Hundreds Of Jobs Promised At Bombardier

A jobs' boost is set to take-off soon with news from Bombardier Aerospace that a Swedish airline - Braathens Leasing Limited - has placed a firm order for five Bombardier CS100 and five CS300 mainline jetliners.

Braathens also took options on an additional 10 CSeries aircraft. But, based on list prices for the CS100 and CS300 aircraft, the firm order contract is valued at approximately $665 million US.

That could increase to approximately $1.37 billion US if the 10 options are converted to firm orders.

The aircraft will be operated by Braathens Aviation member Malmö Aviation from its base at the Bromma-Stockholm City Airport.

A spokesperson for Bombardier Belfast said: "This order is great news for the UK and Northern Ireland in particular, where we are investing £520 million in a new factory and in the development and manufacture of the advanced composite wings for the CSeries aircraft.

"Some 800 jobs will be generated when we reach full production of the CSeries wings."

The wings will be produced using a patented process developed by Belfast engineers, representing a step change in composite technology and the firm has successfully manufactured and assembled a pre-production CSeries wing using this new technology, and have been rigorously testing this.

"The CSeries aircraft wing programme is an ideal fit with the UK's wider strategic interests in aircraft wing technology, and the fact that we are designing, manufacturing and assembling the complete composite wings in one facility is a unique capability.

"Production of the CSeries aircraft wings will get under way later this year," continued the statement.

It also noted that a number of local firms are involved in the design, construction and equipping of the new wing factory and other local companies have been engaged in the production of the pre-production CSeries wing.

East Belfast Alliance MLAs Judith Cochrane and Chris Lyttle have both welcomed the news.

Judith Cochrane said: "This is excellent news for East Belfast and for Northern Ireland. This great news is a real tribute to the brilliant work carried out at Bombardier and I am very pleased that the wings will be produced using a patented process developed by their Belfast engineers.

Chris Lyttle said: "East Belfast has a very proud industrial heritage and this great news shows our massive potential for the future. Orders like this send a very positive signal to the world about the expertise we have in Northern Ireland and this news is a real boost to the economy in east Belfast."

In Flight

Malmö Aviation currently operates 12 jet aircraft and intends to renew its fleet and explore new business opportunities with its CSeries aircraft starting in 2014.

"The performance and environmental features of Bombardier’s CSeries aircraft will not only strengthen our position as the leading operator at Bromma-Stockholm City Airport, but will allow

us to expand our business throughout the region," said Geir Stormorken, Chairman, Braathens Aviation.

"Bromma, being a city airport, has very strict noise regulations, as well as a short runway," said Knut Solberg, Chief Executive Officer, Braathens Aviation.

"We have been very focused on noise, emissions, fuel consumption and runway performance in our decision for a new aircraft type.

"With the CSeries aircraft, we found exactly what we were looking for.

"The CSeries aircraft promise excellent runway performance, noise levels which are less than half those of any similarly-sized aircraft currently in production, as well as unsurpassed environmental credentials.

"We think that the CSeries family of aircraft is a 'game-changer' in the context of the environment and performance, and we are very excited about introducing the CSeries jetliners to our passengers," the senior aviation executive said.

(BMcC/GK)