Bombardier "C" Aircraft-Sounds AWESOME!!!

[atpcliff]

Hi!

My CEO just sent me an article on the "C".

Stars Seen Aligning For Bombardier's Proposed C-Series
By Monica Gutschi
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES​

MONTREAL (Dow Jones)--The "stars are definitely aligning" for Bombardier
Inc.'s (BBD.B.T) proposed C-Series aircraft, according to the company official
heading the project.​

Not only does Bombardier now have a "game-changing" engine for the 100-seat
aircraft, it's seeing significant interest from numerous airlines around the
world, Gary Scott said in a recent interview.​

As well, greater use of composites and other new technologies means the
proposed aircraft will meet its key target of cash operating costs at least
15% lower than existing models. "We're there," Scott said.​

Although Minnesota-based Northwest Airlines Corp. (NWA) is the only carrier
to publicly acknowledge it's contemplating the C-Series as part of its
fleet-renewal program, Scott said Bombardier is holding talks with airlines in
Europe, Asia and the Middle East, as well the U.S. "I don't think it's going
to be a problem" to have one or two launch customers and initial orders of
50-100 aircraft, Scott said.
Other news reports have pegged Malaysia Airlines as a potential buyer.​

In fact, all that's left for Scott and his team to do before they present
the business model to Bombardier's board next year is finalize some supplier
contracts, update their estimates, and requalify for the $700 million in
financing promised by the Canadian, U.K. and Quebec governments. All of that
is in the works, Scott said.​

The board is expected to make a launch decision by the end of 2008.
"I'm pretty optimistic," Scott said. "There's very good momentum. The stars​

are definitely aligning."
...

The decision to wait (delaying the launch to 2013) has turned out to be a good thing, Scott said.
"That opened the window" for Pratt & Whitney, a division of United
Technologies Corp. (UTX), to look at a Geared Turbofan, or GTF, engine for
narrow-body aircraft, Scott said. ​

The gamble worked: Mitsubishi Corp. (MSBHY)
has also selected the engine for its new regional jet. (Can you imagine this new Mitsubishi jet flying Amerian passengers over Pearl Harbor???) ​

Moreover, Scott said,
P&W has the capability to scale the GTF engine to larger narrow-body
mainliners like the C-Series, or smaller regional jets, broadening its appeal.​

"They're being very smart about this," he said.
In comparison to traditional turbine engines, P&W's GTF engine includes a
gear between the turbine and fan, allowing the fan to operate twice as fast:
more efficiently, more quietly and with greater thrust - a key consideration
in an era of high energy prices, increased environmental concerns, and greater
noise restrictions.​

P&W is shouldering 100% of its development costs for the engine and will
also contribute a "substantial" portion to the development costs for the
C-Series, Scott said.​

The business case is being updated, but when first proposed, the C-Series
was expected to cost $2.1 billion to produce, with the new engine representing
a large portion of the total. ​

Bombardier has also signed a joint venture with​

China's state-run AVIC I that could help defray some development costs.
...

the C-Series is a "high-performance airplane" that has the
flexibility to fly into airports with short runways or high altitudes, or
those with "demanding" noise restrictions. That gives it an advantage over the​

more restricted ERJ 190/195 models, he said.
...

the aircraft will be 46% composites, up significantly from the
20% originally considered when working towards a 2010 launch. That is similar
to the level used on Boeing's revolutionary 787 wide-body plane, and Airbus's
proposed A350.
"The C-Series has virtually the same level of new technologies" as those​

models, Scott said, "but scaled to a smaller aircraft."

cliff
YIP

 

[wmuflyguy]

They sure like to talk about the C-Series...they either need to make one or shutup.

 

[Superpilot92]

maybe that will be the replacement for the DC9 at NWA.

 

[i fly boxes]

long live the 9!!!!!!! And the payscales associated with it.

 

[Sir Innocenti]

Sounds more like the replacement for the E-175's at Compass in 2025 at the rate theyre moving along with this project......

 

[~~~^~~~]

Hello Seattle... They developed the original 737 in short order and the 767/757 simultaneously. With all their acquisitions, you would think they could find the intellectual horsepower to get their 737 sized Dreamliner design on paper.

 

[catIIIc]

Hello Seattle... They developed the original 737 in short order and the 767/757 simultaneously. With all their acquisitions, you would think they could find the intellectual horsepower to get their 737 sized Dreamliner design on paper.

It is the engine technology that is holding them back, Pratt and GE cannot get 250 kva out of the small scale engine that the 787 engines are getting.

 

[Superpilot92]

long live the 9!!!!!!! And the payscales associated with it.

I 100% agree. When a replacement does come for the 9 it should equate to the same pay or more. Period!! IMHO

 

[~~~^~~~]

It is the engine technology that is holding them back, Pratt and GE cannot get 250 kva out of the small scale engine that the 787 engines are getting.

I'm not sure about the conversion, but I thought a 30,000lb thrust engine was more than that.

Boeing still talks like they have not decided on whether they want an open rotor (new speak for Unducted Fan, which is a high performance turboprop) that pulls the airplane, pushes the airplane, or a Geared Turbofan, or some sort of a super RB211 three stage engine.

Looking at Canadair's numbers for their paper airplane it seems like a performer - more thrust in a smaller, lighter, airplane than a MD80/83/88 that is 4 or 5 inches wider for the passengers. 5,000 mile range makes the platform very flexible if it can do hot and high.

What surprises me about this engine is how simple it is. The low stage compressor is only two stages.

The geared fan on the little Garrett 731's sure worked well on that application - they have sold a bunch of those engines. If Pratt's engine scales like they say it will to the narrow body fleet they will sell a bunch of these too.

Regardless of whether the C jet flies, wonder how much it sould cost to develop a STC to swap out JT8D's, Pratt's 1950's tech engine....

Rough numbers - if the engine swap would lower fuel burns to 4,000lbs per hour the savings would be between $6.5 and $7.5 million on each MD80/82/88 yearly. Could do for the old DC-9 what the CFM56 did for the stretch 8.

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

From what I've heard, NWA is planning on buying this plane to replace the -9. Boeing wants them to wait a year or so, until they get their new plane on line. It will be in the 100-seat class, and have the technology off of the -787.

cliff
YIP