Bombardier Aerospace’s super midsize Continental business jet programme is on schedule with the successful mating of the wing to the fuselage on the first aircraft. The company reports that the Continental is now essentially complete, with the exception of its power plant – which is to be installed shortly.

“The programme continues to proceed as planned and this first aircraft is on target to fly before the middle of next year,” said John Holding, executive vice president, engineering and product development at Bombardier Aerospace.

Certification is set for the third quarter of 2002 and the first ‘green’ aircraft delivery expected in the fourth quarter of that year.

To date, Bombardier has received orders for 100 aircraft and forecasts an overall market of more than 1,000 super midsize business aircraft by 2012.

In addition, assembly activities on a second Continental are soon to begin. “Components are arriving from our risk-sharing partners around the world as production activities steadily ramp up,” stated Holding. Among these partners is Mitsubishi Heavy Industries – the designers and manufacturers of the Continental’s wing.

Bombardier says that the aluminium wing design provides the mix of low speed handling and high speed cruise characteristics required to meet the needs of super midsize operators. These include the ability to land and take off at at smaller runways of local and regional airports, and a quick time-to-climb enabling avoidance of weather and traffic.