Bombardier boosted by CSeries jet orders

Canadian planemaker Bombardier today won a lift for its troubled CSeries jets as aviation companies moved to purchase the single-aisle aircraft in deals worth almost USD 2.0 billion combined.
Abu Dhabi's Falcon Aviation Services LLC signed a firm purchase agreement for two CS300 jetliners in a transaction valued at about USD 153.6 million, Bombardier said at the start of the Farnborough airshow near London.
Jordan's Petra Airlines signed a letter of intent to buy up to four CS100 and CS300 planes. Firm orders would net Bombardier USD 298.4 million.
The Chinese carrier Loong Air meanwhile signed a letter of intent to acquire 20 CS100 airliners. A firm order would be worth about USD 1.28 billion.

Bombardier also said that Air Baltic was the previously undisclosed customer that finalised an option to buy three CSeries jets worth about USD 228 million.
Mike Arcamone, president of Bombardier's commercial planes unit, told AFP yesterday that its CSeries medium-range planes remained on course to enter service next year despite a suspension to test flights caused by engine problems.