The future of Bombardier Aerospace’s commercial airline business might well hinge on what becomes of the final product that emerges from yesterday’s official ground breaking of a new complex in Mirabel, Canada, dedicated to the C Series airliner. The ceremony, held on September 15 and attended by some 200 company employees, government dignitaries, labor representatives and media, formally launched work on the first of five phases of construction known as the Complete Integrated Aircraft Systems Test Area (CIASTA)–a testing and proving facility that will house a “virtual” C Series test aircraft designed to assess systems for reliability and functionality a full year before the first prototype flies.
Hosting the ceremony, Bombardier Aerospace president and COO Guy Hachey called it a “red letter” day for the C Series program and, in understated fashion, an “important” day for Bombardier Aerospace. “Some of you might be surprised to see us investing so much in the area of commercial aviation,” said Hachey, referring to the roughly $3 billion the company has committed to the project. “But we must not be misled by the fits and starts of the economy. In the aerospace industry, we must work with timelines that cover the next 15 to 20 years. And, for the long term, the prospects for commercial aviation are extremely positive.”
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