Bombardier has named further risk-sharing partners for its Continental business jet programme. Launch of the "super mid-size" Continental is expected by the time of the Paris air show.
France's Intertechnique will provide the fuel system, and ECE - a Group Intertechnique company - will supply the electrical system. AlliedSignal will furnish the auxiliary power unit (APU).
As with previous Bombardier programmes, the companies will be responsible for the design, development and integration of their systems.
AlliedSignal, already supplying its AS907 turbofan for the twinjet Continental, will provide a variant of its 36-series APU, the 36-150(BD). Intertechnique is providing the fuel system for Bombardier's stretched, 70-seat Canadair Regional Jet Series 700, which is due to fly for the first time in the second quarter of this year.
Bombardier has named Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries as wing supplier for the Continental. Rockwell Collins will provide its Pro Line 21 avionics, including flat-panel displays.
Bombardier is believed to have enough advance orders to launch development by June. The schedule calls for a first flight in June 2001, certification in September 2002 and first deliveries later that year. The 17,000kg (37,500lb) gross-weight transcontinental business jet will carry eight passengers 5,740km (3,100nm) at Mach 0.8, with the ability to operate from the shorter runways of local and regional airports.
Source: Flight International
