Bombardier has announced at this year’s Paris Air Show that it has reached the joint definition phase of the Cseries jetliner programme. The planes will fly in 2012.

Bombardier confirmed that the composite aft fuselage demonstrator being built in Canada is at an advanced stage. The first centre fuselage barrel being developed by China’s Shenyang Aircraft, is scheduled to be shipped to Montreal in August and the composite wing, currently being developed in Belfast, is also at an advanced stage.

Bombardier has also revealed a raft of new contracts signed for a variety of new components and systems.

These contracts include; Meggit Aircraft Braking Systems for the wheels, brakes and brake control systems; Esterline Control Systems-Korry for the integrated cockpit control panels; Honeywell for the inertial reference system; Liebherr-Aerospace Lindenberg for the complete landing gears system and Senior Aerospace SSP of California for the high-pressure bleed air and ram air ducting systems.

Bombardier has already secured a commitment for 100 Cseries aircraft from Lufthansa and is expecting in the region of another 150 orders.

The first flight, now scheduled for 2012, will be followed by 12 months of flight testing. Certification is expected in the second half of 2013 after which the aircraft is expected to begin operations.