I generally agree with you about these programs. Bombardier has definitely been playing it safe for the last 5+years, basically offering incremental upgrades to existing designs instead of all-out new programs. My guess as to the reasoning would be the beating the stock price took when, after 2001, everyone (including the company) realized how far costs had gone out of control with the crazy number of new aircraft they had invested in over the previous decade. Their credit ratings are now shot, and shareholders are very wary of risky programs.Yoyoma wrote:- C series -> They talk on their website (news conference) of cancellation due to market conditions. While Boeing, Airbus and Emb have no problem selling. A few years earlier and we could have been in the race. There is also a clear lack of committment from BBD which customers can sense, they're not that easy to fool.
- Q400 -> launched too late leaving $1 or $1.5 Billion in sales for the ATRs and Casa upgrades. Although catching up, 1 billion is no pocket change.
- Response to the 7X and to Gulfstream's new line, a challlenger 605, a revamped Global express! All weak and late launches, not really considered a response.
My take is that their current product line-up does not lack in quality but in innovation. They are not pushing the boundaries in any direction and the products will not be able to compete in a few years time.
You should remember that "Gulfstream's new line" is of course nothing of the sort. All Gulfstreams are dervied directly from the GI turboprop, a 1950's design. They have not had a "clean-sheet" design in 60 years. Their current line-up is just the GIV/GV derivatives with Primus Epic avionics and various fuel capacity/options combinations. I'm not saying this isn't a good idea, but it's the same approach as improving the payload/range/avionics in the Challenger 604.
Finally, who made your friends go to Bombardier? That sucks that the program is slowed/on-hold, did any of them lose their jobs?
A good pay at Airbus is €40/50,000 but some of the jobs over here were offering $70/95,000 + $15,000 sign in bonus + 20% yearly bonus and benifits...
In the business world, the rearview mirror is always clearer than the windshield...W. Buffett
