Bombardier Aerospace had displayed its C Series CS100 aircraft at the Singapore Airshow 2016. The CS100 is one of two narrow-body twin-engine medium range aircraft currently being developed by Bombardier. It is the smaller of the two (the other being the CS300) and fits roughly in the same category as the Embraer E195.

Bombardier were kind enough to give me a tour of the aircraft, and were patient enough to answer all of my enthusiastic questions.

Let me take you on a tour of the spanking new Bombardier CS100…

THE EXTERIOR

The aircraft on display at the Singapore Airshow was an “Experimental” aircraft, fitted with test equipment but was painted in the Swiss International Airlines livery.

It bore a Canadian registration however…

The CS100 is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PurePower® PW1500G geared turbofan engines, each capable of producing up to 23,000 lb of thrust. Featuring one of the highest by-pass ratios (12:1) of any turbofan engine in the world, these engines have low noise and emissions and deliver lower fuel burn figures.

The Bombardier CSeries aircraft also feature an all-electric braking system called Ebrake® made by Meggitt Aircraft Braking Systems. Electric braking provides fully integrated brake control and anti-skid protection including emergency and parking brake functions by combining brake-by-wire control technology with electro-mechanical brake actuation. The system is supposed to provide improved braking control in both normal and emergency operating modes as compared to hydraulically actuated brakes.

THE INTERIOR

As mentioned earlier, the CS100 is a narrow-body twin-engine medium range aircraft with a seating capacity of 108 to 120 passengers in a typical dual or single class cabin respectively.

The Business Class cabin features 2X2 seating, whereas the Economy Class cabin features 2X3 seating. In Economy Class, the seat pitch can be configured between 30 & 34 inches depending on airline requirements. The CSeries aircraft also feature large windows – 11X16 inches, bringing in more natural light and giving the passengers a wider view of the outside world.

Stuck in the middle seat? The CSeries aircraft features the widest middle seats in Economy Class at 19inches, compared to 17inches and 18 inches in comparable Boeing & Airbus aircraft.

The CSeries cabin is equipped with large pivoted overhead bins, allowing passengers to easily store their carry-on bags. The bins open lower, making it easier for passengers and crew to store and retrieve baggage.

Heading upfront, I got a chance to visit the flight deck of the CS100. The CSeries aircraft have a state-of-the-art flight deck equipped with large LCD displays. These aircraft have side-stick operated fly-by-wire systems with full envelope protection and speed stabilisation.

As is becoming the norm these days, the CSeries aircraft have HUD visors displaying information such as altitude, heading, airspeed, etc. Airlines can choose if they want to equip their aircraft with either one or two of these displays.

CONCLUSION

The CSeries aircraft promise to be extremely efficient and versatile aircraft, and fill a niche between the smaller regional turboprop aircraft and the larger conventional narrow-body aircraft. These aircraft, with the use of advanced composite materials in their construction and technologies such as the quieter and more fuel-efficient PW1500G geared turbofan engines, all-electric braking, etc. will provide superior operating economics as compared to existing aircraft.

These will be useful in regional and even cross-country routes given a typical range of 3100NM/3300NM (5741km/6112km) for the CS100/CS300, especially in large countries like the US, Canada, China, India and regions such as Europe. The CSeries aircraft will allow airlines to start short/medium haul routes without worrying about filling 150-200 seats.

Hope to see the CS100 & CS300 enter service soon, and become a serious competition in the medium range narrow-body market that is currently dominated by Airbus & Boeing.

Last but not the least, a big THANK YOU to the Bombardier team at the Singapore Airshow for a fantastic tour of the CS100.