Bombardier is confident the CSeries is back on track for service entry next year, following its return to the air earlier this month.
The Canadian manufacturer relaunched flight-testing on 7 September. The enforced suspension began on 29 May following an engine failure during ground-testing while Pratt & Whitney worked on a modification to the aircraft’s PW1500G engines.
“The entry-into-service for the CS100 is still the second half of 2015, and the CS300 will follow six months later. That’s the target and that’s the schedule we’re still on, says Bombardier’s marketing and airline analysis manager for the Americas Courtney Miller.
Prior to the engine failure suffered by the first CS100 (FTV-1), four CS100s had joined the flight-test programme, which began with the maiden flight of FTV-1 in September 2013.
“FTV-2 and FTV-4 have begun flying again. FTV-4 is currently in Wichita,” says Miller. “FTV-3 has not yet flown. The plan is to continue reintroducing the FTVs within a few weeks of each other.”
Miller adds that the first stretched CS300 is due to fly by the end of the year.
Source: Flight Daily News
