Bombardier announced today that their CSeries Flight Test Vehicle achieved a milestone. The announced successfully completed the first full powering on of the main electrical distribution system on the first CSeries flight test vehicle (FTV1) is one of the many significant milestones. Additionally Bombardier confirmed a wing down-bending static test was successfully concluded on the Complete Airframe Static Test (CAST) article.
An increasingly confident Bombardier is starting to transmit program messages more frequently. We, and many others, wondered about the paucity of program news. This phase seems to be ending with growing news feeds from the program as the company hits each new milestone. It would seem that we can expect even more of these news flashes as the program gets closer to first flight.
Another feature of the growing confidence should flow through to the numerous LoI holders. Bombardier has a number of customers who have kept their names private. Ostensibly to ensure the “game changing” CSeries does not telegraph the news to competitors. As the program nears first flight we expect to see more of these names made public. Even if competitors were to learn of CSeries orders now, those who face the airplane in the market will be able to do little about it. Airbus and Boeing competitive products are increasingly hard to acquire as these companies have long lead times on orders because of full backlogs.
CSeries program manager Rob Dewar is also growing more ebullient. “The powering on of the main electrical distribution system on FTV1 was one of the most exciting milestones so far in the CSeries aircraft development program and will now allow powering of all sub-systems and for the avionics suite testing. The last significant test on the CAST article – the down-bending test on the wing – was completed in late March, and we are thrilled with the analysis and feedback from the team, which allows progression to the next experimental phase. These are all important activities that will lead to the CSeries aircraft’s safety-of-flight permit. The build of the flight test vehicles, the static airframe testing and the systems tests are all advancing to schedule. We are very satisfied with the CSeries aircraft’s excellent progress and weekly achievements as we advance solidly towards first flight”.
“An increasingly confident Bombardier is starting to transmit program messages more frequently. We, and many others, wondered about the paucity of program news. This phase seems to be ending with growing news feeds from the program as the company hits each new milestone. It would seem that we can expect even more of these news flashes as the program gets closer to first flight.”
Bombardier underestimates the power and value of aircraft pictures. Images have more impact than press releases. Press releases are already infrequent, but pictures of the CSeries are extremely rare. The Bombardier marketing department is missing a great opportunity for public exposure.
There was certainly a huge effort behind the first public presentation of the CSeries earlier this month. And it can be considered a success. But Bombardier Aerospace does not address the needs of airplane enthusiasts around the world. BBD threats airplanes like if they were trains.
Their communication and marketing departments should have a look at the pictures on Airliners.net in order to have a better appreciation of the importance of photography for the aviation community.
Picture in the Cseries power on press release was taken 2 weeks ago…
Thanks Nick. That makes it one week after the show.
If that’s the case it means they have removed a few parts afterwards, like the vertical fin leading edge and access panels. The forward avionic compartment access door has also been removed. And there is a hole in lieu of the rear hydraulic bay access door. Those were all on for the presentation. That’s why to me it looked more like an aircraft that had just received its engines a short while before the show. But I guess I was wrong.
What was missing for the ceremony were the pylon fairings, the flaps, the wing access panels, the body fairings and the landing gear doors, to name a few obvious ones. Those are still missing in the picture, in addition to the elements that I mentioned above.
It’s Dewar. Not Dewer. Second site w the same typo…