Bombardier capped a series of CS100 tests at London City Airport (LCY) with a nonstop transatlantic flight to New York JFK on March 25, demonstrating the range capability of the smallest CSeries airliner from the airport closest to central London.
CS100 flight-test aircraft FTV2 completed eight flights from LCY over two days on March 22-23, to validate the aircraft’s ability to operate into the airport, with its steep approach and short runway.
The flights, some with Transport Canada and European Aviation Safety Agency pilots on board, followed “hundreds” of landings in tests at Wichita and Salina, Kansas, Bombardier CSeries-VP and GM Rob Dewar said.
“We designed the aircraft specifically to operate from London City, and we made sure it has the wing area and thrust to get the required payload/range out of there,” Dewar said. “In all-economy and dual-class configuration it has twice the range of any aircraft that is viable for LCY.”
The CS100 also has transatlantic range from London City to New York, in all-business-class configuration with around 40 passengers, and the validation testing shows “we have a little bit more payload/range than we advertise,” he said.
Bombardier developed a special control law for the fly-by-wire CS100 for the 5.5-degree approach to LCY, which compares with the standard 3 degrees. This is pilot-selectable and commands lower engine thrust, increased spoiler deployment and a special flap setting.
Canadian and European authorities are expected to take six-eight weeks to validate compliance with the regulations for LCY operations, after which Swiss International Air Lines will seek operating approval from Swiss civil aviation authority FOCA and train its crews, which Dewar said requires eight flights per pilot.
Steep-approach certification will clear the CS100 to operate at multiple airports around the world with approaches steeper than 3 degrees, including several under development in China, and Dewar said Bombardier is in “advanced negotiations” with two customers that specifically require the ability to operate into LCY.
Bombardier is also certifying Category 3B autoland capability for the CSeries, with testing using CS100 test aircraft FTV3 about 50% complete. Swiss requires Cat 3 approval to operate into Zurich in fog season, and Korean Air requires Cat 3 for its larger CS300s, deliveries of which begin later this year.
Flight testing to obtain 180-min. extended-operations approval is also under way using CS300 test aircraft FTV8. Certification is expected in the third quarter, Dewar said.