Bombardier Aerospace expects to conclude negotiations soon with Chinese state aerospace conglomerate AVIC I on the terms of an agreement under which the Canadian company would help China develop the 105-seat ARJ21-900. For its part, Bombardier would get $400 million and a risk-sharing partner in the proposed
C Series airliner, due for industrial launch some time this year.
Bombardier Aerospace new commercial aircraft president Gary Scott told AIN in January that he expected to sign a firm contract with the Chinese “within a few months,” but that a launch decision on the Canadian company’s own C Series could happen any time during the year. Bombardier’s development schedules continue to show first delivery of the C Series in 2013, while AVIC I has set its sights on 2012 for service entry of the ARJ21-900. AVIC I plans to start test flying the first member of the ARJ21 family, the 85-seat ARJ21-700, as soon as late this month.
