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Bombardier Aerospace is a division of the Bombardier group, with the third largest workforce (behind Boeing and Airbus) and the fourth largest in yearly delivery of commercial airplanes (behind Boeing, Airbus and Embraer).

The aerospace division was launched with the acquisition of Canadair, at the time owned by the Government of Canada and a company that had recorded the then largest loss in history of any Canadian corporation. Politically, the Federal Government could not allow the Montreal, Quebec based company to close, and any hints that it might do so were met with media stories of the Government's Avro Arrow disaster. Quebec separatists have long complained that Federal Government does nothing for Quebec. The loss of many desirable highly paid jobs at Canadair would have confirmed their complaint.

After acquiring Canadair in 1986 and restoring it to profitability, Bombardier acquired the money-losing Boeing subsidiary, de Havilland Aircraft of Canada based in Toronto, Ontario. A few years later in 1989, Bombardier, by then experts at buying companies cheaply and turning them around, acquired the near-bankrupt Short Brothers aircraft manufacturing company in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Shortly thereafter, in 1990 Bombardier acquired the bankrupt Learjet Company of Wichita, Kansas, builder of the world-famous Learjet business aircraft.

Contents 1 Aircraft 1.1 Business Jets 1.2 Canadair Regional Jets 1.3 C-Series 1.4 Q Series Turboprops 2 See also 3 External links

Bombardier builds business jets, short-range airliners and fire-fighting amphibious aircraft and also provides defence-related services. Some of their aircraft designs originated in the design departments of Canadair or de Havilland Aircraft of Canada. The company has been adept at developing quiet turboprop airliners capable of using urban airports with relatively short runways and steep glide slopes.

Current models include the Learjet family of aircraft, the Challenger 300, Challenger 605, Global 5000, Global Express, Dash 8 (now known as the Q series) and the CRJ series. The Learjets are light to mid-size business jets. The Challenger and Global Families of aircraft are larger jet aircraft with extended range. The Q series (Dash-8) are high-wing turboprop aircraft, while the CRJ is a low-wing, commercial jet with rear mounted engines. The CRJ is a derivative of the Canadair CL-600 Challenger business jet.

Both commercial aircraft models (The Dash-8 and CRJ) have similar 2x2 seating, overhead bin storage, lavatories, and galleys. The latest Dash-8 models have an advanced noise and vibration suppression (NVS) system that reduces noise considerably. This system has led to the adoption of the name "Q-Series." In this designation, the original aircraft name is shortened, using only the sub-designation of the aircraft model. For example, the de Haviland DHC-8-400 becomes the "Q400", with the "Q" standing for "Quiet."

These aircraft are selling well and are enabling some less popular routes to be profitably served by scheduled air services with relatively low environmental impact at the airports. They have recently mounted and endured some unusual legal battles with a key competitor Embraer of Brazil focused upon allegations of unfair state assistance in export markets.

The amphibious fire-fighting aircraft is the CL-415, with a derivative amphibious utility aircraft.

Each model is available in different versions:

Product list and details (date information from Bombardier)

Aircraft	Description	Seats	Launch date	1st flight	1st delivery	Scheduled to cease production
Bombardier Learjet 40 XR	private jet	2-7
Bombardier Learjet 45 XR	private jet	2-9
Bombardier Learjet 60 XR	private jet	8-10	June 1991
Bombardier Challenger 300	private jet	8-16		1999	2004
Bombardier Challenger 600	private jet	2-19	1976	1975		1986
Bombardier Challenger 605	private jet	5-12	2005	2006
Bombardier Challenger 850	private jet	5-19
Bombardier Global 5000	private jet	8-18	1993	1996
Bombardier Global Express XRS	private jet	8-19	2003	2005

Product list and details (date information from Bombardier)

Aircraft	Description	Seats	Launch date	1st flight	1st delivery	Scheduled to cease production
CRJ-100	regional jet	up to 50			1992
CRJ-200	regional jet	up to 50
CRJ-700	regional jet	64-75		1999	2001
CRJ-900	regional jet	86-90		2002	2003
CRJ-1000	regional jet	up to 100	February 19, 2007

Bombardier planned to build an 85-120 seat aircraft. This was the BRJ-X project. Instead of continuing development, the CRJ-900 was built instead. However, the shelved project was revived, and reformulated into the C-Series. With the C-Series on hold, Bombardier announced on 18 February 2006 that it would begin work on the CRJ-1000, a 100-seater regional jet.

In July 2004, Bombardier announced the development of a family of airliners named the C-Series, capable of carrying 110 or 135 passengers. For the first time, Bombardier would have been competing directly with the smallest offerings from the much larger Boeing and Airbus companies. Bombardier expected the aircraft to be available by 2010. In March 2005, Bombardier's board decided to promote the plane to airlines to gather advance orders. However, the failure to secure any significant orders led to the postponing of the programme's launch in January 2006. Bombardier has stated they would keep a small team of roughly 50 employees working on the C-Series marketing plan and including other risk sharing partners in the programme. [1] [2]

In May 2005, Bombardier secured agreements with the Federal Government of Canada, the Provincial Government of Quebec, and the Government of the United Kingdom for supports and loans for the C-Series project. Final assembly of the aircraft was to be at Mirabel Airport, outside Montreal, Quebec. Substantial portions of the aircraft were to be constructed at Bombardier facilities in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Bombardier's current estimate for release is 2013.

The Q series is the latest iteration of the De Havilland Canada Dash 8. The Q Series is manufactured in Toronto; the Q stands for "quiet".

Product list and details (date information from Bombardier)

Aircraft	Description	Seats	Launch date	1st flight	1st delivery	Scheduled to cease production
De Havilland Canada Dash 8/Bombardier Aerospace Q100	turbo prop	33-37			1984
De Havilland Canada Dash 8/Bombardier Aerospace Q200 Enhanced engines; "Hot/High" version of the -100	turbo prop	33-37		1986	1989
De Havilland Canada Dash 8/Bombardier Aerospace Q300 Stretched -100 series	turbo prop	48-50		1989
De Havilland Canada Dash 8/Bombardier Aerospace Q400 Features 6-blade, low speed props for low noise	turbo prop	68-78		1998	2000

• Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet
• Canadair
• Learjet

• Bombardier Aerospace
• Bombardier Business Aircraft
• Bombardier Regional Aircraft
• Learjet Ambulance Jets