Bombardier to 'soon' certify larger CSeries jet after first delivery

By Allison Lampert
MONTREAL, June 29 (Reuters) - Canadian planemaker Bombardier
Inc BBDb.TO will soon get the certification of the larger of
its CSeries jet family, a senior executive said on Wednesday,
after delivering its first 110-seater CS100 plane, the smaller
model, to customer Swiss International Airlines.
The CS100 was awarded certification by Transport Canada in
December last year. Bombardier has said it expected to get the
larger, 130-seat CS300 certified during the second quarter of
this year. Airlines cannot fly planes commercially until
certification is granted.
"The next big challenge is to get the CS300 certified, which
will happen soon," said Bombardier Commercial Aircraft president
Fred Cromer on Wednesday, following a flight with reporters
aboard the smaller CS100.
Swiss International Chief Technical Officer Peter Wojahn
said the carrier is well prepared to integrate the nine CSeries
aircraft it is taking this year.
He said he had some initial concerns triggered by media
reports over Bombardier's liquidity challenges last year and the
narrowbody plane program's struggles with delays and
cost-overruns.
"We had some concerns, quite honestly, you know when there
was this negative media (reports) in the last 12 months," Wojahn
told reporters on the tarmac at Bombardier's Mirabel factory in
Quebec.
Swiss International has ordered 30 CSeries jets and is not
currently planning to order additional planes, Wojahn said.
Germany's Lufthansa LHAG.DE has options for another 30 planes.
The delivery is a milestone in Bombardier's efforts to break
into the fleets of top airlines, and challenge larger rivals
Boeing (NYSE:BA) Co BA.N and Airbus Group SE AIR.PA in the niche
market for 100-seat planes.
"It's a historic day," said Rob Dewar, the CSeries vice
president and general manager at Bombardier Aerospace.