Bombardier Aerospace made the headlines at Farnborough by outlining details of the new aircraft family it is considering bringing to market to succeed its original small CRJ-series of regional jets.
The company envisages two basic models in its new CSeries, with 110-115 seats and 130-135 seats, with each having a short-haul 3,330km (1,800nm) and a long-range 5,900km version, says Gary Scott, president of Bombardier's New Commercial Aircraft Programme. If the company goes forward, the aircraft would come into airline service no later than 2010.
Bombardier envisages a fourth-generation transonic aircraft with advanced materials, new cockpit, wide, "best-in-class" cabin cross-section offering comfortable five-abreast seating, and a special focus on improved operating costs. Scott says the CSeries will offer operating costs that are 15% better than aircraft now in production in the segment and more than 20% better than existing out-of-production aircraft. "Bombardier is focused on developing a clearly differentiated product," he says.
Scott says no existing aircraft, including Airbus and Boeing models, are "optimised" for this market sector, which Bombardier estimates will require 5,800 aircraft, valued at $250 billion, over the next 20 years. He expects the new family to appeal to regional carriers wanting to move up and to others eager to replace an estimated 4,000 older McDonnell Douglas DC-9s and MD-80s, BAe 146 and Avro RJs, Fokker 70/100s and Boeing 737 Classics.
Bombardier is talking with engine makers about developing a new centreline engine for the CSeries family, and is also looking for risk-sharing partners; it is hoping for suppliers to take up one-third of the $2 billion estimated development cost and for government support to take up another third.
In the middle of a year-long feasibility study, the company is hoping to have a complete proposal ready by the turn of the year for Bombardier's board. "We are still very much in a study phase, putting together a business case that will earn a proper return for our shareholders," says Pierre Beaudoin, Bombardier president.
Although the aircraft would be slightly larger than the new Embraer 190 coming into service next year and approaching the lower-seating versions of Airbus A320-family and Boeing 737 aircraft, the three manufacturers do not think that the CSeries, assuming it is launched, will pose a problem. John Leahy, Airbus chief commercial officer, says the company is "not at all" concerned about a new aircraft. "We think Airbus and Boeing won't be threatened because major carriers will want to have families of aircraft," he says. An Embraer official says privately and not unexpectedly that the Bombardier plan is "risky".
The CSeries project is far from certain but Bombardier is keenly aware of the need to update its commercial aircraft portfolio, especially with the growing success of the Embraer 170/190. The advanced 70-seat 170 is already in service and the 100-seat 190 will be delivered to launch customer jetBlue Airways next year.
Besides the high development cost of a leading technology aircraft, the plan for a new centreline engine, in the 21,000-23,000lb-thrust (93-102kN) range, is also uncertain. Rolls-Royce and Pratt & Whitney say their potential participation will be through their joint venture, International Aero Engines. "IAE is in a unique position," says Mark King, president of the joint venture. Both shareholders have been developing new engine technologies over the past three years that they can put into a "next- generation engine".
CFM International is interested in talking to Bombardier but does not expect to develop a new engine for the aircraft. Claude Poulain, senior vice-president marketing and sales, says CFMI would propose its existing CFM56-7 powerplant, which is being substantially improved by a series of technological modifications in 2007. "We cannot justify spending $1 billion if we start from scratch," he adds.
CAROLE SHIFRIN
Source: Airline Business
