Bombardier is now nearly a year into a five-year recovery plan outlined by chief executive Alain Bellemare last December, and, so far, so (mostly) good.
The long-neglected backlog for the CSeries has been salvaged by a spurt of orders in the first four months of 2016, albeit at the cost of $500 million in onerous contract provision to cover the loss-making deals.
The CS100 entered service smoothly and efficiently with Swiss, and Air Baltic is preparing to accept delivery of the first CS300 by the end of the year.
Its delayed Global 7000 achieved first flight and Bombardier’s book-to-bill ratio for business jets so far this year is a respectable 1:1.
Moreover, the CSeries is every bit the comfortable, efficient, easy-to-fly machine that Bombardier promised, according to our test pilot’s report.
But Bombardier is still recovering from a disastrous three-year run from 2013 to 2015 that saw the company delay the CSeries and Global 7000 by more than two years, cancel the Learjet 85 at the cost of billions, and massively restructure the company.
Yes, the CSeries ramp-up is delayed by a shortage of engines, and questions also surround the legality of multibillion provincial and federal investments in the programme. But Bellemare’s recovery plan is working. Another four years like 2016 will make Bombardier a healthy business again.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
