CSeries 2018 deliveries

Bombardier Inc. has expressed confidence that it will meet its 2018 goal of 40 deliveries of its C Series passenger jet after engine supplier delays kept it from hitting its delivery target in 2017.

According to a report from Reuters, Bombardier delivered 17 C Series jets last year, falling short of its latest goal of between 20 and 22 deliveries.

Deliveries were slowed during the year by engine delays from Pratt & Whitney, though a Bombardier spokesperson told Reuters that the company is “confident” both in those issues having been resolved and in its ability of hitting the 40-plane target this year.

The company confirmed both the delivery numbers and forecast for next year directly to the WBJ.

Bombardier is scheduled to release more details on its aircraft deliveries as part of its final 2017 earnings report in February.

The goal of 20 to 22 passenger jets for 2017 was revised in November, down from the company’s previous target of as many as 30 aircraft due to the engine delays.

The expected delivery increase in 2018 will mean more work in Wichita, where Spirit AeroSystems Inc. (NYSE: SPR) builds the engine pylons on the C Series.

In addition, more than half of the flight testing on the C Series program has been conducted from Bombardier’s local facility near Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport.

Bombardier CS 300 55034 YL-CSI airBaltic delivery 16jun18 YMX-RIX ex C-FOUY