Bombardier has added another Global Express completion centre to its network in a bid to reduce a delivery backlog. Work has already been farmed out to BFGoodrich Aerospace, the Jet Center of Van Nuys, and the UK's Marshall Aerospace. Now the Jet Center of Santa Barbara, California, has started completion work on one Global Express and a second will arrive soon.
By the end of last year, 70 "green" Global Expresses had been delivered, of which just 22 had entered service. Most of the aircraft are being outfitted at Bombardier's centres in Montreal and Tucson, Arizona, but the first Jet Center and Marshall's Global Expresses will be handed over early this year.
While completion time for the long-range business jet is down from 50 weeks for the initial aircraft, it has not reduced as fast as Bombardier had hoped, hence the addition of extra completion capacity. Each of the four outside centres under contract can handle up to four aircraft at a time.
The pressure will not ease as Bombardier plans to continue Global Express output at its current high rate throughout this year, tackling a backlog of more than 50 firm orders. This includes aircraft for the company's FlexJet fractional ownership programme.
The first Global Express for FlexJet is now nearing completion at the BFGoodrich Aerospace plant in Everett, Washington.
Source: Flight International
