page_title: Airbus A220
section_title: Flight testing
hierarchical_section_title: Airbus A220 / Development / Flight testing
caption_attribution_description: English: Bombardier CSeries CS100 FTV-1 take-off on first flight
context_page_description: The Airbus A220 is a family of narrow-body, twin-engine, medium-range jet airliners. The airliner was designed by Bombardier Aerospace and originally marketed as the Bombardier CSeries. Bombardier sold the CSeries airliner program to Airbus and it is now owned by Airbus Canada Limited Partnership, a joint venture between Airbus and the Quebec government's investment arm Investissement Québec.
  The 108 to 133-seat A220-100 made its maiden flight on 16 September 2013, was awarded an initial type certification by Transport Canada on 18 December 2015, and entered service on 15 July 2016 with Swiss Global Air Lines. The 130- to 160-seat A220-300 first flew on 27 February 2015, received an initial type certification on 11 July 2016, and entered service with launch customer airBaltic on 14 December 2016. Early operators recorded better-than-expected fuel burn and dispatch reliability, as well as positive feedback from passengers and crew.
  Airbus acquired a 50.01% majority stake in the CSeries program in October 2017, with the deal closing in July 2018. As part of the deal, Bombardier retained a 31% stake in the aircraft and Investissement Québec 19%.
context_section_description: An extensive update on the CSeries program was presented on 7 March 2013; the first "flight test vehicle" (FTV) was displayed in an almost completed state, along with three other FTVs in various states of assembly: one such FTV confirmed the presence of the 160 seat "Extra Capacity" version of the CS300, featuring two sets of over wing emergency exits. The electrical system of the first flight test aircraft was successfully powered up in March 2013, and tests on the static test airframe proceeded satisfactorily and on schedule.
  In June 2013, due to upgrades of the aircraft's software and final ground testing, Bombardier again shifted the timeline for the first flight into July 2013. On 24 July 2013, due to a longer than expected system integration process, the first flight was delayed into "the coming weeks". On 30 August 2013, Bombardier received the flight test permit from Transport Canada, granting permission to perform high speed taxi testing and flight testing.
  On 16 September 2013, the CS100 made its maiden flight from Mirabel Airport. Over 14,000 data points were gathered on this first flight; and after some reconfigurations and software upgrades, the aircraft flew for the second time on 1 October 2013. On 16 January 2014, the planned entry-into-service date was delayed again (by at least 12 months, into the second half of 2015), due to difficulties with certification flight testing. The CS300 was still scheduled to follow approximately six months after the CS100.
  On 29 May 2014, one of the four test aircraft suffered an uncontained engine failure. Consequently, the test program was suspended until an investigation of the incident could be completed. The incident kept Bombardier from showcasing the CSeries at the week-long 2014 Farnborough Airshow, one of the most important events for the aerospace and defence industry. In August 2014 and after slashing its workforce, Bombardier changed the management overseeing the still-grounded aircraft.
  Flight testing was resumed on 7 September 2014 after the engine problem had been isolated to a fault in the lubrication system where a failure of a Teflon seal resulted in failure of the low pressure turbine, thus causing heat soaking of the oil feed tube to the number four bearing. Bombardier chairman Laurent Beaudoin stated that the CSeries was then expected to be in commercial service in 2016.
  Delays resulted in order cancellations, including from the Swedish lessor.
  On 20 February 2015, CSeries CS100 aircraft had completed over 1,000 flight test hours.
  Seven days later, the CS300 prototype took off for its maiden flight from Bombardier's facility at Montreal Mirabel International airport in Quebec. Test flight results surpassed the company's guarantees for noise, economics and performance, meaning a longer range than advertised could be possible.
  The fifth CS100 first flew on 18 March 2015. On 27 March 2015, Bombardier stated that Canadian certification for the CS100 should come in late 2015 with entry into service in 2016. At the 2015 Paris Air Show, Bombardier released updated performance data, showing improvements with respect to the initial specifications.
  On 20 August 2015, Bombardier disclosed it had completed over 80% of the required certification tests for the CS100. On 14 October 2015, the company had completed over 90% of required tests for the CS100. Accordingly, Bombardier announced that the first production CS100 aircraft would soon commence function and reliability tests. The CS100 completed its certification testing program in mid-November 2015. On 25 November 2015, Bombardier completed the first phase of its route proving capabilities, with a 100% dispatch reliability.
  After a development process that cost US$5.4 billion to December 2015, including a US$3.2 billion writeoff, the smallest model in the series, the 110- to 125-seat CS100 received initial type certification from Transport Canada on 18 December 2015. At the time, the company had 250 firm orders and letters of intent, plus commitments for another 360; but most of these were for the CS300 model, wh
caption: The first CS100 takeoff on 16 September 2013
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