Canadian aerospace major Bombardier debuted the CSeries aircraft for the first time at the Paris International Air Show. The CS300 in its flying display wowed visitors at the show. The CS100 and the CS300 are two new entrants into the 100- to 160-passenger seat segment, though the planes did not get any orders at the show, it certainly has the wow factor.

However, Bombardier had wins for its other airplanes. It announced that Calgary-based WestJet Encore had signed a firm order for five Q400 aircraft, valued at about $200 million. The President of Bombardier Commercial Aircraft, Fred Cromer, said: “WestJet Encore continues to build momentum with the Canadian regional aircraft market. Through its diversified and growing route networks, it has used the Q400 to serve 24 cities in seven provinces since launching its operations. As a growth minded airline, this iconic Canadian carrier is benefiting from the Q400’s perfect balance of flexibility, passenger comfort, economics and unsurpassed environmental standing.”

Bombardier will be delivering its 500th Q400 aircraft to WestJet before the end of June 2015. “Since entering revenue service in 2000, the Q400 turboprop has been one of the top success stories in regional airline transport, so it is incredibly fitting that an admirable Canadian airline will take delivery of this milestone aircraft,” said Cromer.

He said the Q400 aircraft family includes over 60 owners and operators in about 40 countries and that the worldwide fleet has logged over six million flight hours. With a dispatch reliability rate of over 99.5 per cent, the aircraft has transported over 370 million passengers worldwide.

Thanks to its combination of turboprop attributes, jet-like features, industry-leading passenger experience and environmental footprint, the Q400 aircraft, he said, is exceptionally versatile and can be adapted to a variety of business models. By offering a 30 per cent reduction in fuel burn over the jets it often replaces, the aircraft radically reduces carbon emissions and increases cost efficiency. Its high-speed cruise – 160 kmph faster than conventional turboprops — places the aircraft’s flight time within minutes of jet schedules, at the same seat cost as larger single-aisle jets.

Asked about its laggard presence in India, Cromer said though the company had not really notched up aircraft sales in India, the country remained a focal point in the company’s marketing strategy. “We are looking at long-term prospects and the market needs a thorough understanding.” The complexities of buying an aircraft in India continued, but he hoped that they would be overcome with anticipated reforms in the civil aviation sector.