News
Lease Corp. International Group orders 20 Bombardier CSeries
April 3, 2009, Montreal - Bombardier Aerospace announced earlier this week that Lease Corp. International Aviation (New Buildings) Ltd. has signed a firm purchase agreement for three CS100 and 17 CS300 jetliners.
April 2, 2009 By Carey Fredericks
April 3, 2009, Montreal – Bombardier
Aerospace announced earlier this week that Lease Corporation International Aviation
(New Buildings) Limited has signed a firm purchase agreement for three CS100 and 17 CS300 jetliners. The purchaser, which also took options on a further 20 CSeries
aircraft, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Lease Corporation
International Limited (LCI). LCI is a privately owned aircraft leasing
company that owns and leases planes to major airlines.
Based on list prices, the firm order for 20 CSeries aircraft is valued at approximately $1.44 billion U.S.
“This firm order for both CS100 and CS300 aircraft adds to the momentum we anticipated for CSeries
aircraft following the initial firm order by Deutsche Lufthansa AG.
Moreover, LCI’s purchase confirms the flexibility designed into this
technologically advanced aircraft family as required by all our
customers, but especially leasing companies,” said Gary R. Scott,
President, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. “We are grateful for LCI’s
confidence in the CSeries aircraft and delighted to welcome
them as the launch leasing company customer. We look forward to working
with them on further development of the aircraft for its entry into
service in 2013.”
“We are excited about the future of Bombardier’s CSeries
jetliner family,” said LCI Chairman, Adam Tomazos. “Market studies
carried out by ourselves and other organizations see a large worldwide
demand for aircraft in the 100- to 149-seat category over the next two
decades and the CSeries jetliner family is a perfect fit.”
The launch of the CSeries family of aircraft was announced at the Farnborough Air Show on July 13, 2008.
The 110-seat and 130-seat CSeries
family of aircraft brings unmatched passenger comfort, performance, and
operating economics, benefiting from the latest technological
advancements, including: fourth-generation aerodynamics; increased use
of composites and advanced aluminium alloys in structures; the very
latest in system technologies, such as fly-by-wire, electric brakes,
and a next-generation engine – the Pratt & Whitney PurePowerTM PW1000G engine. PurePowerTM
represents a significant breakthrough in turbofan technology,
especially on the environmental front where it will set new benchmarks
from dramatically reduced fuel burn, noise, and emissions.
At time of entry into service in 2013, the CSeries
family of aircraft will be the greenest single-aisle aircraft in its
class. These game-changing aircraft will emit 20* per cent less CO2
and 50* per cent less NOx, fly four* times quieter, and deliver
dramatic energy savings – 20* per cent fuel burn advantage as well as
15* per cent improved cash operating costs versus current in-production
aircraft of similar size. The CSeries aircraft will set a new
benchmark in the industry, consuming as little as two litres of fuel
per passenger per 100 kilometres in its more dense seating layouts*.
TheCS100 and CS300
aircraft models will share a new common centerline engine and have the
same crew type rating, operating and maintenance procedures. Each of
the aircraft models will also have operational flexibility to permit
utilization on both short-haul and transcontinental routes.
In
addition to Bombardier’s fourth-generation transonic composite wing
design, the company is also using its Reconfigurable Engineering Flight
Simulator II (REFS II) to develop customized ‘fly-by-wire’ control laws
specific to CSeries aircraft. This simulator is the first of many devices planned, as part of an extensive integrated test regime, to ensure the CSeries aircraft achieves consistently high levels of reliability when it enters service.
About Lease Corporation International
Lease
Corporation International (LCI) is a privately owned aircraft lessor
founded in 2004. Since its inception LCI has acquired aircraft valued
at over $3.5 billion. Its customer list includes national flag carriers
and major airlines such as Singapore Airlines, British Airways, Air
France and Virgin Atlantic. The company’s highly experienced management
team works closely with airframe and engine manufacturers, and with
major financial institutions to provide aircraft leasing solutions for
airlines worldwide. Further information is available at
www.lciaviation.com.
LCI is a member of the Libra Group.
