Bombardier's CSeries jet nears approval for London City Airport

Bombardier said its CSeries will soon become the largest commercial aircraft capable of landing at London City Airport, a feat the Canadian planemaker expects will whet buyer interest at a time of sluggish market demand for new jets. Bombardier, which this week completed a series of dedicated flight trials, expects to receive "steep approach" certification in Q2 so that airlines can land the 110-seat CS100 variant at the urban airport, which has the challenge of a shorter runway, spokesman Bryan Tucker said. The certification would allow CSeries customer Swiss Airlines to operate at London City, which is a four-mile drive from the capital's main financial district. "We expect this to generate interest from other operators as the aircraft demonstrates its capabilities," Tucker said. The arrival of the lightweight, carbon-composite CSeries at London City could boost Bombardier in the run-up to the industry's showcase Paris Air Show in June. It comes as planemakers are bracing for another bout of softer sales in 2017 after a prolonged order boom peaked in 2014. Planemakers are having to battle harder for business amid a glut of new planes and concerns over the economy.<br/>