Australian Government Selects Bombardier Challenger 604,
Second Government Selection in Less Than Three Weeks
MONTREAL, QUEBEC--AUGUST 16, 2000 - 10:45 EDT
Bombardier Aerospace announced today it has been
selected as the preferred tenderer to supply three
Intercontinental Challenger(R) 604 business jet aircraft to the
Australian Government.
Qantas Defence Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Qantas
Airways Limited, will act as the prime contractor, providing full
support for the aircraft including service, maintenance and crew staffing.
Bombardier will deliver the Challenger 604 aircraft to Qantas in
2002. They will be deployed by the Royal Australian Air Force to
transport senior government officials across Australia and the
Asia-Pacific region, and will be based in Canberra, Australia's capital city.
"We are honored to be selected to serve the transportation
requirements of the Australian Government," declared Robert
Gillespie, president, Bombardier Aerospace, Business Aircraft.
"This latest fleet sale to a government operator underlines the
suitability of the Challenger in both its usual corporate
transport role and as a special mission aircraft.
"The Challenger 604 continues to prove why it is the best-selling
aircraft in its class, offering outstanding value and mission
flexibility. It is proving increasingly popular both as a
head-of-state aircraft and also in special mission roles with
numerous governments worldwide," stated Mr. Gillespie.
Growing government popularity
Australia is the second country to select the Challenger as its
government transport in less than three weeks. The Royal Danish
Air Force announced its decision to purchase two Challenger 604
aircraft at the Farnborough 2000 Air Show on July 25, 2000. In
the past nine months, Bombardier business jets have been selected
by a number of governments including Japan, Jordan, Turkey, South
Korea and the United Kingdom.
More than 500 Challenger have been delivered to date. These
include 153 Challenger 604 business jets, the current production
model, which remains the best-selling jet in its class for the
past four years. The fleet has accumulated 1.75 million flight
hours as of June, 2000.
The 4,077-nautical-mile (7,551-km) range of the Challenger 604
makes it a solid intercontinental aircraft, allowing it to connect
Canberra to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and other cities. The
Challenger 604 has the widest cabin of any true business jet
available today - eight feet, two inches wide (2.49 m) - and has
comfortable stand-up room at six feet, one inch (1.85 m). Its
widebody cabin provides corporate and government leaders with a
quiet and comfortable ambiance in which to work and rest.
Bombardier Aerospace, a unit of Bombardier Inc., is the leading
business, regional and amphibious aircraft manufacturer. With
full design and production capabilities in three countries, it
offers the most comprehensive families of turboprop and regional
jet aircraft and the widest range of business jets. It also
provides the Flexjet fractional business aircraft ownership
program, technical services, aircraft maintenance and pilot
training for business, regional airline and military customers.
Bombardier Inc., a diversified manufacturing and service company,
is a world leading manufacturer of business jets, regional
aircraft, rail transportation equipment and motorized recreational
products. It is also a provider of financial services and asset
management. The Corporation employs 56,000 people in 12 countries
in North America, Europe and Asia, and more than 90 per cent of
its revenues are generated outside Canada. Bombardier's revenues
for its fiscal year ended Jan. 31, 2000, totalled Cdn$13.6 billion.
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