Today, Bombardier is expected to unveil the new CSeries, C110/C130. The new aircraft is designed to compete with EADS Airbus A320 and Boeing‘s 737 series. The aircraft will have 110 to 149 seats and is supposedly able to fly transatlantic routes. Embraer, the world’s third largest commercial aircraft manufacturer has it’s own version of the aircraft, the E190 / E195. The E190 class has a range of roughly 2,100 nautical miles, while the new CSeries would have a range of 2,700 nautical miles.
I’m interested to see what happens with this aircraft. This is Bombardier’s venture into the medium range commercial aircraft market. Since Boeing and Airbus have a combined backlog of roughly 1,100 aircraft, Bombardier thinks that a venture into this market will increase sales for the regional jet manufacturer. It is also predicted that airlines will be shifting their focus to renewing their single-aisle fleets. Boeing has predicted that from now until 2027, some $3.2 trillion dollars worth of commercial aircraft will be purchased.
Competition, as mentioned before with ACAC’s ARJ21, is a good thing for manufacturers. Many of us airplane nerds have our personal favorites, but sometimes you have to look at things from another firm’s perspective. Competition is what drive firms to be better.
Overall, I think this may fair well for Bombardier. Lufthansa, Qatar Airways and China Southern Airlines have shown an interest in this new aircraft. Also, it’s important to note that the two small regional jet manufacturers, Embraer and Bombardier, have risen up to a new level in aircraft manufacturing. They have successfully extended their variety of products in the past 20 years. Perhaps in the next 20-50 years, they’ll be able to enter the large commercial aircraft market, but let’s not get too ahead.
Image: Bombardier.com
