The Bombardier CSeries: A misunderstood airplane
The dispute between Boeing and Bombardier revealed a small fact: The CSeries is a airplane which should not be easily ignored, not even by Boeing
Much criticised because of its delays and because some controversies (some of the criticism is unfunded), the Bombardier CSeries has got a spot light on the aviation world stage, much because of a tariff dispute between Boeing and Bombardier (which, fortunately, was won by Bombardier). Although the airplane family had those kinds of problems, the Canadian airframer, with the help of Airbus, is finally showing what the CSeries is made of. In fact, is a bit misunderstood.
The family, composed by the smaller CS100 and the CS300, which are between the Airbus A318/Boeing 717–200/Boeing 737–600/Embraer E195 and the Airbus A319/Boeing 737–700. What they differ from them is the fact that is much more efficient than the older airplanes aforementioned. The Pratt & Whitney’s PW1000G geared turbofan engine, the exclusive engine of the airplane. Another difference in comparison to the other airplanes is that the airplane fuselage is made from advanced aluminium-lithium alloys and composites, which will made the airplane lighter in comparison to older airplanes. Bombardier made here a great choice in this point. Other notablesuppliers are Rockwell Collins, (avionics and EICAS), Alenia Aeronautica (composite horizontal and vertical stabilisers), Fokker Elmo (wiring and interconnection systems), Shenyang Aircraft Corp (centre fuselage), Liebherr Aerospace (air management system), Short Brothers of Northern Ireland (wings) and UTC Aerospace (engine nacelles, flap and slat actuation system and air data system).
The comfort of airplane is also a hot seller. The 5-abreast cabin is more comfortable than the cabin of the Boeing 737/Airbus A320 airplanes (and is comparable to the airplanes of the DC-9/MD-80/MD-90 series of McDonnell Douglas, or the 717 of Boeing). In short, the airplane is a narrowbody with the same comfort of a widebody airplane, but more adequated to short haul and high-frequency flights. Much of the development was shared with Comac’s C919 and Irkut’s MS-21 (MC-21), which have common program commonalities and joint customer support.
The CSeries had a tough start, marred by supply chain problems, delays in productions and lack of orders for the airplanes. This changes in 28th April 2016 when Delta Air Lines decided to order 75 CS100 airplanes. That deal ended up being much controversial, because Boeing claimed that the price of each airplane was below the market list ($33.2 million) — Boeing filed a petition on the issue in April 2017. The Trump Administration, by emboldening Boeing’s dumping claim, applied a baseless and stupid (in my opinion) tariff on the airplane of 220%, alongisde a 80% preliminary anti-dumping tariff (for a total of 300%(!) in tariffs). This protectionist move had caused a trade row between Canada and the United States. This could’ve ended up very badly for Bombardier.
Until Airbus (by suggestion of the Canadian Government, and after Bombardier sought a similar deal with China) accepted to strike a deal with Bombardier in order to let the CSeries be commercialised in the United States, and to let Bombardier to get some expertise in single aisle airplanes of the same segment. This could allow Bombardier to bypass the tariffs imposed by the US Department of Commerce. John Leahy, former Airbus’s all-powerful COO referred that by “pressing the Trump Administration for 300% tariffs, [Boeing] forced them into our hands” and Boeing doesn’t care about the present cost to “not have any competition”. This deal also include a supply cost cut by 30–40% and Airbus can change the name of the airplane from CS100/CS300 to Airbus A210 (for the CS100) and A230 (for the CS300).
This agreement not just allows the CSeries to be produced in the US (in Airbus’s Mobile, Alabama factory), it will also made possible to strengthen the CSeries in global scale, while increasing the level of confidence on the airplane, according to Bombardier CEO Alain Bellemare. Scott Hamilton, from Leeham News and Comment commented that “the Airbus-Bombardier partnership […] thrusts a big stick up Boeing’s tailpipe”. Airbus will also assist in the marketing and servicing of the aircraft. In the meantime, more orders: Bombardier received a letter of intent for 31 CS100 airplanes and 30 options for a unidentified airline in Europe, and EgyptAir announced a letter of intent for 12 CS300 airplanes and 12 options at the November 2017’s Dubai Airshow.
On 26th January 2018, the USITC’s four commissioners unanimously determined that the US industry is not threatened by the CSeries, therefore reversing the tariffs for the airplane imposed by the US Department of the Commerce. On 22nd March, Boeing declined to appeal the ruling.
In the end, with some help of Airbus, the Bombardier CSeries got the merit which actually deserved for the qualities which it had. And with that, Boeing lost a golden opportunity to use the new competition in its favour. And Airbus can now make the A320neo platform to compete with any proposal from Boeing for the Middle of the Market.
That’s what I’ve to say in this article about the highs, lows, controversies and recent whereabouts of the Bombardier CSeries — Please follow me on Twitter (@TheO530CarrisPT is my username).
