The Airbus A220 family of aircraft was initially designed by Bombardier Aerospace as Bombardier CSeries (CS100 and CS300). The CSeries program was formally launched at the Farnborough Air Show in July 2008. The smaller of the two (CS100) performed its maiden flight on September 16", 2013, and entered commercial service on July 15th, 2016, with launch operator Swiss Global Air Lines.

The extended version, CS300, first flew on February 27th, 2015, and entered commercial service with airBaltic on December 14th, 2016. In April 2016, Bombardier Aerospace received a firm order of 75 CSeries aircraft from one of the three major airlines in the United States, Delta Air Lines.

The order included 75 of the CS100s plus 50 future options. A year later, in April 2017, Boeing filed a petition against Bombardier for selling the CSeries aircraft at approximately $24 million each, much below their production cost of $33 million. As part of the petition, Boeing showed that the order posed a significant threat to the US industry.

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Photo: Tom Boon | Simple Flying

As a result, the US Department of Commerce (DoC) observed subsidies of 220% plus a preliminary 80% anti-dumping duty. In December 2017, the DoC announced a total duty of 292%. The Canadian government filed a complaint at the World Trade Organization (WTO) against the US in January 2018.

In February, the US International Trade Commission (USITC) overturned the imposed duties, determining that the US industry was not threatened by Delta Air Lines order to Bombardier.

The joint venture

Meanwhile, the slow business, tough competitors, and a petition by Boeing forced Bombardier to close a partnership with Airbus in October 2017. Airbus acquired a controlling share (50.01%) in the joint venture with Bombardier. Within days of the control transfer to Airbus, the Bombardier CSeries was rebranded as the Airbus A220 family.

The company was later named Airbus Canada Limited Partnership and adopted the Airbus logo as its sole visual identity. In February 2020, Bombardier exited the program, leaving Airbus with the lion’s share (75%) and the Quebec government’s remaining 25% share.

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Photo: airBaltic

The Airbus A220 family is a twin-engine narrowbody family of aircraft with a typical capacity of 100 to 160 passengers. The A220-100 seats 100 to 130, and the A220-300 seats 130 to 160 passengers. Powered by Pratt & Whitney PW1500G geared turbofan engines, the aircraft provides an approximate flying range of 3,500 NM (6,400 km).

Production cost management

Bombardier's massive cost to produce the CSenes aircraft was no secret for the manufacturing industry. Boeing recognized the same thing during their dumping petition in 2017. The estimated cost of production of an A220-100 aircraft (with Bombardier's existing process) was approximately $33 million.

The cost included the general, administrative, and overhead costs applicable to the aircraft. Airbus also identified that the production cost of only the aircraft (parts, processes, and labor) was over $24 million. The new program team was formed with leaders from Bombardier and Airbus to standardize processes for efficiently transitioning the aircraft.

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Photo: Tom Boon | Simple Flying

During the initial years of acquiring most of the program, Airbus aimed to minimize production costs before marketing the aircraft under its name. Airbus used its strong supply chain network to cut material and process costs in the first phase. Alongside, Airbus' experienced workforce enabled Airbus to optimize the existing process in the Mirabel, Quebec facility. Moreover, production resources were shared with a second final assembly line (FAL) in Mobile, Alabama, to cater to the North American market.

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Production delays

Like the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, Airbus Canada A220 is no different regarding production delays. Airbus was already facing some delays with their "neo" family when taking control of the A220. In the initial years of the partnership with Bombardier, several Airbus A220s were built and unfinished at the Mirabel Airport facility in Quebec. There were missing cockpit installations on several aircraft due to missing supplier parts.

The new FAL at Mobile, AL, further added to the delays as it was still in the learning stages for the new program. There were substantial quality control issues related to processes and products at the Mobile facility. However, Airbus poured a lot of money and resources into resolving the problems and bringing the facility up to speed.

The first A220 in Mobile was assembled on a line shared with the A320/A321neo line. Airbus delivered its first US-assembled A220-300 to Delta Air Lines in October 2020. According to the Chairman and CEO of Airbus Americas, Inc., Jeffery Knittel.

"The delivery of the first U.S.-built A220-300 is a historic moment that highlights Airbus' growing industrial footprint in North America and makes us all extremely proud. We look forward to seeing passengers delighted by the experience of traveling on board this brand new A220-300 proudly built in Mobile, Alabama." - Jeffery Knittel. Chairman & CEO.

Ramping up production and profits

It was important for Airbus to reach profitability in the A220 program. The CSeries production rate with Bombardier was just over one aircraft per month. With the two final assemblies going, Airbus initially increased the production rate to three aircraft per month. Airbus determined that the production rate must be up to 14 aircraft per month between Mirabel and Mobile plants to reach net profitability.

Speaking to CTV News, the President and CEO of Airbus Canada, Benoît Schultz, commented,

"We have a plan that works to make 14 planes per month: ten in Mirabel, [and] four in Mobile in Alabama in the middle of the decade, even after the adjustments to production to mitigate the difficulties of the supply chain that we have done recently." - Benoit Schultz, President & CEO.

The production rate is necessary to reduce materials, supplies, and overhead costs. It is noteworthy that a typical narrowbody aircraft program aims to break even at approximately 400 sales. While the number of sales to break even for the A220 program is still being determined, it was more than twice the number when Bombardier owned the (CSeries) program.

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Photo: Tom Boon | Simple Flying

This was calculated based on the $52 billion in cost overruns that Bombardier had incurred on the CSeries program. In 2022, Airbus averaged nearly 4.5 A220 aircraft deliveries per month. The manufacturer aims to reach the targeted production rate of 14 deliveries per month by 2025.

What are your thoughts on transitioning from Bombardier CSeries to Airbus A220 family? Tell us in the comments section.

  • Airbus and Bombardier C Series partnership 6
    Bombardier
    CEO:
    Éric Martel
    Headquarters Location:
    Dorval, Canada
    Stock Code:
    BBDB
    Business Type:
    Planemaker
    Date Founded:
    1942-07-10
  • rsz_airbus_50th_years_anniversary_formation_flight_-_air_to_air
    Airbus
    Stock Code:
    AIR
    Date Founded:
    1970-12-18
    CEO:
    Guillaume Faury
    Headquarters Location:
    Toulouse, France
    Key Product Lines:
    Airbus A220, Airbus A320, Airbus A330, Airbus A340, Airbus A350, Airbus A380
    Business Type:
    Planemaker