Bombardier delivered five CSeries in Q1 as delays ease

Bombardier delivered five CSeries jets in Q1 and is making progress in tackling delays separate from previously disclosed engine hold-ups in producing its flagship CSeries jets, sources familiar with the matter said. The delivery data and comments from executives on progress come as Bombardier nears regulatory approval for its planned sale of the delayed CSeries program to Airbus. But the Montreal-based company could still face snags in coming months after delivering 17 CSeries in 2017, down from an initial target of 30 - a delay the plane-and-train maker has previously attributed to delays at engine supplier Pratt & Whitney. Bombardier has not publicly discussed separate delays stemming from general challenges as workers learn to make the 110-to-130 seat jet more efficiently. These include “quality issues” at French interiors and seat maker Zodiac Aerospace, three sources familiar with the matter said, echoing similar problems affecting other planemakers.<br/>