17/09/2013

Bombardier CSeries First Flight Welcomed

First Minister Peter Robinson MLA and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness MLA have welcomed the first flight of Bombardier's CS100 aircraft in Canada.

Bombardier, located in Belfast, designs and produces the advanced composite wings for the CSeries aircraft, while a number of local suppliers have been involved in the production of complex components for the CSeries.

The company is investing more than £520m on the CSeries programme in Northern Ireland and the project could generate more than 800 new jobs within the company, as well as many more in the supply chain in NI and across Europe.

The First Minister said: "Bombardier's CSeries programme is still the largest ever inward investment project undertaken in Northern Ireland and the first flight of its CSeries aircraft is a major milestone for the company.

"Having Bombardier facilities within Northern Ireland has been of great benefit to the aerospace sector here. The world-class project has elevated Bombardier's technological capabilities to a new level and created opportunities for its supply chain in Northern Ireland and across the UK.

Minister McGuinness added: "The CSeries' first flight marks a significant achievement in Bombardier's highly complex aircraft programme. The quality of the wings fabricated in Belfast is testament to the ingenuity, determination and pride of Bombardier's team. Many local companies continue to benefit from Bombardier's investment here and have undertaken production of significant numbers of all-new and often complex components for the CSeries."

(JP/CD)

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