for a reported $1bn investment in the programme by the Canadian government. Quebec has already agreed to take a 49.5% stake in the CSeries in return for a $1bn investment.