Bombardier Aerospace announced orders and letters of intent (LOIs) valued in excess of $1.65 billion at the Farnborough Airshow yesterday, as well as the selection of an authorized training provider and details of its service and support program during its update on the in-development C-Series twinjet.
Meanwhile, with the issues regarding the recent engine fire reportedly identified and being addressed (see box), the Montreal-based company sees no further impediments to the CSeries entry into service in the second half of 2015.
Ray Jones, senior v-p sales, marketing and asset management, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft, provided details about the company’s orders and LOIs.
Falcon Aviation Services of Abu Dhabi converted a letter of intent (LOI) for two CS300 jetliners announced at the Singapore Airshow to a firm order, a contract valued at approximately $153.6 million based on list price of the aircraft.
Zhejiang Loong Airlines Co. of Hangzhou, China, has singed an LOI for 20 CS100 airliners, representing a sale of $1.2 billion, if all are converted to firm orders.
Petra Airlines of Amman, Jordan has signed a LOI for up to four CS100 and CS300 airliners. Should the LOI be exercised, it will comprise two firm-ordered CS100s (valued at approximately $136.5 million at list price) and two options for CS300s. If the CS300 options were exercised, the entire contract would be valued at $298.4 million.
Jones also identified Latvia-based Air Baltic Corporation as the undisclosed customer that converted options for three CS300s to firm orders at the Singapore Airshow last February, a contract valued at some $220 million. Air Baltic’s original firm order for 10 CS300s with options for an additional 10 was signed in December 2012.
Smart Parts
Todd Young, Bombardier v-p, customer services and support, introduced the company’s new Smart Parts programs and announced the recent approval by Transport Canada, EASA and the FAA of its maintenance program for CSeries aircraft operators. The maintenance program allows CSeries operators to extend intervals between line maintenance checks (A checks) to 850 hours and base maintenance checks (C checks) to intervals of 8,500 hours.
The Smart Parts program, building on the company’s business aviation and Q400 Smart Parts programs, offers a tailored support solution covering more than 400 components in more than 20 major systems, and includes a component repair management solution and components exchange pool program.
Michel Ouellette, president, customer services and specialized and amphibious aircraft, Bombardier Aerospace, announced Flight Training Alliance, a newly formed joint venture between CAE and Lufthansa Flight Training, has been appointed as exclusive authorized training provider for CSeries aircraft pilot and cabin crew training worldwide. Ouellette also announced that Lufthansa Technical Training has been named exclusive authorized training provider for maintenance training for CSeries aircraft.
Meanwhile, fuel burn, stall performance, noise, emissions and other performance parameters projected for the aircraft have been confirmed in flight tests, and construction of new facilities for CSeries production are on track for occupancy later this summer, according to the company.
