"This is a white hot market for selling aircraft and the only odd man out is Bombardier," Richard Aboulafia of the Teal Group said of the manufacturer's weak performance at (Paris) the premier aerospace event.
Weak performance? Actually...
History has a way of repeating itself. Past success is likely to be no different for future success at Bombardier despite trade shows like Paris. Industry leaders know better than industry pundits that getting it right is more important than some sales announcement at any trade show. From time to time this requires patience and honesty. Something most Americans wouldn't understand. But this time round, with the C series, they bring a wealth of experience, expertise and knowledge from other very successful in-house programs like the Dash 8, CRJ, Challengers 604, 605, 300 and Global Express.
Making sure the aircraft doesn't flounder out of the gate like the A380 or B787 is obviously very important to the folks at Bombardier. Patience, even if it means further delay will only translate into credibility with eventual buyers of this aeroplane.
While many focused on the attention the CS100 didn't get at Paris and waited for sales announcements instead, it should be pointed out, Bombardier certainly didn't put in a weak performance at Paris by any measure. They did sell aeroplanes. Lots of them. $1.04 billion in corporate jet purchases by Vistajet alone, isn't exactly a weak performance. Never mind Alaska Air's order for 10 Q400s and Arik Air's 3 CRJ 1000s and 4 Q400s. They also sold an additional 12 Global Express 8000s.
Weak performance Mr. Aboulafia?.
I don't think so.
Try looking at history. In fact, the C series doesn't have any lack of orders. If anything, it has a healthy backlog for any new type which contradicts many skeptics like yourself.
Case in point, the C series currently has the overall number 4 position in backlog for any commercial jetliner in history based on backlog numbers as of the date of each type's first flight. According to Aviation Week Intelligence Network's Fleet Database
(-as of 22/04/13) Bombardier's backlog is healthy compared to many other types throughout history. In fact, only the B787, A350 and A320 top the C series on that list. The B737 placed 12th and the Embraer 170, 18th. The A380 is unlucky number 13.
We all know the huge success Bombardier's Regional Jet became following its first flight on May 10, 1991- and they had only 13 firm orders that day, placing dead last on that same AWI list of 30.
I wouldn't sound the death knell just yet Richard.
Gino Under
