Bombardier Aerospace
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Bombardier Aerospace is a division of the Bombardier group, with the third largest workforce (behind Boeing and Airbus) and the fourth largest in yearly delivery of commercial airplanes (behind Boeing, Airbus and Embraer).
The aerospace division was launched with the acquisition of Canadair, at the time owned by the Government of Canada and a company that had recorded the then largest loss in history of any Canadian corporation. Politically, the Federal Government could not allow the Montreal, Quebec based company to close, and any hints that it might do so were met with media stories of the Government's Avro Arrow disaster. Quebec separatists have long complained that Federal Government does nothing for Quebec. The loss of many desirable highly paid jobs at Canadair would have confirmed their complaint.
After acquiring Canadair in 1986 and restoring it to profitability, Bombardier acquired the money-losing Boeing subsidiary, de Havilland Aircraft of Canada based in Toronto, Ontario. A few years later in 1989, Bombardier, by then experts at buying companies cheaply and turning them around, acquired the near-bankrupt Short Brothers aircraft manufacturing company in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Shortly thereafter, in 1990 Bombardier acquired the bankrupt Learjet Company of Wichita, Kansas, builder of the world-famous Learjet business aircraft.
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[edit] Aircraft
Bombardier builds business jets, short-range airliners and fire-fighting amphibious aircraft and also provides defence-related services. Some of their aircraft designs originated in the design departments of Canadair or de Havilland Aircraft of Canada. The company has been adept at developing quiet turboprop airliners capable of using urban airports with relatively short runways and steep glide slopes.
Current models include the Learjet family of aircraft, the Challenger 300, Challenger 605, Global 5000, Global Express, Dash 8 (now known as the Q series) and the CRJ series. The Learjets are light to mid-size business jets. The Challenger and Global Families of aircraft are larger jet aircraft with extended range. The Q series (Dash-8) are high-wing turboprop aircraft, while the CRJ is a low-wing, commercial jet with rear mounted engines. The CRJ is a derivative of the Canadair CL-600 Challenger business jet.
Both commercial aircraft models (The Dash-8 and CRJ) have similar 2x2 seating, overhead bin storage, lavatories, and galleys. The latest Dash-8 models have an advanced noise and vibration suppression (NVS) system that reduces noise considerably. This system has led to the adoption of the name "Q-Series." In this designation, the original aircraft name is shortened, using only the sub-designation of the aircraft model. For example, the de Haviland DHC-8-400 becomes the "Q400", with the "Q" standing for "Quiet."
These aircraft are selling well and are enabling some less popular routes to be profitably served by scheduled air services with relatively low environmental impact at the airports. They have recently mounted and endured some unusual legal battles with a key competitor Embraer of Brazil focused upon allegations of unfair state assistance in export markets.
The amphibious fire-fighting aircraft is the CL-415, with a derivative amphibious utility aircraft.
Each model is available in different versions:
[edit] Business Jets
Aircraft | Description | Seats | Launch date | 1st flight | 1st delivery | Scheduled to cease production |
Bombardier Learjet 40 XR | private jet | 2-7 | ||||
Bombardier Learjet 45 XR | private jet | 2-9 | ||||
Bombardier Learjet 60 XR | private jet | 8-10 | June 1991 | |||
Bombardier Challenger 300 | private jet | 8-16 | 1999 | 2004 | ||
Bombardier Challenger 600 | private jet | 2-19 | 1976 | 1975 | 1986 | |
Bombardier Challenger 605 | private jet | 5-12 | 2005 | 2006 | ||
Bombardier Challenger 850 | private jet | 5-19 | ||||
Bombardier Global 5000 | private jet | 8-18 | 1993 | 1996 | ||
Bombardier Global Express XRS | private jet | 8-19 | 2003 | 2005 |
[edit] Canadair Regional Jets
Aircraft | Description | Seats | Launch date | 1st flight | 1st delivery | Scheduled to cease production |
CRJ-100 | regional jet | up to 50 | 1992 | |||
CRJ-200 | regional jet | up to 50 | ||||
CRJ-700 | regional jet | 64-75 | 1999 | 2001 | ||
CRJ-900 | regional jet | 86-90 | 2002 | 2003 | ||
CRJ-1000 | regional jet | up to 100 | February 19, 2007 |
[edit] C-Series
Bombardier planned to build an 85-120 seat aircraft. This was the BRJ-X project. Instead of continuing development, the CRJ-900 was built instead. However, the shelved project was revived, and reformulated into the C-Series. With the C-Series on hold, Bombardier announced on 18 February 2006 that it would begin work on the CRJ-1000, a 100-seater regional jet.
In July 2004, Bombardier announced the development of a family of airliners named the C-Series, capable of carrying 110 or 135 passengers. For the first time, Bombardier would have been competing directly with the smallest offerings from the much larger Boeing and Airbus companies. Bombardier expected the aircraft to be available by 2010. In March 2005, Bombardier's board decided to promote the plane to airlines to gather advance orders. However, the failure to secure any significant orders led to the postponing of the programme's launch in January 2006. Bombardier has stated they would keep a small team of roughly 50 employees working on the C-Series marketing plan and including other risk sharing partners in the programme. [1] [2]
In May 2005, Bombardier secured agreements with the Federal Government of Canada, the Provincial Government of Quebec, and the Government of the United Kingdom for supports and loans for the C-Series project. Final assembly of the aircraft was to be at Mirabel Airport, outside Montreal, Quebec. Substantial portions of the aircraft were to be constructed at Bombardier facilities in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Bombardier's current estimate for release is 2013.
[edit] Q Series Turboprops
The Q series is the latest iteration of the De Havilland Canada Dash 8. The Q Series is manufactured in Toronto; the Q stands for "quiet".
Aircraft | Description | Seats | Launch date | 1st flight | 1st delivery | Scheduled to cease production |
De Havilland Canada Dash 8/Bombardier Aerospace Q100 | turbo prop | 33-37 | 1984 | |||
De Havilland Canada Dash 8/Bombardier Aerospace Q200 Enhanced engines; "Hot/High" version of the -100 | turbo prop | 33-37 | 1986 | 1989 | ||
De Havilland Canada Dash 8/Bombardier Aerospace Q300 Stretched -100 series | turbo prop | 48-50 | 1989 | |||
De Havilland Canada Dash 8/Bombardier Aerospace Q400 Features 6-blade, low speed props for low noise | turbo prop | 68-78 | 1998 | 2000 |
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Bombardier Aerospace
- Bombardier Business Aircraft
- Bombardier Regional Aircraft
- Learjet Ambulance Jets
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