When the aircraft then known as the Bombardier C Series operated its first commercial flight for SWISS on 15 July 2016, flying from Zurich to Paris, the moment already carried almost a decade of ambition, risk and determination behind it. In its retrospective marking ten years since the A220 entered service, Airbus looked back on that journey: from an ambitious idea in Mirabel to an aircraft now flying on five continents.

The first flight test aircraft was called Phoenix. The name was no coincidence. During the development process, the aircraft was given a second life, rebuilt and prepared for testing, symbolically rising from the ashes like the mythical bird. Alongside Phoenix, several other prototypes with distinctive names took part in the programme, including Black Sheep, the second test aircraft, and Lucky Sevens, the first CS300 in the test fleet.

Behind those names stood an exceptionally demanding development programme. Bombardier chose the more difficult path: to design a completely new single-aisle aircraft without relying on an older platform, with the aim of setting new standards in efficiency, comfort and technology within its class. The idea did not appear overnight. Even before the C Series, there had been an earlier concept called BRJX, a vision that arrived ahead of its time and was set aside, but never truly disappeared.

In Mirabel, in the Canadian province of Quebec, that idea returned with renewed ambition. The goal was to create the most modern small single-aisle aircraft on the market, with every element of the design serving the purpose of efficiency. Such an approach was slower, more expensive and riskier, but it made it possible to develop an aircraft for the 21st century.

Dominique Fafard, today Head of Quality in Service, was one of the people involved in the programme in Mirabel. Airbus notes that Fafard joined the project in 2013, working as a quality supervisor on Phoenix during the period when the aircraft was being prepared for one of the most important moments in the programme.

“It was challenging, but the kind of challenge that fuelled us and unified the teams working hard to achieve a goal. And we did.”

The first SWISS commercial flight in 2016 marked the moment when the development risk became operational reality. The C Series, later the Airbus A220, became the first clean-sheet aircraft in its segment in a generation, as well as the first fully fly-by-wire commercial aircraft developed and certified in Canada.

For the people who worked on the programme, the delivery of the first aircraft to SWISS remained one of the defining moments. Yann-Érick Champagne-Généreux, Head of Logistics and Process, who had been involved in the programme from its earliest days, told Airbus that this event in particular stayed with him.

“The moment that will always stay with me is the first delivery to our launch customer, SWISS. Seeing the fruits of our labour take flight in their colours was a moment of immense pride.”

After entering service, the story took on a new dimension. The C Series joined the Airbus family in 2018 and became the A220, giving the programme stronger global sales and support capabilities. Two years later, a second assembly line opened in Mobile, Alabama, expanding production beyond its Canadian home in Mirabel.

Over time, the A220 began opening routes that had previously been less economically viable. Thanks to its capacity, range and fuel efficiency, it found its place between regional aircraft and larger single-aisle models, allowing airlines to connect cities with lower demand while also operating more demanding routes. In its article, Airbus highlights examples ranging from northern Europe to the Canary Islands, from East Africa to Mumbai, into London airports and across the vast distances of the Australian outback.

The aircraft also earned the nickname Whisperjet because of its low noise levels. That nickname fits into the broader story of a programme built from the beginning around efficiency, quieter operations and passenger comfort. Large windows, a more spacious cabin compared with many aircraft of a similar size, and the later introduction of Airbus’ Airspace design language further strengthened its position within the Airbus portfolio.

By 2026, when the 500th aircraft was delivered from Mirabel, the A220 had reached several major milestones. According to Airbus, the aircraft is now operated by 25 operators across five continents, the programme has surpassed 1,000 firm orders, and the A220 has carried more than 240 million passengers.

However, Airbus emphasises in its story that the A220 is not an aircraft whose development ended when it entered service. Quite the opposite: its advantage lies in the fact that, as a clean-sheet design, it was conceived from the start as a platform capable of evolving. Today, it shares Airbus systems, tools and support with the rest of the commercial aircraft family, while still retaining the identity of an aircraft that entered the Airbus portfolio from the outside.

Istifan Ghanem, who joined the programme back in 2007 and now leads A220 Customer Support, Upgrades and Contracts Services, said in Airbus’ article that the true value of the programme’s first decades will ultimately be measured in the future.

“I would like them to look back and say that the decisions made during the programme’s first twenty years created a strong foundation for decades of success. If they are still speaking with pride about the aircraft, the people behind it, and the value it brings to airlines and passengers around the world, then we will have accomplished something truly special.”

Ten years after its first commercial flight, the A220 has grown beyond the story of a risky development project. From an idea that had once been postponed, through Phoenix and the test fleet in Mirabel, to an aircraft now flying around the world, the programme has become one of the more important examples of how a long-term vision in aviation can be turned into market success.

For Airbus, and for the thousands of people who worked on the programme in Canada, the United States and Europe, the A220 remains a story of perseverance, technical ambition and the belief that building something new is worth the effort. The first ten years have shown that the bet paid off. But according to the people who created it, the A220’s journey has only just begun.