Condensed Plans For The Second, Larger Version Of The Airplane

Bombardier will build only one production CS100 jet before starting on the flight-test models of the CS300, sources inside the company say. The move is designed to stay on track with a tight production schedule for the smaller airliner.

Bombardier hopes that the 135-seat CS300 will be a competitor for the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 lines by the end of next year. The Wall Street Journal reports that an official company spokesman would not confirm or deny the accelerated production schedule for the CS300, but spokesman Marc Duchense said because the two airplanes will share 95 percent of their systems, delivering the first of the larger airplanes by the end of 2014 is "feasible." He said that the first delivery of a CS100 would be pushed back by about six months to mid-2014, but that the CS300 production plan would not be significantly altered.

Bombardier is building five test aircraft for the smaller CS100 aircraft, which will seat 110 passengers.

The company has 180 firm orders for the CS100, which is expected to first fly in June of this year. There are 114 orders on the books for the CS300.

(Image from file)

FMI: www.bombardier.com