Bombardier Aerospace on 15 September will break ground on its first CSeries aircraft facility, a training centre known as the Complete Integrated Aircraft System Test Area or CIASTA.

Located at Bombardier's Mirabel plant, outside of Montreal, CIASTA will house the Canadian airframer's first virtual CSeries CS100 by linking all the aircraft systems and components and running them for the equivalent of two years of flight test activity.

CAE and CSeries suppliers will work with Bombardier to create this virtual aircraft.

"Breaking ground for the facility that will house the first CSeries test aircraft is an important milestone for the programme," says Bombardier in a statement.

"This event is significant for Bombardier's employees, suppliers, partners and customers, and demonstrates its ongoing commitment to the CSeries aircraft, scheduled to enter service in 2013."

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news