Bombardier is confident of capturing 30% of the South American business jet market and expects its current fleet in the continent to speed towards the 300 mark after a flurry of new sales activity for the Challenger 300 and Global 5000.
Bombardier Latin American sales vice-president Fabio Rebello says: "We see more room for growth, and we feel the market is ready for this, particularly in Brazil and Mexico."
Rebello was speaking as Bombardier marked the sale of the first Global 5000s to launch customers in Central and South America in deals worth over $66 million.
The event coincided with the first showing of a Challenger 300 demonstrator at LABACE, along with a fully configured Learjet 60SE (Special Edition).
"We are quite sure we will achieve 30% of the overall South American market and may even surpass that," adds Rebello, who says further growth is also expected in the smaller mid-size market, particularly in Brazil. "Around 80% of the market here is for smaller aircraft, and that's another reason why we are introducing the Learjet 60SE model."
Rebello says Bombardier is considering introducing "a package which includes crew and maintenance training for Latin America". The standard Learjet 60SE now includes up to $1 million worth of interior and avionics options as standard.
These range from a traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS 2) and upgraded Rockwell Collins TWR-850 weather radar, to large cabin video monitors and Iridium dual-channel satellite telephone and wireless handsets.
Bombardier has 274 operational aircraft in the region, representing 27% of the market behind Cessna's 315 aircraft and 31%.
Over the last five years Bombardier has delivered 46 new aircraft into South America, including 14 Challenger 604s and seven Global Expresses. In Brazil, where it now has about 25% of the installed base with 75 aircraft based and registered, Bombardier also hopes for significant expansion, particularly in the smaller and mid-size markets.
Source: Flight International
