Rival Embraer Warns Against Competing With Boeing, Airbus

Remember back in January, when Bombardier said market conditions simply didn't justify the launch of its new 110-passenger C-series jets? Well, it turns out that, while not in active production... the C-series project has been far from dead.

In fact, the Montreal Star-Gazette reports a 50-member design team has now completed its concept work on the 110-passenger aircraft... and Bombardier claims several airlines have expressed interest. There's even talk about a launch customer, although the airline has yet to be named.

So Bombardier will continue to let the C-series project simmer with its small team of designers honing the shape of the aircraft... and the marketing team will continue talking with potential customers about using the plane to replace older aircraft in their fleets.

In something of an odd move, however, Bombardier's chief rival in the regional jet market, Brazil's Embraer, warned the Canadian planemaker against setting its sights too high.

"It seemed to us from the first moment that the C Series would have a risk factor associated with it by invading the territory which is today dominated by Airbus and Boeing and this would be difficult or an additional challenge for Bombardier," said Horacio Forjaz, executive vice-president of corporate communications at Embraer, told The Globe and Mail.

Forjaz added Embraer is content to keep its largest plane -- the 100-seat E-190 -- out of the way of the big boys -- Boeing's 119-seat 737, and the 120-seat Airbus A319.

"We clearly see Boeing and Airbus in the upper stage of this market," Forjaz said. "We have no intention of developing any product that would directly conflict with each one of them."

FMI: www.bombardier.com, www.embraer.com