A little over a month after completing its largest transaction this year in the form of a firm order for 20 of its new Challenger 3500 business jets from an undisclosed customer, Canada's Bombardier (Chalet A19, Stand 1325) sees Middle East demand for its Challenger and Global platforms intensifying to levels not seen since the pre-2008 era and claims its portfolio will continue to be popular with a variety of operators, particularly in the charter market.

“Bombardier aircraft are very popular in the region—and for good reason,” Christophe Degoumois, v-p international business aircraft sales, told AIN. “Bombardier boasts a strong portfolio of aircraft including the new Challenger 3500 business jet, which we introduced in mid-September, and the industry flagship Global 7500 aircraft, which continues to flourish in its production ramp-up.”

Bombardier marked the 50th delivery of the Global 7500 in March, after delivering 35 in 2020. The aircraft carries up to 19 passengers and flies to a range of 7,700 nm. The Challenger 3500 marks the evolution of the successful Challenger 350 brand: it carries up to 10 passengers and has a range of 3,400 nm. Bombardier expects entry into service in the second half of 2022.

“The Middle East is a very important market for Bombardier with considerable growth opportunities, both from an aircraft sales and aftermarket perspective, especially in the medium and large-cabin categories,” he said.

Bombardier works with one authorized service facility (ASF) in the region, ExecuJet’s MRO at Dubai Airport Free Zone. It continues to be well-positioned to offer customers a suite of diverse maintenance capabilities in the region.

Bombardier’s Specialized Aircraft group, the team that oversees aircraft allocated to special missions, will project a significant presence at Dubai Airshow this year. “Our aircraft, with their high endurance and reliability, are well-suited to carry out several critical functions with governments and agencies around the world, missions like medical evacuation, surveillance, and reconnaissance, or command transport,” he said. “In fact, there are more than 550 Bombardier specialized aircraft in service.”

Degoumois said Bombardier’s customer-centric philosophy was greatly appreciated in the Middle East. “Our sales team is well-positioned to meet the increased interest in private aviation and has more than two decades of experience in the region. The continuity of the business relationship has never been better, and many of our clients are coming back for their second or third replacement aircraft. Our team has established considerable trust and ironclad relationships with our customers in the Middle East.”