News
Bombardier announces new deal for air-ambulance aircraft
Montreal - Bombardier has announced that it has signed a firm purchase agreement with Swiss Air-Ambulance Rega (Rega) for three Bombardier Challenger 650 aircraft.
April 14, 2015 By Bombardier
The transaction is valued at approximately US$130 million, based on 2015 list prices and includes various aircraft modifications, such as the installation of a medical evacuation interior. Deliveries of the modified Challenger 650 aircraft are scheduled for 2018.
A loyal Bombardier Challenger aircraft customer, Rega is the leading Swiss air-ambulance provider. As a privately funded foundation, its mission is to carry out air-rescue operations in Switzerland and to repatriate patients from abroad. As one of the world’s pioneers in aeromedical evacuation, Rega has a long tradition in dealing with medical emergencies around the world. Their current fleet of three Challenger 604 aircraft are used exclusively for ambulance flights and are outfitted with intensive-care units.
“Bombardier has enjoyed an excellent working relationship with Rega since 1982 when the company purchased its first Challenger aircraft and again in 2002 with the addition of the Challenger 604 aircraft to its fleet,” said Stephane Villeneuve, Vice-President, Specialized Aircraft, Bombardier. “We are very proud of the confidence that Rega continues to place in Bombardier, and we look forward to many more years of collaboration.”
“A preferred medical evacuation platform, Challenger aircraft have a long-standing history of air-ambulance operations. With its enhanced performance from short runways and proven reliability and track record, we are convinced the next-generation Challenger 650 aircraft is the definitive choice to carry out Rega’s extremely critical air-ambulance missions,” added Villeneuve.
“We are pleased with the acquisition of an additional three Bombardier Challenger aircraft,” said Ernst Kohler, CEO and Chairman of the Management Board of Rega. “The aircraft meets our requirements perfectly and will again serve thousands of patients worldwide, as did its predecessors.” Rega organizes and executes medical evacuations and medically escorted repatriations from anywhere in the world. “Our medical teams of experienced doctors and intensive-care nurses, as well as our pilots, appreciate the generous on-board conditions and the well-proven technology. We are pleased to rely on the Challenger platform to perform our life-saving missions,” added Kohler.
Bombardier Specialized Aircraft
With one of the broadest and most reliable high-performance product lines in aviation today, Bombardier possesses the necessary expertise to recommend and facilitate the development of the ideal platform to tailor to the specific needs of more than a dozen specialized mission applications.
Today, more than 40 countries operate and are served by variants of Bombardier’s business and commercial aircraft fleets in various missions and specialized applications.
Challenger 650 Aircraft
A true intercontinental aircraft with a range in excess of 4,000 nm (7,408 km)(i), the Challenger 650 jet builds on the solid reputation of the Challenger 605 aircraft with improved features such as the newly-evolved GE engines offering greater, shorter take-off distance, extra payload capacity and greater range capabilities out of challenging airports. The Challenger 650 jet also features the Bombardier Vision flight deck and a completely restyled cabin, the widest-in-class, with modern-looking and ergonomic seats and redesigned galley, and business aviation’s most advanced and best-equipped Cabin Management System, largest-in-class HD monitors, and industry-leading connectivity capabilities.
