Bombardier has received a flight test permit from Transport Canada for the CSeries, securing the last regulatory requirement needed for the first flight to occur.
The Canadian regulator certified FTV-1, a CS100, for flight testing today, says the Montreal-based airframer.
Transport Canada told Flightglobal on 29 August that it was reviewing Bombardier's application for the flight test permit.
"Five years in the making and today, following receipt of Transport Canada's flight test permit, we are very close to the CSeries airliner's first flight - a historic moment for Bombardier and a game-changing moment for the industry," says Mike Arcamone, president of Bombardier Commercial Aircraft, in a statement.
The OEM says that FTV-1 must conduct high-speed taxi, landing gear and other minor tests prior to the first flight, which is due in "coming weeks" depending on the weather.
The crew for the first flight will include chief pilot Chuck Ellis, first officer Andy Litavniks and flight test engineer Andreas Hartono.
Bombardier rolled FTV-1 out of the paint shop at Mirabel airport on 22 August and began low-speed taxi tests on 16 August.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
