Aircraft Order Boost For Belfast

East Belfast engineering is taking off this week with news of further orders that will boost the local Bombardier facility.

The company - which is attending the prestigious Paris Air Show this week - is to sell eight aircraft for use by Olympic Air.

Aviation 3 Limited, a subsidiary of Marfin Investment Group Holdings of Greece, has signed a firm order for the eight Q400 aircraft, including five Q400 NextGen airliners, and has taken options on an additional eight Q400 NextGen airliners.

Bombardier in Belfast is responsible for producing the forward, mid and aft fuselage for the Q400 aircraft, as well as some flight components.

Based on the list prices for the Q400 and Q400 NextGen airliners, the value of the firm order contract is approximately $224 million US and could increase to $468 million US if the eight options are exercised.

The aircraft will be operated by Pantheon Airways under the Olympic Air brand name.

Pantheon Airways acquired certain assets of Olympic Airlines and Olympic Airways from the Government of Greece earlier this year.

"We welcome Marfin Investment Group and Olympic Air to the growing list of customers of the Q400 turboprop," said Gary R. Scott, President, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft.

"The Q400 and now the Q400 NextGen aircraft have become popular around the world because of their fuel efficiency, passenger comfort and speed that allows schedule integration with jet aircraft."

Meanwhile, Bombardier Aerospace is also ready to soar with delivery of the first of its CSeries single-aisle airliner in 2013.

The 'five-abreast' CSeries family of aircraft is specifically designed to meet the growing needs of the 100 to 149-seat commercial aircraft market category. Bombardier forecasts demand for 6,300 aircraft in this market category valued at approximately $360 billion US over the next 20 years (2009-2028).

Based at the Bombardier Aerospace's Belfast site, the CSeries composite wing development program is on schedule and is meeting all expectations.

"Our CSeries aircraft configuration will meet customers' requirements in virtually every corner of the globe," said Benjamin Boehm, Vice President, Programs, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft.

However, the orders will have no impact on a previously announced reduction in manpower.

In total, almost 1,000 workers were told they would be made redundant at Bombardier Belfast in the spring, but the deals will help secure those jobs remaining.

See: Bombardier Takes Off

(BMcC/JM)