Airline Executives Check Out Bombardier CS100

Passengers including the CEOs of most Star Alliance member carriers boarded the Bombardier CS100 at Dublin Airport for a flight to Zurich for the alliance’s chief executive board meeting.

Bombardier used FTV5, the fifth flight-test aircraft, for the special flight, in this first demonstration for external guests such as senior airline executives. The manufacturer had to request special permits from several countries to allow operations of an aircraft that has yet to receive type certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency and FAA.

Passengers noted the spacious overhead bins on both sides of the cabin that allowed them to place even large wheeled bags in the compartments.

FTV5 was parked at a remote position at Dublin Airport, the home base for low-cost carrier Ryanair. The aircraft is painted in Swiss livery but has a standard Bombardier cabin.

The aircraft had arrived a day earlier from Montreal after a 6-hr. nonstop flight and with Bombardier pilots at the controls.

The C Series features five-abreast seating and a wide aisle. The large windows enable passengers in middle or aisle seats to see outside.

Swiss will operate the CS100 with a 125-seat cabin but is shifting more toward the larger CS300 with 150 seats. The airline has a firm order for 30 aircraft.

Bombardier’s pilots made sure passengers were aware of the power of the Pratt & Whitney PW1500G engines by performing a particularly steep takeoff from Dublin Airport.

Lufthansa Group CEO Carsten Spohr was among the passengers on the flight to Zurich. Lufthansa became launch customer in 2007. Its subsidiary Swiss will be the first CS100 first operator.

Bombardier Aerospace President Fred Cromer (right) spoke with potential C Series customers on the flight. Other passengers included Star Alliance CEO Mark Schwab (center) and Austrian Airlines CEO Kai Kratky (partially obscured behind Schwab).

FTV5 parked in Zurich after a flight of 1 hr., 50 min. Swiss plans to take delivery of its first CS100 at the end of June and wants to introduce it on the Zurich-Paris route July 15.