Continental Reaches 100 Orders

Bombardier says it's received its 100th order for the new Continental business jet, and construction of the first Continental (s/n #20001) is proceeding on track in Wichita, Kansas.

Bombardier unveiled the Continental at the 1998 NBAA show, and launched the program at the Paris Air Show in June 1999. Bombardier is showing a full-scale cabin mockup of the Continental at this year's NBAA convention.

First flight of the super-midsize business jet is expected by mid-2001, with certification following in the third quarter of 2002 and first "green" deliveries before the end of that year.

As the Continental develops, so does its powerplant. Honeywell's AS907 engine program recently passed the 3,000-hour mark, including 300 hours of flight-testing. Seven engines are dedicated to the test program, and the first fan blade-out test was completed successfully

By Paul Richfield