Bombardier has made its mark in the Middle Kingdom at the 11th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai by showcasing the C Series CS300 airliner for the first time ever at the biennial show. The aircraft on display in Zhuhai is actually the program’s second flight-test aircraft, but bears the livery of the aircraft’s first operator, Air Baltic.
The company’s “footprint in China continues to grow with approximately 150 aircraft in service at present,” Bombardier Commercial Aircraft vice president of sales, marketing and asset management Colin Bole told a press gathering at the Zhuhai Aerodrome. “Overall the demand for passenger/cargo aircraft in China is projected to be second only to North America in the coming years. This includes a 2,450-aircraft projection in the 60- to 150-seat range—the segment of the market that we at Bombardier cover—in the next 20 years.”

Bole reported “a substantial backlog” for the C Series, including an order and options for 75 CS300s from Air Canada and an order for 125 CS100s—convertible to CS300s—from Delta Air Lines. “We have secured some 300 orders for this model, which is optimal for launching a new design of this type,” he said.

Bombardier believes China will account for more than 15 percent of the total world demand for 100- to 150-seat aircraft over the coming 20-year period. “The Chinese government wants to make air travel available to all its citizens, with a major emphasis on the regional market,” noted Bole. “Many people are living in Midwest regions of China, which requires regional flights for them to gain access to major air travel hubs. This government support—along with the rapid plans for overall economic and infrastructure modernization—will prompt significant growth in these kinds of regional markets.”

Bombardier claims the CS100 and CS300 both can operate more effectively than other models when flying from challenging airports and climatic conditions in locations like Lhasa, Tibet. “The aircraft will also carry more cargo than any other model in its size or class,” said Bole, who referenced Bombardier’s flexible cabin configuration, which allows for 40 percent more carry-on luggage than its previous models.

He and other Bombardier officials pointed out that CS100 and CS300 address a market that the company’s competitors do not.  Meanwhile, Bombardier’s models do not compete head-to-head with current indigenous Chinese programs like the Comac C919, due to their smaller size. “[The C919] could be a fine aircraft, but the CS100 and CS300 will act as complementary aircraft” for any potential C919 applications, said Bole.

Separately at Zhuhai, Bombardier revealed Industrial Bank of China’s leasing arm, CIB, as the customer for 10 CRJ900 models, the order for which it previously made public under the condition the customer would remain undisclosed. One of the company’s other customers, Chongching-based China Express airlines, concentrates on service to China’s small to medium-sized cities.

Analysts of China’s market told AIN that if Chinese home-grown aircraft programs fail to produce useful or practical solutions on time, then firms like Bombardier will reap the benefit with an ability to offer an off-the-shelf product that satisfies a need in the region.  Moreover, Bombardier maintains a current and constantly expanding infrastructure in country to support its product.