Here's a look at Delta's new secret weapon against American and Southwest
The Bombardier CS100 is a full fly-by-wire aircraft, which means that the side sticks have no physical connection to the airplane's control surfaces. Instead, the aircraft is flown through computer inputs.
The position of each side stick can be monitored on the LCD displays.
Instead of control yokes, the Bombardier is flown using side sticks.
In the cockpit, the C Series features five large, 15.1-inch displays. Here's Capt. Steve Paradis, who helped fly the plane down to Atlanta from Montreal.
What doesn't fit in the overhead bins can be stored down here in the belly cargo hold.
Bombardier designed the CS100's overhead bins to open 5 inches lower, which makes it easier to load baggage. The overhead bins are also designed to hold oversize carry-on luggage.
Here's the view from the CS100's window.
In addition, Bombardier claims that the C Series' windows are 50% larger than its rivals.
Even with Delta's specified interior, the CS100 should have the widest economy seats on the market at 19 inches. But the seat pitch should remain Delta's standard 30 to 31 inches, which is solid but not industry-leading.
Since the aircraft presented to the press was one of Bombardier's demonstrators, the interior did not have Delta's seats, lighting, and in-flight entertainment systems. But the cabin layout is accurate.
Look toward the back of the plane and you see the CS100's five-abreast seating configuration in economy class. That means there's only one middle seat per row as opposed to two per row on the rival Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 family jets.
Up front are the CS100's business-class seats.
... as well as the first-class bathroom with a changing table.
... you'll see the front galley to your left ...
Enter the jet from the front and ...
Step inside the Bombardier's cabin and you'll find a surprisingly spacious interior for a relatively small 108-seat aircraft.
With a range of more than 3,500 miles, the CS100 allows Delta to operate routes its smaller jets had not been able to reach before.
In January of 2016, then Delta CEO Richard Anderson cited the airplane's engines as a major reason for the airline's interest in the C Series.
According to Bombardier, the C Series also emits 20% less carbon dioxide during operation and is the quietest airliner on the market.
In addition, its pair of Pratt & Whitney PW1500G geared turbofan engines are some of the most fuel efficient on the market and help make the airplane 15% cheaper to operate than aircraft currently in production.
A major contributor to the Bombardier's efficiency is its lightweight aluminum and composite body. Incredibly, Air Baltic and SWISS have both reported that the C Series has delivered fuel economy better than what was promised by Bombardier.
Bombardier believes the C Series' greatest selling points are its efficiency and cabin comfort.
... Korean Air is expected to get its own CS 300 in the near future.
Swiss took delivery of its first CS300 this year while...
Air Baltic became the first airline to receive the CS300 in late 2016.
The CS100 entered service in the summer of 2016 with SWISS.
Delta is expected to receive its first CS100 in the spring of 2018.
Delta chose the smaller CS100, but expect the airline to switch some of its order to the larger CS300 down the road.
Bombardier offers two versions of the C Series: a 130-seat CS300 and a smaller 108-seat CS100.
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