Charter operator Comlux Aviation has become the European launch customer for Bombardier’s Challenger 605 large business jet. The Zurich-based company will take delivery of the aircraft in December next year.
Comlux has also ordered two Challenger 850s, which will be delivered later this year and early in 2007. One of the aircraft will be completed in executive configuration and one as a corporate shuttle, says Comlux president and chief executive Ettore Rodaro. The latter will be used by a central Asian mining company, he says.
Formed in 2003, Comlux operates a Dassault Falcon 2000EX and an Embraer Legacy in addition to two Challenger 604s. The company also has a Bombardier Global Express XRS on order for delivery in June, plus an Airbus A319 Corporate Jet (ACJ) to be delivered this month and three A318 Elites that will enter service from April 2007.
Unlike a traditional management arrangement, Comlux leases the aircraft from their owners, taking over all operations and providing all the infrastructure, says Rordaro. The ACJ is aimed mainly at Middle East customers, while the A318 Elites and Challenger 850s are targeted at the potentially large Russian market.
The Challenger 850 is a variant of the 50-seat CRJ200LR regional jet. Other family members are the Challenger 870 version of the 70-seat CRJ700LR and the Challenger 890 variant of the 90-seat CRJ900LR. Bombardier is planning production of up to 18 850s a year. “We began 850 production in February and are now producing between 1.2 and 1.5 aircraft a month,” says the Canadian airframer. The first shuttle variant entered service in March with Canadian-based Suncor Energy and the first executive aircraft is set for delivery to its launch customer, a Russian entrepreneur, in the third quarter. “Europe is a very strong market for the Challenger 850 and we plan to deliver five aircraft here this year,” says Bob Horner, vice-president of sales for Europe, Middle East and Africa. Executive completions are outsourced to St Louis, Missouri-based Midcoast Aviation and Germany’s Lufthansa Technik (LHT), which last year inked a deal to complete 17 aircraft. “We expect LHT to fulfil their commitment within 19 months,” says Horner.
Source: Flight International
