We've seen a lot of new plane technology lately. In the widebody market there's the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787, which are fuel efficient and lower capacity than many of the planes they replace, and they've made a lot of new routes viable. We've also seen advancements in the narrowbody market, with the Boeing 737…
Continue reading: My First Flight On The Bombardier CSeries
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Those planes are basically still brand new. Surprised those screens are already broken
The C-series is a game changer for a number of reasons. It is the first aircraft that can deliver unit costs comparable to modern wide-bodies across a 2500nm mission, but with a much lower size commitment. In places like Africa this can truly be a game changer as it permits point to point trunk connectivity and secondary/tertiary hub connectivity. Similarly North American secondary transcon markets, intra-European connectivity, etc..
I spent a long time discussing the C-Series with Bombardier's design and sales team back in the mid-2000s with a specific focus on what it could do for Africa, so I'm excited to see the aircraft finally enter service (and with the Airbus partnership it has a chance to truly go mainstream). If properly marketed and assuming it delivers on technical specs, this aircraft has the potential to revolutionise air travel similar to what the 707 did in the 1960s.
As Sean pointed out, the technology and efficiency of this aircraft has the potential to make it huge. I really hope Airbus can give the program the support it needs to take off, as Bombardier clearly had some brilliant engineers work on this, but they couldn't sell the plane or manage their finances (which is rather typical of them as an organization). The plane deserves better than a slow death from trade disputes and poor program management...
Technically, I believe Swiss was the launch customer for the CS100 series, while airBaltic was the launch customer for the CS300 series, no?
It's crazy that the seat width on this regional jet is the same width as the new Delta premium-economy seat for flights of 12-14 hours.
According to SeatGuru the seat width on the Swiss CS-100 is 18.5, but on the CS-300 it is only 17.
I flew the CS100 a couple of times between Zurich and Luxembourg (ca 50min flight) and I think the experience compared to the previously used Avro rj100 has improved on all levels. It feels spacious, elegant, modern, I even find it more silent than the alternatives (ie also the Dash 8 Q400 that Luxair is using mainly which is very loud); an overall such positive and comfortable experience for those short flights.
Flown several times on Swiss between both Nice>GVA & ZRH -- quick flights, efficient service and very nice planes
Just had my first CS100 experience yesterday as well on Swiss from TXL to ZRH. Similar comments on noise - plane is a bit loud and the engine ramp whining noise was a bit disconcerting at first. Flying it into Zurich in the middle of the wind storms was an adventure - a bit more "unstable" than an Airbus in my opinion.
Nice seat width, though. Modern cabin. Big overhead bins. I appreciate its efficiency as well.
I was in business, and an Interesting difference from the Airbus fleet on Swiss is lack of any divider between the cabins. Although European biz class is nothing to write home about, it means that any "exclusivity" - perceived or bathroom usage - is gone completely.
Great regional plane, though. Would be a great capacity step on some US routes currently served by the CR9 and Embraer fleets.
Too bad the Avros (wich are replaced by the CSeries in the Case of Swiss) offered so much more space and were very nice to fly from a passengers point of view...
2 points the flight attendants really appreciate about the c-series are:
- large overhead bins, which significantly speeds up boarding.
- the large windows greatly lighten up the cabin during a daytime flight, which is a really nice improvement when you regularly fly a few hours a day !
I have had the pleasure to fly on the LX CS100 many times and I personally think that this specific type of aircraft has a great future for domestic / regional operation. From a passenger side, the aircraft cabin feels so much more spacious and modern than your usual regional jets. Operationally, the aircraft is very versatile, flying at low unit-costs. It will be a game-changer for lots of network carriers operating with an extensive feeder network.
"an Interesting difference from the Airbus fleet on Swiss is lack of any divider between the cabins."
You're starting to see that on more and more intra-European flights, and not just on Swiss.
You are right, I flew airBaltics CS300 on the second day of service. It was a rather unmemorable flight with the typically cold airBaltic service. The plane was fine but honestly nothing besides the 2-3 layout that I felt significantly different about compared to classic narrow-body.
>According to SeatGuru the seat width on the Swiss CS-100 is 18.5, but on the CS-300 it is only 17.
Nah, in 5 abreast CS100 and 300 have the same layout. 18.5" seats except for the middle one which is 19".
Also the aisle is 20" compared to 19" on a 320.
I'm surprised at your comments saying the plane is loud, I flew it 4 times and you can hardly hear the engines powering up and at full power! I find it much quieter than the coffee grinder noise the engines make on the A320.
Also, the Swiss CEO has said in interviews the Cseries is now the quietest plane in their fleet. I agree with everything else, cute little plane, comfy and I could definitely do a medium haul on it (Riga Aud is now on I hear).
The interesting whine from the engine is due to the torque converter or a gear which enables the fan and the turbines/compressors to operate at different speeds to maximize each components' efficiency. A similar noise can be experienced in a manual transmission car in reverse gear. It's a very efficient and advanced engine.
I had a very similar experience as Lucky, flying on Swiss from ZRH to MXP 2 weeks ago. One third of the mini monitors appeared broken and on takeoff it was surprisingly noisy. I enjoyed the aircraft very much but compared to the Avro that Swiss were flying previously on this route it was a bit noisier. I still love the technology of the Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan.
Fixed in flight entertainment is obsolete. Bring your own or airline can distribute tablets.
I experienced an A220_300 flight with Swiss from Gva to Lhr (hb jcq) last week, the aircraft performing its next flight after suffering a bird strike! The aircraft was well presented, as it should be for a 2.5 week old machine, comfortable seats nicely trimmed with ample leg, hip and shoulder room. The windows are much deeper giving a light and airy feeling to the cabin. The odd whines while taxying were evident as previously noted, and to be honest there was quite a bit of noise in the rear cabin (row 20), probably more aerodynamic than engine. The service on board was fine and the whole experience rewarding. This aircraft will hopefully be a reliable and successful short to medium range transport. Textbook landing at lhr, well done guys.
The flight experience was quite ote nice from ZRH to Dublin. The large overhead lockers are great as most people travel with board cases.
One thing I dislike is the missing big pocket, the two small ones won't store my Ipad during take off and landing.
Our flight in a CS100 from Dublin to Zürich in September, was a very pleasant and comfortable one. Lovely aircraft.
There was a high pitch whining noise upon acceleration while still on the ground, but once
In the air it was gone.