Bombardier Aerospace unveiled its new CSeries flightdeck demonstrator Sunday at the Dubai Air Show. The Canadian manufacturer also held a briefing at which Bombardier Aerospace president and COO Guy Hachey cautioned about pressure on the program schedule, although he expressed satisfaction at arch rival Embraer’s indication that it would re-engine E-Jets rather than launch a CSeries competitor.

Hachey noted that the CSeries program had progressed at least halfway through its development, although he struck a cautionary tone about the official target of year-end 2013 for certification and entry into service. Still, he insisted that he is confident Bombardier would meet its schedule, as long as the company burned no more of its time buffer. Bombardier has used virtually all of the buffer it built into the program’s schedule, said Hachey, who further acknowledged that delays associated with the fuselage built by China’s Shenyang Aircraft have contributed to the loss of “contingency” time.

Reacting to its Brazilian rival’s recent announcement that it planned to re-engine its E-Jet series of narrowbodies, Hachey said he was “very happy” with Embraer’s decision. “We’ll have the only all-new aircraft in this segment for the next 10 years.” Hachey was referring to the fact that Bombardier’s competitors–Airbus, Boeing and Embraer–have all opted to re-engine rather than build new airframes. Furthermore, he said, the A319neo will weigh 12,000 pounds more than the CSeries–one reason, according to Hachey, the Canadian product will enjoy a 12-percent fuel burn advantage.

New Dubai Office

The company also highlighted its growing commitment to the region by announcing the establishment of a Bombardier Commercial Aircraft regional sales and marketing office. The office will be in the Dubai Free Zone, near Dubai International Airport, and will serve the Middle East and Africa. It also announced an order from Egypt’s Petroleum Air Services for a single CRJ900, marking its first sale of a CRJ in that country.

 “This new sales and marketing office will further extend our global presence and provide closer proximity to current customers and prospects in the Middle East and Africa,” said Raphael Haddad, senior director sales, Middle East and North Africa, for Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. “We will be able to provide an almost instant response to any requests for information on our Q Series, CRJ and CSeries aircraft families.”