Bombardier has signed a 10-year, £101 million ($161 million) contract to provide primary flying training for the UK Royal Air Force.
Under the UK's Private Finance Initiative, the company will provide a fleet of about 100 Grob 115E light aircraft (to be known as the Tutor in RAF service) to replace RAF-owned Bulldog primary trainers used by university air squadrons and air experience flights at 13 locations.
Bombardier expects to provide about 50,000 flying hours a year under the Light Aircraft Flying Task programme. It will own the civil-registered Grobs, the first of which will be delivered in August. The RAF will provide instructors.
Bombardier provides primary, multi-engine and rotary-wing training for the Canadian Forces and other customers at Portage la Prairie, Canada.
The UK has expressed interest in the NATO Flying Training in Canada programme being set up by Bombardier. The Canadian Forces and Danish air force have already signed as customers.
Source: Flight International
