Bombardier Exits Airliner Business


A year ago, Bombardier was the fourth largest airliner manufacturer in the world and earlier this week it ceased to be one. The company announced it had sold its CRJ business to Mitsubishi for $550 million. A few weeks ago, the deal to sell its Q400 program to Viking Air closed and late last July the majority share of its CSeries program went to Airbus. Although it no longer owns the businesses, the CRJ and CSeries (now A220) aircraft will continue to be built at Mirabel using Bombardier facilities and staff.

Bombardier Aviation now produces only business jets and there is some question how much longer those will be made in Canada. Bombardier has sold its Downsview property in Toronto and will have to eventually move production elsewhere. It owns major facilities in Wichita, Kansas, where it produces Lear aircraft. Much of its flight testing of the now-divested programs was done in Wichita.

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