A220

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"CSeries" redirects here. For other uses, see C series.

A220
CSeries CS100 and CS300

AirBaltic A220-300

Role Narrow-body jet airliner

National origin multinational

Manufacturer Airbus Canada Limited Partnership

Designer Bombardier Aerospace

First flight 16 September 2013 [1]

Introduction 15 July 2016 with Swiss International Air Lines [2]

Status In service

Primary users Delta Air Lines

Swiss International Air Lines

airBaltic

EgyptAir

Produced 2012–present

Number built 135 as of 31 October 2020 [3]

Program cost US$ 7 billion [4]

Unit cost 100 series: US$ 81 m (ave. list price 2018)

300 series: US$ 91.5 m (ave. list price 2018) [5]

The Airbus A220 is a family of narrow-body airliner designed by Bombardier
Aerospace as the Bombardier CSeries. The smaller variant (CS100 then A220-
100), seating 108 to 133, made its maiden flight on 16 September 2013, was
awarded an initial type certification by Transport Canada on 18 December 2015, and
entered service on 15 July 2016 with Swiss Global Air Lines. The longer variant
(CS300 then A220-300), seating 130 to 160, first flew on 27 February 2015, received
an initial type certification on 11 July 2016, and entered service with launch
customer airBaltic on 14 December 2016.
In July 2018, Airbus acquired 50.01% of the programme through the Airbus Canada
Limited Partnership joint venture, and renamed it A220. In August 2019, a second
final assembly line opened at Airbus Mobile, supplementing the initial Mirabel facility.
In February 2020, Airbus increased its share to 75% as Bombardier exited the
programme, while the government's Investissement Québec held the 25% balance.
Powered by Pratt & Whitney PW1000G geared turbofans, the twinjet has fly-by-
wire flight controls, a carbon composite wing and an aluminium-lithium fuselage.
Early operators recorded better-than-expected fuel burn and dispatch reliability, as
well as positive feedback from passengers and crew. As of October 2020, a total of
642 aircraft had been ordered of which 135 had been delivered, Delta Air Lines is the
largest operator with 42 airplanes. The A220 family replaces the Airbus
A318 and A319, competes with the largest variants of the Embraer E-Jet E2
family and the smaller Boeing 737 MAX-7 variant.

Contents

• 1Development
o 1.1BRJ-X
o 1.2Feasibility study
o 1.3Program launch
o 1.4Flight testing
o 1.5Financial aspect
o 1.6Certif ication
o 1.7Production
o 1.8Continuing development
• 2Design
• 3Operational history
o 3.1As Bombardier CSeries
o 3.2As Airbus A220
o 3.3Operational issues
• 4Variants
o 4.1A220-100
o 4.2A220-300
o 4.3ACJ TwoTwenty
• 5Operators
o 5.1Orders and deliveries
• 6Marketing
o 6.1By Bombardier
o 6.2Dumping petition by Boeing
o 6.3By Airbus
• 7Airbus partnership
o 7.1Background
 o 7.2Concern
o 7.3Approval
o 7.4Exit of Bombardier
• 8Specifications
• 9See also
• 10Ref erences
• 11External links

Development[edit]
BRJ-X[edit]

BRJ-X concept

When Fokker, which produced the Fokker 100 100-seat short-haul aircraft, was in
difficulty, discussions began with Bombardier on 5 February 1996. After evaluating
Fokker's opportunities and challenges, Bombardier announced an end to
the acquisition process on 27 February.[6] On 15 March, Fokker was declared
bankrupt.
On 8 September 1998, Bombardier launched the BRJ-X, or "Bombardier Regional
Jet eXpansion", a larger regional jet than the Canadair Regional Jet due to enter
service in 2003. Instead of 2–2 seating, the BRJ-X was to have a wider fuselage with
2–3 seating for 85 to 110 passengers, and underwing engine pods.[7] It was abutting
the smallest narrow-body jetliners, like the 2–3 DC-9/MD-80/Boeing 717 or the 3–
3 A318 and 737-500/737-600. At the end of 2000, the project was shelved by
Bombardier in favour of stretching the CRJ700 into the CRJ900.[8]
Meanwhile, Embraer launched its four-abreast, under-wing powered E-jets for 70 to
122 passengers at the Paris Air Show in June 1999, which made its maiden flight in
February 2002 and was introduced in 2004. Airbus launched its 107–117
passengers A318 shrink on 21 April 1999,[7] which made its first flight in January
2002, as Boeing had the 737NG-600 first delivered in September 1998.
Feasibility study[edit]

2–3 seating on a Delta Air Lines aircraft

Bombardier appointed Gary Scott on 8 March 2004 to evaluate the creation of a New
Commercial Aircraft Program.[9] Bombardier launched a feasibility study for a five-
seat abreast CSeries at Farnborough Airshow in July 2004 to investigate
development of an aircraft to replace rival manufacturers' aging DC-9/MD-80, Fokker
100, Boeing 737 Classic and BAe-146 with 20% lower operating costs, and 15%
lower than aircraft produced at the time. The smaller version should carry 110 to 115
passengers and the larger 130 to 135 passengers over 3,200 nautical miles. [10]
Bombardier's Board of Directors authorized marketing the aircraft on 15 March 2005,
seeking firm commitments from potential customers, suppliers and government
partners prior to program launch. The C110 was planned to weigh 133,200 lb
(60,420 kg) at MTOW and have a length of 114.7 ft (35.0 m), while the C130 should
be 125.3 ft (38.2 m) long and have a 146,000 lb (66,224 kg) MTOW. It would have 3-
by-2 standard seating and 4-abreast business class, 7 ft (2.1 m) stand-up
headroom, fly-by-wire and side stick controls. 20 percent of the aircraft weight would
be in composite materials for the centre and rear fuselages, tail cone, empennage
and wings. The first flight was planned for 2008, and its entry into service was
planned for 2010.[11]
In May 2005, the CSeries development was evaluated at US$2.1 billion, shared with
suppliers and partner governments for one-third each. The Government of
Canada would invest US$262.5 million, the Government of Quebec US$87.5 million
and the Government of the United Kingdom US$340 million (£180 million), repayable
on a royalty basis per aircraft.[12] The UK contribution is part of an investment
partnership for the location of the development of the wings, engine nacelles and
composite empennage structures at the Belfast plant,[13] where Bombardier
bought Short Brothers in 1989.
On 31 January 2006, Bombardier announced that market conditions could not justify
the launch of the program, and that the company would reorient CSeries project
efforts, team and resources to regional jet and turboprop aircraft. A small team of
employees were kept to develop the CSeries business plan and were further tasked
to include other risk-sharing partners in the program.[14]
Program launch[edit]

PW1500G turbofan under the A220 wing

On 31 January 2007, Bombardier announced that work on the aircraft would

continue, with entry into service planned for 2013. [15] In November 2007, Bombardier
selected the Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbofan, now the PW1000G, already selected
to power the Mitsubishi Regional Jet, to be the exclusive powerplant for the CSeries,
rated at 23,000 lbf (100 kN).[16]
On 22 February 2008, the Board of Directors authorized Bombardier to offer formal
sales proposals of the CSeries family to airline customers, on the strength of its 20%
better fuel burn and up to 15% better cash operating costs compared to similarly
sized aircraft produced at the time. This interested Lufthansa, Qatar
Airways and ILFC.[17]
CSeries display model, presented during the 2008 Farnborough Airshow

On 13 July 2008, in a press conference on the eve of the opening of

the Farnborough Airshow, Bombardier Aerospace formally launched the CSeries,
with a letter of interest from Lufthansa for 60 aircraft, including 30 options, at a
US$46.7 million list price. The aircraft fuel efficiency would be 2 litres per 100
kilometres (120 mpg-US) per passenger in a dense seating. The final assembly of the
aircraft would be done at Mirabel, wings would be developed and manufactured
at Belfast and the aft fuselage and cockpit would be manufactured in Saint-Laurent,
Quebec.[18] The fuselage was to be built by China Aviation Industry
Corporation (AVIC)'s affiliate Shenyang Aircraft Corporation.[19]
Bombardier estimated the market for the 100- to 149-seat market segment of the
CSeries to be 6,300 units over 20 years, representing more than $250 billion
revenue over the next 20 years; the company expects to capture up to half of this
market.[20] By November 2009 and four years after its previous evaluation, the
program grew to an estimated $3.5 billion value – nearly double the 2004 figure –
shared with suppliers and governments.[21]
In March 2009, Bombardier redesignated the C110 and C130 as CS100 and CS300,
respectively. The models were offered in standard- and extended-range (ER)
variants; and additionally, an extra thrust (XT) variant of the CS300 was also
offered.[22] Bombardier subsequently settled on a single variant, with extended range
becoming the new standard.[23]
In November 2009, the first CSeries flight was expected by 2012. [24] In January 2010,
the company announced that CS100 deliveries were planned to start in 2013, and
CS300 deliveries would follow a year later.[25] In March 2012, Bombardier moved-up
its target date for the first flight to the second half of 2012. [26] In June 2012,
Bombardier reaffirmed the first flight should happen before the year's end with
subsequent entry into service remaining 2013.[27]
In November 2012, Bombardier announced a delay of six months to both the first
flight to June 2013 and entry into service of the CS100 one year later; the company
attributed the delays to unspecified supplier issues. [28]
An extensive program update was presented on 7 March 2013; the first "flight test
vehicle" (FTV) was displayed in a near-complete state, along with three other FTVs
in various states of assembly: one such FTV confirmed the 160 seat "Extra Capacity"
version of the CS300, featuring two sets of over-wing emergency exits.[29] The first
FTV's electrical system was powered up in March 2013, while tests on the static
airframe proceeded satisfactorily and on schedule. [30] In June 2013, Bombardier
again delayed the first flight into July 2013 on account of software upgrades and final
ground testing.[31] On 24 July 2013, after a protracted system integration process, the
first flight was delayed into "the coming weeks". [32] On 30 August 2013, Bombardier
received the flight test permit from Transport Canada, granting permission to perform
high speed taxi testing and flight testing.[1]
Flight testing[edit]
CSeries CS100 Flight Test Vehicle (FTV1) out of the factory in June 2013

On 16 September 2013, the CS100 made its maiden flight from Mirabel
Airport.[33][34] Over 14,000 data points were gathered on this flight; after reconfiguration
and software upgrades, FTV1 flew for the second time on 1 October 2013. [35] On 16
January 2014, the planned entry-into-service date was delayed into the second half
of 2015 due to certification testing issues; the CS300 remained set to follow
approximately six months after the CS100.[36]

The first CS100 takeoff on 16 September 2013

On 29 May 2014, one of the four FTVs suffered an uncontained engine failure.
Consequently, flight testing was suspended until an investigation could be
completed.[37] The incident kept Bombardier from displaying the CSeries at one of the
most important aerospace events in 2014, the biennial Farnborough Airshow.[38] In
August 2014, Bombardier changed the program's management and slashed its
workforce.[39] On 7 September 2014, flight testing was resumed after the engine
problem had been isolated to a fault in the lubrication system. [40] Bombardier
chairman Laurent Beaudoin stated that the CSeries was then expected to be in
service in 2016.[41]

The CS300 first flight on 27 February 2015

By 20 February 2015, the FTVs had accumulated over 1,000 flight hours. [42] Seven
days later, the CS300 prototype took off for its maiden flight from Bombardier's
facility at Montreal Mirabel International airport in Quebec.[43] Test flight results
surpassed the company's guarantees for noise, economics and performance,
meaning a longer range than advertised could be possible. [44] The fifth CS100 first
flew on 18 March 2015.[45] On 27 March 2015, Bombardier stated that Canadian
certification for the CS100 should come in late 2015 with entry into service in
2016.[46] Delays resulted in order cancellations, including from the Swedish lessor.[47]
At the 2015 Paris Air Show, Bombardier released updated performance data,
showing improvements over the initial specifications. [48] On 20 August 2015,
Bombardier disclosed that the CS100 had completed over 80% of the required
certification tests.[49] On 14 October 2015, the company had completed over 90% of
required tests for the CS100. Accordingly, Bombardier announced that the first
production CS100 would soon commence function and reliability tests. [50] The CS100
completed its certification testing program in mid-November 2015.[51] On 25
November 2015, Bombardier completed the first phase of its route proving
capabilities, with a 100% dispatch reliability.[52] The final prototype, FTV8, the second
CS300, made its first flight on 3 March 2016.[citation