11:00 (15:00 UTC) - August 24, 2018 - by Sylvain Faust for Fliegerfaust

It has been a while since I wrote a comprehensive update about Bombardier, the Airbus A220, the Q400, CRJ...

Trying to organize all the info from multiple sources, I will be covering the Global, Q400, CRJ, Bombardier Transportation, Airbus, L-3 MAS, F-35, CF-18, Dassault, Boeing…

In Part 1 (here) I mentioned the Plan B for Bombardier and its Global aircraft production after leaving Downsview. Did you know that Bombardier is planning for production of 9 aircraft per month?

Q400 and the Q450?

When I reported on October 20, 2017 that Bombardier had sold the Q400 to buyers in China and then I explained why the deal did not happen (Ottawa, CSeries going to Airbus instead of China), and the decision at Bombardier to EXIT the Commercial Aircraft business… this is still progressing. Some strategic decision does take years to execute.

Rounds of "talks" between Bombardier and Viking Air and its owners are still progressing I was told again recently by different individuals.

This would complete all the de Havilland Canada aircraft transfer Bombardier to Viking Air of 2006, added to the recently transfer CL-215/415 to the western Canada company.

Viking Air facilities are located in British Columbia and Alberta.

Interesting to know is that it is after the 2014 cash injection from new majority owner Westerkirk Capital, the private-equity fund of Sherry Brydson (Canada's richest woman, Thomson family), Viking entered into discussions with Bombardier about taking over design certificates for all the de Havilland aircraft.

Read more Sherry Brydson https://www.canadianbusiness.com/lists-and-rankings/richest-people/sherry-brydson-richest-woman-in-canada-thomson-family/ and her family https://www.canadianbusiness.com/lists-and-rankings/richest-people/thomson-family-richest-in-canada-2015/

It seems that part of the plan is for Bombardier to furthermore lean the Q400 production and the agreement with its Q400 factory workers before such a transfer is done and increasing the Q400 backlog. You understand why since announcing that Downsview has been sold Bombardier has not announced where the Q400 production facility would be moving to, unlike quickly announced for the Global aircraft.

When done Viking Air would then, still according to what I was told, move the production closer to home, in Alberta within 5 years. That would give the company strong ties in China for parts production since all of the Q400 except for its wings and engine (Pratt & Whitney Canada) are "Made In China". (See pictures of the Q400 parts from inside the factory in China).

• "150 aviation jobs coming to Calgary, but bigger prize awaits Viking Air" https://calgaryherald.com/business/local-business/varcoe-150-aviation-jobs-coming-to-calgary-but-bigger-prize-awaits-viking-air

Discussion includes many points such as agreements with Bombardier for the Q400 service centre, etc.

Q450? Q350?

At the same time Viking Air would be taking advantage of the already existing engineering changes to the Q400 Bombardier has done announcing an improved version of the aircraft. Part of those improvements relate to new engine and more aerodynamic changes. What would it be named? Q450? But also a Q350?

One thing is sure, if we see Airbus taking over the Q400 it would be to put the program under palliative care. If we want to see the Q400 get a new breath of life we have to hope for a deal with Viking Air.

Airbus and the aircraft currently known as the CRJ…

I was going to talk about the Bombardier Learjet but since I mentioned Airbus in the previous paragraph, let's talk about the aircraft program "currently" known as the CRJ…

But that's for Part 3…

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Sylvain Faust, Fliegerfaust

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