Priorities — Bombardier

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Priorities MAY 2013

Dedicated Bombardier Support

Closer to Your Operation Newly strengthened Bombardier Customer Services teams around the world are delivering faster response times and better performance closer to your base of operations.


INSIDE THIS ISSUE

CUSTOMER EVENTS FOCUS ON EMERGING REGIONS

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Taking Global Expansion

to the Next Level It’s hard to overestimate the value of having Bombardier support services close to your home base. That’s why, for more than five years now, we have been systematically expanding beyond our traditional base in North America to other parts of the world. WHY OUR SMART PARTS PROGRAM IS SMART BUSINESS

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Now we’re taking this expansion to the next level by moving key members of our senior management team into the field. (See the article on the facing page.) For you, more decentralized decision making will mean quicker response times, a better grasp of priorities in your region and stronger relationships with us. I believe you’ll see a difference. Our 2013 event calendar is a strong reflection of our focus on worldwide regional growth and world-class service. (See page 4.) At the end of May, we will bring together the European community of Q-Series, CRJ Series and CSeries aircraft customers in Munich, Germany, for the first All Series European Regional Review. The event will focus on relevant topics for Bombardier operators based in Europe, and I look forward to seeing many of you there.

COUNTDOWN TO CSERIES ENTRY INTO SERVICE ON TRACK

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At the same time, the CSeries aircraft program is making excellent progress as we approach first flight. Read our article on pages 6 and 7 to find out how Bill Molloy, Director, CSeries Customer Services, and his team are achieving critical milestones to support this new aircraft well ahead of entry into service. You have already told us that you appreciate our ongoing efforts to improve and broaden access to our support services. The results of our Customer Engagement Survey, which polled some 60 airlines last fall, showed a three-per cent increase in overall engagement (one of the key indicators of your overall satisfaction). Your opinions figure prominently in our decisions, and I thank you for your feedback. We are still some distance from our goal of achieving best-in-class level by 2015, but we are determined to get there.

NAVIGATION SYSTEM UPGRADES ON THE WAY

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As the articles in this issue of Priorities attest, we are working on all fronts to improve your experience as a Bombardier customer. Thank you for reading, and, as always, I welcome your feedback.

Todd Young Vice President, Customer Services and Support Bombardier Commercial Aircraft SERVICE CENTRES CONTINUE WINNING STREAK

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Stevie Award Recognizes Our Progress Once again, in 2013, Bombardier Customer Services for Commercial Aircraft is the proud recipient of a Stevie Award. The Bronze Stevie was awarded in February in the Sales & Customer Service (Airline, Distribution and Transportation) category. The award recognizes our commitment to delivering better support with 24/7 communication through our Customer Response Centres, improved aircraft reliability, enhanced online support through www.iflybombardier.com and unique customer and supplier initiatives.

CONVERSIONS OPEN DOORS FOR CARGO OPERATORS

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Priorities is published by Bombardier Customer Services, 123 Garratt Boulevard, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3K 1Y5 Please send us your feedback: cs.lets.talk@aero.bombardier.com Bombardier, CRJ, Q-Series, CSeries, CS100, CS300, Dash 8, Q200, Q300, Q400, CRJ700, CRJ900, CRJ1000 and Smart Parts are trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries. Printed in Canada on recycled paper. Copyright © Bombardier Inc. 2013.

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Stronger Leadership in the Field Yielding Better Service

Martin Elliot, Director, Customer Support, Americas and Regional Alignment, based in Toronto

Paul J. Thompson, Director, Customer Support, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Russia/CIS, based in Munich

A new regional leadership structure for the Customer Services and Support team was rolled out in March, and the changes promise to substantially increase the speed of decision making in the field. Our focus on improving customer support in the regions where our customers operate took a major leap forward recently with the restructuring of the Commercial Aircraft Customer Services and Support team along regional lines. Under the new model, the world is divided into three regions – Americas; Europe, Africa, Middle East and Russia/Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS); and AsiaPacific – with a senior manager in the role of Customer Support Director based on site in each location. “The new model is designed to boost our ability to make quick decisions and improve our responsiveness at the regional level. Our leaders on site will be better positioned to build stronger relationships with our customers and take regional considerations and resources into account,” explains Todd Young, Vice President, Customer Services and Support, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft.

Each new director assumes overall accountability for in-service customer satisfaction in the region and will lead all key resources deployed within or dedicated to serving the region, including the Regional Support Offices, Customer Support Account Managers and Field Service Representatives. The directors are also responsible for ensuring alignment with all in-region team members that report directly to other customer support functions, including In-Service Engineering, In-Service Supplier Management and Customer Liaison Pilots. In addition to regional supervision, Martin Elliot and his team will assist with fleet-wide customer support, prioritizing customer queries and ensuring that consistency in overall communication is achieved. Dario Leone has taken on the newly created position of Director, Customer Services Operations Support. He is responsible for Fleet Services, Entry Into Service, Mobile Repair Team and Out-of-Service Event

Amod Kelkar, Director, Customer Support, Asia-Pacific, based in Singapore

Management activities as well as overall leadership of the Customer Liaison Pilots team. “A cornerstone of our You. First. promise is being responsive as a service and support organization,” adds Young. “This new model will enable us to listen to and act on our customers’ needs more effectively, wherever they are based.” Customer Services and Support functions – Technical Publications, In-Service Supplier Management, Warranty, Business Planning, Maintenance Engineering, In-Service Engineering, CSeries Customer Support and International Business and Aftermarket Programs – will remain in their current organiz­ational models and will support process and workflow enhancements to facilitate the new regionalized structure. ■

Dario Leone, Director, Customer Services Operations Support

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Commercial Aircraft Events Expand to

Emerging Regions The Bombardier Customer Services team is hosting a series of technical sessions and round-table discussions around the world – all geared toward ensuring that customers derive increased operational value from their aircraft.

Focus on

Africa

“This year’s event calendar is a strong reflection of our focus on worldwide growth and world-class service,” says Éric Martel, President, Bombardier Customer Services.

STAR Awards will be determined as a result of their performance on measures that impact the customer experience, including in-service issues, costs, quality and parts services.

All Series European Regional Review – Munich, Germany

Coming Up – South Africa, Russia and Asia-Pacific

This year, the premier event for commercial aircraft operators is the All Series European Regional Review, taking place in Munich, Germany, from May 28 to 30. The region-wide meeting brings together the European community of Q-Series, CRJ Series and CSeries aircraft customers, and the focus is on operational and maintenance updates as well as emerging regulations affecting Bombardier operators in Europe.

In the second half of 2013, the support team for commercial aircraft will also host Regional Reviews for Q-Series and CRJ Series aircraft operators in Johannesburg, South Africa, and Moscow, Russia. Asia-Pacific Regional Reviews will be held for CRJ Series aircraft operators in Chongqing, China, and Q-Series aircraft oper­ators in Osaka, Japan. For details, please visit our events website at http://events.aero.bombardier.com/bca

A special evening at the conference has been set aside to honour the industry-leading performance of top Bombardier aircraft operators and suppliers, with the presentation of the 2013 Airline Reliability Performance Awards and In-Service Supplier Top Achievement Recognition (STAR) Awards. Both awards programs are highly respected in the industry and regarded as a mark of distinction by the recipients and their stakeholders. To win, each airline must have attained an average dispatch reliability rate of 99 per cent or better on revenue passenger flights in 2012 in addition to the highest dispatch reliability performance in their respective product class and region. This year, recipients of the In-Service

Recent Success – Q-Series Oceania Regional Review The annual Oceania Regional Review, held in Sydney, Australia, in February, once again proved to be an ideal opportunity for operators to delve into topics specific to Oceania and to get up to speed with the latest Q400 aircraft technical and maintenance information as well as Q-Series aftermarket initiatives. Representatives from 10 airlines (including QantasLink, Air Niugini and SpiceJet Airlines), together with dozens of suppliers and more than 20 representatives of the Bombardier Customer Services team, were on hand for the two-day event. ■

Our global support network is spreading its wings in Africa through our sustained investment and focus on the continent.

First African ASF – Johannesburg, South Africa In November 2012, Bombardier appointed its first Authorized Service Facility (ASF) for commercial aircraft in Africa. Johannesburg-based South African Express Airways (SA Express) is now offering maintenance services for CRJ100, CRJ200 and CRJ700 regional jets as well as Q400 turboprops and other Dash 8/Q-Series aircraft.

Construction Under Way – Morocco Bombardier is also expanding manufacturing into Africa. Plans are well under way for the construction of a manufacturing facility in Morocco, announced in November 2011. The plant is expected to include a workforce of approximately 850 people by 2020. Bombardier recently began production of simple aircraft structures (including flight controls for the CRJ Series aircraft) at a transitional manufacturing facility in Morocco.

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Smart Parts Program for Q400

Benefits that Maintenance

and Finance Executives Can Agree On Whether you operate a large fleet or a single Q400 aircraft, you need to be able to count on having the right parts available when and where you need them. Bombardier’s popular Smart Parts cost-per-hour program leverages our global parts distribution network to ensure that you get preferred access to more inventory – all while allowing you to predict traditionally variable component costs and minimize your investment in inventory. What’s not to like? We talked to Mike Lewis, Director, Sales Support and Operations in Customer Services, to find out more.

Enrolment in the Smart Parts program for Q400 aircraft has spiked in recent years. Why? When the program was launched in 2008, we had 17 aircraft enrolled. Four years later, we have close to 100, spread across the globe. That’s a 400-per cent increase. We’re now the market leader. Our customers realize that when they need a part, they are going to get it. As the manufacturer, we can draw on multiple sources for major line replaceable units (LRUs) other than our suppliers. We have our own stock, our production inventory and an exchange pool in addition to components in reserve, and we are a single source. Plus, we have a vested interest in helping our customers to improve their dispatch reliability, and all of this is available at or at about the same cost as what’s provided by our competitors.

outlay and they appreciate being able to spread the investment over the term of the agreement. So there’s something for everyone. Customers can tailor Smart Parts coverage to suit their needs. What are the main options on offer? There are four main options requiring varying investment levels in inventory and priced on a scale of cost-per-flight-hour rates: ■ Component Repair and Overhaul (CR&O).

Smart Parts charges a fixed cost per hour to manage the repair of eligible components that have been removed, including the cost to return them to serviceable condition. ■ Exchange Pool. The coverage is the same

as above except that Smart Parts immediately provides a replacement unit from a centrally located pool of inventory.

What do customers appreciate most about Smart Parts?

■ On-site Inventory. Bombardier manages an

Maintenance executives want to get the aircraft back in the air as fast as possible, so they appreciate the guaranteed availability of parts. CFOs focus on the financial benefits of Smart Parts. They can predict the cost for major LRUs over a 5- to 10-year term and budget accordingly. Plus, LRU inventory demands a considerable capital

■ On-site Representative. A Parts Services

inventory of close to 400 major LRUs (depending on the scope) on the customer’s premises, requiring limited initial provisioning by the airline.

customer account manager is present on the customer’s premises to manage inventory, component replacement and returns. ■

The customized support and the close proximity of Bombardier’s Frankfurt parts warehouse to our base in Luxembourg help us offer reliable and punctual service to our customers.

– Horst Lenhard, Vice President, Technical Services, Luxair Société Luxembourgeoise de Navigation Aérienne S.A.

Smart Parts has allowed us to introduce a new aircraft type to our fleet without the typical capital outlay for spare parts inventory acquisition and warehousing. Plus, we are able to predict our component maintenance costs per flight hour over the next several years.

– Richard Steer, Vice President, Maintenance and Engineering, Jazz Aviation LP

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CSeries Aircraft Support

Countdown to Entry into Service:

On Track with Critical With the first test flight set to take place soon, the CSeries aircraft program continues to meet key milestones and move steadily toward the allimportant flight test phase.

At the same time, the Customer Services team has been working collaboratively with the various CSeries aircraft teams to make sure the necessary support services for the new aircraft are ready well in advance of entry into service (EIS) in 2014.

Major deadlines in 2013 “There’s a lot to be done, and it’s critical that we stay ahead of the schedule. That’s why our main focus at the moment is on the initiatives with the longest lead times,” says Bill Molloy, Director, CSeries Customer Services. “I’m pleased to report that we’re on track with our critical milestones and we are monitoring our progress on a daily basis.”

Consider this: ■ Simulators have to be ready and in place as

pilot training commences four months prior to EIS. ■ Customers have to start budgeting for spare

parts provisioning so the parts list has to be available at least 12 months ahead of EIS and our Illustrated Parts Data Publication has to be ready in the next few months. ■ Our maintenance program must be available

six months in advance of EIS, to allow for regulatory authority approval.

Even as Bombardier applies modifications to the CS300 and CS100 models, the CSeries program continues to maintain its critical path toward entry into service in 2014. An extra-capacity seating option on the CS300 airframe, to accommodate up to 160 seats, was announced in March. Shown at the left is the first CSeries test vehicle, which has successfully completed the first full powering on of the main electrical distribution system. The two most significant wing static tests required for first flight were also completed in March.

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Milestones These are only some of the most pressing items – those with the longest lead times. Parallel efforts include laying the groundwork for the other pillars of customer support, such as start-up support, supplier management and technical support.

Technical Publications

As with any new aircraft program, the order of magnitude is considerable.

manuals by EIS. First up is the Illustrated Parts

“Readiness is an intricate balance between meeting immovable deadlines and dynamic factors such as ongoing updates coming from aircraft and supplier test results and configuration changes,” observes Molloy. As a result, the team is not taking its eye off the ball even for a moment.

Pilot Training Based on current orders, some 80,000 hours of initial pilot training will be scheduled on the two devices (one full flight simulator and one fixed training device) that are being set up at Bombardier’s Montréal Training Centre and with the authorized training providers (ATPs). Bombardier is also supporting the building of additional simulators through its ATP, Lufthansa Flight Training.

Parts Services The initial provisioning list is slated for delivery to customers at the end of May. More than 3,000 parts have already been identified and more than 1,500 have been added to the system. All parts are on track to be added by the end of this year, and orders for long-lead-time parts were placed in April to ensure that they are available well in advance of EIS.

Significant investments have been made in manpower and productivity tools to ensure the delivery of the more than 16,000 data modules required for the aircraft’s flight and maintenance Data Publication, the first draft of which is on track for delivery in June. All of the aircraft’s technical publications will comply with the S1000D international standard and allow customers to benefit from real-time publications and data reuse between information sets, among other things.

Maintenance Engineering

…our main focus at the moment is on the initiatives with the longest lead times. I’m pleased to report that we’re on track with our critical milestones. – Bill Molloy, Director, CSeries Customer Services

A dedicated team oversees the task of defining the maintenance requirements for each aircraft system, in conjunction with customers, suppliers and regulatory authorities. The process is well under way, with more than 75 per cent of the maintenance items approved and seven of the 10 industry steering committees completed. Initial aircraft maintenance requirements are on track for submission to Transport Canada by the end of 2013. Clearly the CSeries Customer Services team is in full execution mode and is on track to meet all of the major deadlines in 2013. “Right now we’re doing a lot of the spadework needed to build a solid foundation,” Molloy points out. “We will soon embark upon a series of EIS readiness meetings with our customers, and we look forward to exceeding their expectations.” ■

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Retrofit to Bring

Next Generation Navigation Capability As part of Bombardier’s commitment to support the Dash 8/Q100, Q200 and Q300 aircraft and customers around the world, a team of avionics engineers has been hard at work since January developing new hardware and software to upgrade the flight management system (FMS).

When the retrofit service bulletin is implemented this summer, the first of Air Nelson’s fleet of 23 Q300 aircraft will meet the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s next generation navigation standard, known as Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) or Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS). In a nutshell, WAAS enhances the standard GPS signals so that approaches are substantially more accurate – more than four metres both laterally and vertically and with velocity measured to within a fraction of a knot – resulting in a dramatic reduction in fuel burn and pilot workload. WAAS capability also paves the way for the addition of more functionality, such as next generation en route navigation and landing, currently being developed for the Q400 aircraft platform. With more than 580 Dash 8/Q100/200/300 aircraft in the field and new regulations coming into effect, the Bombardier team estimates that demand for the retrofit will be high. For more information on this service bulletin please contact our 24/7 Customer Response Centre at thd.qseries@aero.bombardier.com or 416-375-4080. ■

Appraisers Find Rising Residual Values

a Challenge to Predict

Demand is high in the secondary market, and there are very few of these aircraft being offered for sale.

– Delio Petohleb, Sales Director, Asset Management Group, Commercial Aircraft

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With the turboprop economic renaissance of the past few years, the residual values of out-of-production Q-Series turboprops have been on the rise. In fact, as these aircraft increase in flight hours, their residual values keep going up, appreciating beyond predicted values. It’s a phenomenon that is challenging to model for the appraiser community, according to Delio Petohleb, Sales Director, Asset Management Group, Commercial Aircraft.

“Out-of-production Q-Series aircraft have a solid

“It’s a seller’s market. Demand is high in the secondary market, and there are very few of these aircraft being offered for sale,” Petohleb says. “Moreover, market lease rates are holding firm – and actually increasing in the case of Dash 8-100 models.”

operator base that continues to expand, they are

There’s good reason for that. After 25 years of production, some 580 Dash 8/Q100/200/300 aircraft are still flying. Bombardier’s Extended Service Program – now available for the Q100 model and under study for Q200 and Q300 – enables operators to lengthen service life by 50 per cent. Plus, the market places a high value on their performance characteristics.

in the market.

reputation for robust yet forgiving operation, reliable performance and ease of maintenance off base. Combined with a broad geographic proving to be popular with second-tier lessors,” explains Petohleb. Meanwhile, the Q400 aircraft are also enjoying the turboprop economic renaissance as they continue to hold to originally predicted values

Bombardier is actively working with several operators (and seeking new ones) to expand the Extended Service Program to the Dash 8/Q200 and Dash 8/Q300 fleets. The project will leverage much of the engineering and processes from the Dash 8/Q100 Extended Service Program. ■


Q400 Advanced Navigation Capabilities Used to Test Green Flights for Turboprops Latvian carrier airBaltic is demonstrating how commercial carriers can reduce their impact on the environment through greener flying. Latvian national airline airBaltic has begun a pilot project to operate Europe’s first green flights for turboprop aircraft, and the carrier’s Bombardier Q400 NextGen fleet, with its advanced navigation capabilities, is at the heart of the trial. The Arrival Modernization for Better Efficiency in Riga (AMBER) project, announced earlier this year, aims to introduce more environmentally friendly approach procedures at Riga International Airport through shorter distances flown on approach and flight paths that reduce noise over residential areas. The new trajectories are expected to trim up to 30 nautical miles off the approach being flown today and to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 300 kilograms on every Q400 aircraft flight. “The procedures will also be applied to our Bombardier CSeries jets (which we will introduce into service in 2015) and provide further benefits for operations out of Riga, on top of their unmatched fuel efficiency,” says Captain Pauls Calitis, Vice President, Flight Operations, airBaltic. The new greener procedures are being established and validated using the advanced navigation capabilities of our Q400 NextGen turboprops.

Following a simulator-testing phase, a target of 100 flight trials will be carried out over the summer 2013 period, and the CO2 savings will be analyzed and published as a baseline for green turboprop operations. ■

Online Tools Deliver True Value Since the start of our Go Digital Initiative in 2004, the Technical Publications team has been able to significantly reduce the amount of paper it disseminates annually from 76 million paper impressions down to less than 10 million. The foundation for this success has been the Digital Data Navigator viewing tool developed by Bombardier. Navigator gives the user a robust tool set for managing updates to Bombardier manuals and also allows users to manage and insert their own documentation directly into our manuals. Last year, we rolled out Online Technical Publications (OTP). Updated daily, OTP offers instant subscription-managed access to the manuals on www.iflybombardier.com and is an excellent complement or, in some cases, alternative to an in-house system.

Service Centres Continue Winning Streak

“These tools offer our customers exceptional value, and there’s a lot more where that came from,” says Technical Publications Director, Jeffrey MacDavid. He and his team will be on hand during the upcoming Digital Data Advisory Council events in Toronto (June 19 and 20) and Munich (September 18 and 19) to provide you with details on enhancements to Aircraft Diagnostics Solutions Plus (ADS Plus), the release of Navigator V1.5 and the introduction of FTP (File Transferable Publications). ■

Bombardier’s eight wholly owned service centres in the U.S. were awarded the 2012 Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) Diamond Certificate of Excellence, the industry’s highest honour for aviation maintenance. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration sponsors the award, which is presented annually to U.S.-based AMT employers that take a proactive role in the training completed by their technical workforce. For more than a decade, Bombardier’s service centres – spearheaded by our Hartford facility’s 14 consecutive awards – have consistently earned the Diamond Certificate of Excellence. Bombardier employs more than 2,000 people at its eight service centres in the U.S. Five employees – from Fort Lauderdale, Wichita, Hartford and Tucson – were also recognized with the individual honour of Gold Certificate of Training. PRIORITIES MAY 2013 | 9


CRJ100 and CRJ200

Large-Door Conversions to Broaden Horizons for Cargo Operators Just as the introduction of Bombardier’s CRJ100 and CRJ200 aircraft revolutionized the traditional hub-and-spoke model for passenger flights, the passenger-to-freighter conversion of these high-performance jets is poised to open up new possibilities for cargo operators.

All indications are that the timing is just right for this program.

– Bob Convey, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, AEI

If Aeronautical Engineers, Inc. (AEI) of Miami has anything to do with it, dozens of reconfigured CRJ100 and CRJ200 jets will soon be speeding time-sensitive cargo loads farther and faster than other regional cargo aircraft currently flying mid- to long-haul routes. The vision is based on AEI’s recently launched Special Freighter (SF) conversion program that features the addition of a 94" x 77" cargo door, large enough to accommodate palettes, containers and interline freight. The program was launched after the successful completion of a research agreement between AEI and Bombardier to study market interest in equipping the CRJ100 and CRJ200 aircraft with a large cargo door that would enable operators to greatly expand the type of cargo they haul by jet.

Strong Business Case “We have been studying the market for the SF conversion over the past year, and there has been strong interest expressed by a significant number of operators around the world,” says Bob Convey, Vice-President, Sales and Marketing, AEI, which specializes in passenger-to-freighter conversions for a wide array of aircraft, including the Boeing 737-300 and 737-400 and the McDonnell-Douglas MD-80. “All indications are that the timing is just right for this program.” The versatile CRJ aircraft have already proven their worth as freighters in the mail and express parcel industry with cargo operators such as West Atlantic of Sweden and Estafeta Carga Aérea of Mexico. They can cover a larger catchment area

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(166 per cent larger, in fact) in the same amount of time as the aircraft that currently serve regional routes. Plus, they are economical to operate, easy to staff and well supported by global training services, a large spare parts distribution chain and a solid service centre network. Making the business case even more compelling is the cost of an SF conversion – estimated at between US$1.6 and US$1.8 million.

Moderating Prices “Prices for the high-performing CRJ100 and CRJ200 aircraft have been moderating as airlines transition to larger regional aircraft,” points out Bombardier’s Delio Petohleb, Sales Director, Asset Management Group, Commercial Aircraft. “When you combine the low aircraft acquisition cost, low conversion cost, jet speed/range capabilities and now a large cargo door for both containerized and unconventional cargo, the CRJ100/200 SF jet offers a very attractive value proposition for regional feed operators.” AEI, having successfully entered into a licence agreement with Bombardier as a Third Party Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) provider for the CRJ SF conversion, has already begun its first SF conversion on a Bombardier-owned CRJ200 aircraft that will be used to showcase the SF option. Certification is planned for 2015. Founded in 1958, AEI has developed more than 120 STCs, and over 375 aircraft have been modified with AEI STCs – more than any other conversion provider. ■


Bombardier CR&O: Experience Matters

Frankfurt Hub Delivering Faster Parts Service

This year Bombardier’s Component Repair and Overhaul (CR&O) services celebrate 50 years of providing airlines with the highest quality support. Whether your business is a budget, charter, government-owned or cargo airline or if you have a single or mixed Bombardier, Airbus or Boeing fleet, we can help.

Customers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa are seeing more parts and faster turnaround times as a result of changes at our parts facility in Frankfurt, Germany. The Frankfurt hub has been accepting returns and exchanges of parts directly from customers as well as certifying parts and receiving shipments directly from vendors for close to a year now.

Experience matters when it comes to CR&O. Backed by more than 100 years of aerospace design and manufacturing expertise, Bombardier’s highly skilled technicians have access to OEM engin­ eering as well as exclusive rigs and tools to restore parts to their original specifications at a fraction of the cost of replacement parts. Our services include spare parts supply and component repair (including repair to engine nacelles, flight control surfaces, landing gear and brakes) as well as technical support (including in-service engineering and technical publications revision services).

“We have evolved from a simple warehouse operation into a fully functional parts hub, which means we are able to offer our customers more options and faster execution,” says Thorsten Kusch, Director, Distribution, Bombardier Customer Services.

What’s more, through our CR&O facilities in Europe and North America and a strategic alliance in Asia-Pacific, you have access to Bombardier expertise in your region.

The changes have significantly reduced the turnaround time for repairs and sped up billing and crediting processes for customers. One-third of Bombardier Aerospace’s overall returns business is now being handled in Frankfurt. The fully functional hub also means more inventory is now available within the region, resulting in faster delivery of parts, easier customs clearance and lower costs associated with duties, taxes and brokerage fees.

To learn more about our services and capabilities, please visit http://mro.aero.bombardier.com/contact-us.aspx or email mro@aero.bombardier.com ■

The Frankfurt hub is the first step in a five-year plan to decentralize our parts distribution capability by establishing regional hubs outside North America. ■

Orders and Support Agreements Among Recent Highlights In recent months, customers around the world have placed orders, converted options and signed major support agreements for Bombardier commercial aircraft products and services.

Toronto-based Porter Airlines signed a conditional purchase agreement for 12 CS100 airliners with options for an additional 18 aircraft.

Nordic Aviation Capital A/S (NAC) of Billund, Denmark, agreed to acquire four Q400 NextGen airliners to be operated by airBaltic of Latvia.

Moscow-based leasing company Ilyushin Finance Co. signed a purchase agreement to acquire 32 CS300 airliners with options for an additional 10 aircraft.

Yakutia Airlines, a domestic passenger carrier based in the northeast region of Russia, took delivery of the first of three Bombardier Q400 aircraft.

Qantas Airways, Australia’s largest airline, placed a firm order for three Q400 NextGen turboprop airliners.

airBaltic of Riga, Latvia, placed a firm order for 10 Bombardier CS300 airliners. The airline also has purchase rights for an additional 10 CS300 aircraft.

Bombardier expanded its parts depot in Dubai and introduced parts returns and parts exchanges, new capabilities at its Frankfurt parts hub. (See article above right.)

Delta Airlines of Atlanta, Georgia, placed firm orders for 40 CRJ900 NextGen aircraft with options for 30 more for operation by Delta Connection Carriers.

An undisclosed customer in China signed a purchase agreement for seven CRJ700 NextGen aircraft. More than 100 Bombardier aircraft are currently operating in Greater China.

Republic Airlines enrolled its fleet of 32 Q400 aircraft in Bombardier’s Q400 Smart Parts program and signed an exclusive maintenance contract for the same aircraft.

RwandAir of Kigali ordered one Q400 NextGen turboprop airliner and took delivery of the first of two CRJ900 NextGen regional jets.

Bombardier delivered the first of six CRJ1000 NextGen regional jets ordered by PT Garuda Indonesia (Persero) Tbk, the aircraft’s launch customer in the Asia-Pacific region.

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