BOMBARDIER COMMERCIAL Aircraft announced the CSeries jet returned to the air on September 7, three months after the company grounded the type. This initial test flight, involving flight test vehicle two (FTV2), C-GWYD (c/n 50002), followed an in-depth review and analysis of the causes of an engine-related incident, involving a Pratt & Whitney PW1000G Geared Turbofan engine, that occurred during ground maintenance involving FTV1, C-FBCS (c/n 50001) at Bombardier’s Mirabel facility on May 29. Both the engine and airframe manufacturers have taken appropriate measures to address the uncontained engine failure, including the modification of the powerplant’s oil lubrication system. Rob Dewar, Vice President, CSeries Aircraft Program, said: “We are pleased to see the CSeries airliner back in the air. The Geared Turbofan (GTF) engine has over 10,000 hours of ground and flight testing and we’re confident that it will enter into service meeting or exceeding the fuel burn, emissions, thrust and noise specifications promised by Pratt & Whitney. Test programmes are complex and involve extreme testing meant to draw out any potential issues and correct them prior to entry-into-service.” Bombardier remains optimistic that CSeries deliveries are on track to start in the second half of 2015.
(Photo Bombardier)