Bombardier C Series
Montréal, February 17, 2016: Bombardier Commercial Aircraft and Air Canada announced today that the parties have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) for the sale and purchase of 45 CS300 aircraft with options for an additional 30 CS300 aircraft, which also includes conversion rights to CS100 aircraft. Air Canada will become the first North American mainline, international network carrier for the C Series family of aircraft. Based on the list price of the CS300 aircraft, a firm order for 45 would be valued at approximately US $3.8 billion.
“We’ve been carefully assessing the capabilities of Bombardier’s C Series aircraft and its progress for some time and today we are very pleased to announce an agreement to acquire the CS300 for our mainline fleet,” said Mr. Rovinescu, President and Chief Executive Officer, Air Canada. “The C Series will be a key element of our on-going fleet renewal, which will result in Air Canada operating one of the world’s youngest and most fuel efficient airline fleets.”
“We’re thrilled to welcome Air Canada as our first mainline, international carrier located in North America. A landmark order from a marquee and iconic customer like Air Canada is a very significant strategic marker for the C Series aircraft program and we’re looking forward to further strengthening a relationship that spans 30 years,” said Fred Cromer, President, C Series Aircraft Program. “The C Series aircraft has proven and exceeded its performance targets and can readily be used as a coast-to-coast mainline connector or to open direct flights to under-served destinations. Performance and exceptionally low operating costs are ultimately what make this plane a success and Air Canada is recognizing that the C Series aircraft was designed in line with evolving market requirements.”
The C Series family of aircraft, representing the fusion of performance and technology, is a 100 per cent all-new design. By focusing on the 100- to 150-seat market segment, Bombardier has designed the C Series aircraft to deliver unparalleled economic advantage to operators and to open up new opportunities for single-aisle aircraft operations.
By employing advanced materials, state-of-the-art technologies and advanced aerodynamics, combined with the groundbreaking Pratt & Whitney PurePower® PW1500G engine, the C Series aircraft is delivering a greater-than 10 per cent unit cost advantage compared to similarly-sized, re-engined aircraft.
All noise performance testing on the CS100 aircraft has been completed and data confirms it is the quietest in-production commercial jet in its class. The aircraft’s noise performance and its outstanding short-field capability make it ideal for varied types of operations. The C Series aircraft’s maximum range has also been confirmed to be up to 3,300 NM (6,112 km), some 350 NM (648 km) more than originally targeted.
Bombardier has booked orders and commitments for 678 C Series aircraft, which include firm orders for 243. The company is listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index.
Source: Bombardier