Bombardier’s first CS300 test aircraft completed its maiden flight on February 27 from Mirabel International Airport near Montreal. The new type flew for nearly five hours, reaching an altitude of 41,000 feet and speed of 255 knots. Some 2000 people witnessed the flight, which took place in sunny, but frigid conditions.
Andris Litavniks, who served as co-pilot for the maiden flight of the smaller CS100 airliner in September 2013, was pilot in command of the CS300 first flight. Christophe Marchand was co-pilot, with Anthony Dunne and Mark Metivet serving as flight test engineers. They lifted off just after 11 a.m., Eastern time and returned to the airport at 3:58 p.m. “It’s a pilot’s aircraft and handled exactly as predicted by simulation,” Litavniks said.
Bombardier announced on February 20 that Transport Canada had issued a flight permit that allowed the first CS300 flight test vehicle to begin flight testing. The manufacturer conducted high speed taxi runs earlier in the week. It had originally scheduled the first flight to take place on February 26, but postponed it due to inclement weather.
The CS300’s first flight was a positive development for the troubled manufacturer, which in recent weeks has scaled back its financial outlook, suspended dividend payments and halted development of the Learjet 85 business jet to focus on the lagging CSeries program. On February 12, it named former United Technologies executive Alain Bellemare as president and CEO in a surprise management shakeup. Bombardier also announced on February 27 as the CS300 took wing that it has raised $858 million (U.S.) through a public offering of subscription receipts.
The manufacturer’s smaller CSeries CS100 FTV1 flight test aircraft made its first flight from Mirabel on Sept. 16, 2013, some eight and a half months after the date specified by the original program schedule. Bombardier has said the 135-to-160-seat CS300 holds two-thirds of its 243 firm CSeries orders.