Page 53 - AAA JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2017 Online Magazine

INTERVIEW BOMBARDIER

Capitalising on Interest

The C Series is demonstrating higher than expected dispatch reliability with launch customers

JEAN-PAUL BOUTIBOU (VP SALES This has also led to the market moving
Middle East & Africa) Bombardier towards to aircraft in the 180-200 seat
Commercial Aircraft in an interview category, which is creating a vacuum for
with Maintenance Repair Overhaul, says an optimised solution in the 100-seat
that Bombardier is looking to looking to category. Now if an airline wants to grow
capitalise on growing interest in the C they have 2 options, use a bigger aircraft
Series and further penetrate the African on a major route which they can fill up with
market with its Q400 RTA. The C Series passengers. Unfortunately, Boeing does
offers a trip cost that is 18-20 percent not have yet a competitor to the A321. The
lower than larger single-aisle aircraft and other option for airlines to grow is to address
potential customers in the region will routes that can make them money while
also appreciate the jetliner’s range and carrying 80-100 passengers. The value of
performance ability to operate in a hot the C Series is to have the same economics
and high environment. The C Series will in terms of seat costs as compared to larger
be able to operate from Riyadh to London strong interest in operating the C Series. aircraft but have a trip cost that is 18-20
City non-stop as an example, and will allow This allowed us to refocus on our percent lower. The C Series has the range
airlines new routes as they look for growth. other platforms that are more suited for and the performance to operate in a hot and
operations in the MENA region. The Q400 high environment. For eg., it would have the
Please elaborate on the developments is a brilliant platform and an aircraft that I range to carry passengers from Riyadh to
related to Bombardier Commercial consider to be the 4X4 of aviation. It is an London City non-stop, so you have a very
Aircraft and the Middle East & Africa aircraft that can adapt very well to various versatile aircraft that will allow the airline
that took place in 2016? missions and harsh operating conditions, to develop these new routes and look for
What we tried to do in 2016 was refocus for eg, hot and high operations in Ethiopia, growth. If you compete on the same market,
our campaign on our flagship product for very difficult conditions in Madagascar, it impacts profits.
the Middle-East and Africa region which In Algeria the Q400 operates in harsh
is the Q400. Of course, the C Series is environments on extremely long sector What further improvements are planned
an important platform for Bombardier lengths of 3 hours. It is a unique aircraft, for the Q400 fleet?
but what matters is making sure that that has few competitors and in 2016 we We have continuously improved the Q400
we respond to the market with the right brought back the focus on the Q400 in the platform and will continue to do so. It
product and the right platform and at African continent and we could engage all is the only turboprop that can seat 90
the same time for Bombardier today we our customers. There are a lot of operators passengers. What we can see in Africa
need to have the right partner airline and in the Middle-East who had previously and from the operators in the Middle East
operators to continue the growth of the not considered the Q400 are now looking that we are talking to, is the interest in a
C Series platform. What I noticed when I closely at the aircraft. We were successful two-class version, with two toilets. It also
joined Bombardier was that the focus was in Tanzania and will look forward to repeat has an APU. These features are unique
more on the C Series. the combination of Q400 and C Series in to our turboprop. The operators here are
Our strategy has shifted because other markets. really looking at these features as well as
today we have a lot of interest on the Q400 the new CRJ cabin design and are asking if
platform. The C Series entered service in 2016 Please elaborate on Bombardier’s plans this would be transferable to the Q400 for
and is performing way beyond expectations for the C Series in the MENA region? improved cabin appeal. We are not looking
with SWISS and air Baltic and the dispatch The category for which the C Series was at an engine upgrade for the Q400 as our
reliability has been higher than expected. We developed and launched, addresses a operators are happy with the performance
are getting very positive feedback on the market that none of the other aircraft of the aircraft. The aircraft performance
CS100 and CS300. Now we need to capitalise manufacturers have addressed before. has always been well received when
on strong operation partners than just finding The existing single-aisle jetliners such as compared to its competition. Unlike its
anyone, so taking that into consideration, our the A320 and 737 have been extremely competitor, the Q400 can operate from
campaign has been more selective and we successful and address the requirements Addis Ababa or Tamanrasset in Algeria, or
have been looking at airlines that have a real in the category for 150 seats and beyond. on a route from Dakar to Conakry.

53
MAINTENANCE REP
AIR O
UL
VERHA
WWW.GBP.COM.SG/AAA
WWW.GBP.COM.SG/AAA JANUARY / MARCH 2017 MAINTENANCE REPAIR OVERHAUL 53
JANU
AR

/ MARCH 2017
Y