Airframer could resurrect shelved 110- to 130-seat project as it discusses engine technology with CFM and P&WC
Bombardier could revive its CSeries airliner by early next year and is in talks with CFM International and its joint owner General Electric, as well as Pratt & Whitney Canada, about the engine technology it requires for the proposed 110- to 130-seater.
The Canadian manufacturer shelved plans to launch the new small mainline airliner family in January after struggling to build a strong business case for it and failing to secure an agreement with P&WC for a powerplant. However, the airframer has continued low-level studies of the project and, in an exclusive interview, says it has refined the design and broadened its talks about a powerplant.
The revised plan has emerged as the Bombardier board prepares to decide on its commitment to the CSeries, says Benjamin Boehm, director of programme management office and director of marketing, new commercial aircraft programme. A definitive motion must be made by 31 January.
From the low-level CSeries studies, a revised design has emerged, says Boehm. "Our baseline parameters remain intact, but we have found some efficiencies in the [2005] design," he says.
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Bombardier has refined CSeries design since it was shelved early this year |
"We have further optimised the programme to focus on the 110-seat derivative. From this, we found we could take 17in [43cm] from the fuselage, reduce the weight and shorten the wingspan. Together, this produces a 4% better fuel burn on a standard 500nm [925km] mission as compared to the data we gave previously. And the new engines we are discussing will give us even more efficiencies."
The 130-seat C130 specification has also been revised, with range dropping from 5,560km to 5,000km.
Bombardier had courted CFM in the early days of the CSeries, and Boehm says CFM and GE are now back discussing the technological requirements for a new engine. This is in addition to discussions with P&WC, which has remained close to Bombardier throughout the CSeries project.
"We are still looking at a 2010 entry into service [as originally planned] or maybe 2012, but if the engine technologies indicate even better efficiencies than the 15% we are already looking for, we are prepared to push that entry date out to 2013," says Boehm.
This later date would align the CSeries closely with the expected arrival of new-generation narrowbodies from Airbus and Boeing.
Boehm notes that Bombardier has recently confirmed that CSeries backing offered last year by the Canadian and UK governments, worth C$400 million ($355 million) and C$100 million, respectively, as well as a further C$350 million committed by the Quebec government, is still available.
Source: Flight International
