Story ID: 744_BombardierCSeriesQ400.doc
Swiss Boosts Bombardier With CSeries Order Upgrade
By: Charles Alcock
Caption: Swiss is to take 10 CS300s in addition to 20 CS100s
Word Count: 333
CSeries launch operator Swiss gave Bombardier a further boost on Monday when it upgraded 10 of its 30 firm orders for the CS100 model to the larger CS300. The change adds about $90 million to the value of the deal, as the CS300 is priced at around $72 million, compared to $63 million for the CS100.

“With its size and its low operating costs, the CS300 aircraft ideally complements the CS100 aircraft and the rest of our European fleet,” said Swiss CEO Harry Hohmeister. “With both versions of the new CSeries family of aircraft in our ranks, we can be highly flexible in tailoring capacity to demand on our European routes.”

The first of the CS100 aircraft set to be delivered to Swiss after certification is achieved at the end of this year is on display here in Paris. At the end of the show, it will be flown to Zurich to be shown off at the airline’s base airport. Swiss is due to get 10 CS100s in 2016, followed by 10 CS300s in 2017, and then either 10 of either type in 2018 (with a decision on the final batch still to be determined).

At a Paris press conference on Monday, Bombardier (Chalet 284) also gave more details about the CSeries certification program, reporting that this is now around 70 percent complete. “All flight test risks are now behind us,” said CSeries vice president and general manager Rob Dewar. As of June 15, the Canadian airframer had logged 1,881 flight test hours, and more than 30,000 cycles in structural testing.

Bombardier claims that the CSeries jets will be 20 percent more fuel efficient than current in-production narrowbodies, and deliver a 10 percent advantage over its re-engined rivals, the Boeing 737 Max and the Airbus A320neo.

Meanwhile, Canada’s WestAir announced its has signed a firm order for five of Bombardier’s Q400 twin turboprops. These are converted options and deliveries will be made in 2016 and 2017. The carrier previously placed one firm Q400 order in March 2015.