Bombardier’s Backlog Increased by US$1.3 Billion In Q1

Bombardier’s backlog increased by US$1.3 billion in the first quarter of 2022.

The backlog is the value of aircraft that the manufacturer has received orders for, but has yet to deliver.

The Canadian airframer says that its gross order intake reached 58 aircraft during the quarter, although it did not break down the orders by individual types.

Speaking during its Q1 Investor Relations call, Bombardier’s President and CEO Eric Martel noted that the strong order intake was largely due to activity in the US market, with some good activity also seen in Asia.

“North America was still the leading region with a big, big, big contribution to that, but I have to say that despite everything going on right now with Ukraine and Russia, Western Europe, we did remain extremely, extremely solid. And we’ve seen, actually, some nice pick up also happening in Asia, and that’s something that we’ve seen last year,” said Martel. “So we can see the traffic slowly, but surely taking place, there’s still a lot to do in that region.”

Martel also gave an update on the upcoming Challenger 3500 which will replace the company’s current Challenger 350 business jet, saying that the new US$26.7 million jet is on course to gain certification later in the year.

Launched in September 2021, the Challenger 3500 improves on the Challenger 350’s range by 200nm, as well as by lowering the cabin altitude to 4,850 feet at 41,000 feet.

A lower cabin altitude helps reduce the stress of flying on the human body.

“One thing is for sure the Challenger 3500 is already shaping up to be a top performer as was its predecessor. We are excited and on track for deliveries this year and smoothly managing the transition from the Challenger 350,” said Martel.