The last in-person safety Standdown was held in 2019. In 2020 it was a virtual event and now Bombardier has announced the dates for the next event. This time it will be in Wichita, Kansas. It will be held November 2 and 3 at the Hyatt Regency in Wichita, The theme of this year’s milestone event, is "Learn, Apply, Share."
Bombardier is pleased to announce that two of its leading business jets, the industry flagship Global 7500 aircraft and the super mid-size market leader Challenger 350 aircraft, are on a tour of several European countries. The showcase has begun in Germany and will include stops in the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and Denmark before wrapping up in Sweden on October 5.
Bombardier’s annual Safety Standdown event, one of the most comprehensive safety gatherings in the aviation industry, is honoring a dedicated Bombardier executive who has been a passionate steward and leader of the event for many years and announcing a new successor to lead the program. Bombardier’s Chris Milligan, Vice President, Pre-Owned Aircraft Services and Flight Operations, will take over the reins from long-time Safety Standdown leader, Andy Nureddin, who has led the Bombardier Flight Operations team responsible for organizing this annual safety gathering. Andy has planned to retire at the end of 2022 and is currently focusing on completing a smooth transition of Safety Standdown leadership to Chris. Anthony Cox has been promoted to Vice President, Customer Support and is succeeding Andy in his Bombardier customer-facing capacities. "I am very pleased to introduce Chris Milligan as the new leader of the Safety Standdown team and I want to sincerely thank Andy for his steadfast commitment and hard work in fostering the growth of this invaluable industry event," said Jean-Christophe Gallagher, Executive Vice President, Services and Support, and Corporate Strategy, Bombardier. "For 25 years, Bombardier has led the industry in providing aviation professionals with critical knowledge-based aviation training in many key areas and Andy has been front and centre in that growth. I am confident that under Chris’s direction, we will continue to provide aviation professionals with more lifelong learning opportunities and focus on disseminating higher standards of safety and professionalism throughout the industry."
Bombardier is peering into the future and seeing that their flagship Global 7500 as well as the refreshed Challenger 350 (branded as the Challenger 3500) will have a big impact and popularity in the Middle Eastern region. The sale of 20 Challenger 3500s recently has probably been the catalyst for this rationale. With the refreshed type expected to enter service in 2022, once deliveries start and customers experience what the aircraft has to offer more orders will come in. There is massive potential in the ME market for Bombardier overall.
Nick W. Verdea, a Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) and Global Leadership Professional (GLP), has been named the 2021 winner of the Bombardier Safety Standdown Award, as selected by the Safety Standdown Advisory Council members. Verdea, Director of Aviation and Corporate Travel for The Williams Company in Tulsa, OK., is a long-time supporter and advocate of this highly influential event. Verdea accepted the award on November 3, 2021, during the 25th annual Bombardier Safety Standdown event in Wichita, KS. The two-day, in-person safety gathering brought industry professionals together for enhanced learning opportunities, compelling workshops, presentations and more, laying the foundation for safety training and professional development. For a quarter of a century, Bombardier has led the industry in providing aviation professionals with critical knowledge-based aviation training and lifelong professional development opportunities. "On behalf of Bombardier, I wish to congratulate Nick Verdea for his outstanding career and unwavering commitment to Safety Standdown and to promoting aviation safety and professionalism at all levels of our industry for a quarter of a century," said longtime Bombardier executive, Andy Nureddin, who stewards the Safety Standdown program. "Nick embodies precisely what the Safety Standdown Award stands for: celebrating individuals who are role models in the field and have made a real difference day-to-day. He is the ideal ambassador for our Safety Standdown mission."
The Bombardier Challenger 650 is about to become a feature in the NetJets Europe fleet as customers have been asking for it constantly. The aircraft offers some of the same creature comforts as NetJets larger aircraft like the cabin, the cabin for example is very similar in cross section to the Global 6000 but carries 11 passengers. It will also have Ka-band wifi and wireless entertainment onboard.
Bombardier announced the delivery of the 1,000th Global aircraft. The major milestone was reached as the NetJets team led by Patrick Gallagher, President, Sales, Marketing and Services, took delivery of the private aviation company’s first Global 7500 business jet. The addition of a Global 7500 aircraft to the NetJets fleet redefines its large-cabin, long-range offering, and elevates the choice of travel options for its international Owners. With a 7,700 nm (14,260 km) range, NetJets Owners will be able to fly from New York to Beijing or San Francisco to Sydney without refueling stops. The Global 7500 aircraft is set to be the flagship aircraft in one of the finest fleets in business aviation. The largest and quietest aircraft in the NetJets fleet, this is the first of a firm order of 20 Global 7500 aircraft, sure to transform the way Owners experience global travel. “We take pride in operating one of the industry’s most advanced fleets, and we are delighted to accept our first Global 7500 aircraft today. The Global 7500 aircraft adds a new dimension to our long-range aircraft offerings,” said Patrick Gallagher, President, Sales, Marketing and Services, NetJets. “At a time when demand for our aircraft is at its highest, our strategy is focused on continuing to deliver solutions that meet our Owners’ needs and expectations. We anticipate our Owners will appreciate the added value the aircraft brings and know they will be thrilled to experience flight in the Global 7500 business jet.”
The Orchestre Métropolitain and Bombardier, two major Quebec institutions, are joining together for the first time to kick off the sixth annual OM benefit gala. The May 26th event will be presented by TD Bank Group, with Abe Adham, member of the Board of Directors of the Orchestre Métropolitain and Managing Director and Head of Quebec Investment Banking at TD Securities, in attendance along with the other members of the Honorary committee for this sixth edition, Erik J. Ryan, Chair of the Board of Directors for the Orchestre Métropolitain and Executive Vice-President of Strategy and Marketing at SNC-Lavalin, and Jacques Marchand, Honorary Chair of LCI Éducation. The gala will take place at the Laurent Beaudoin Completion Centre, the state-of-the-art facility where Bombardier designs, manufactures and installs the luxury interiors of its Global business jets. This positive and unifying event will bring together two great leaders and major Québéc personalities, each influential in their respective fields: Éric Martel, President and CEO of Bombardier, who has graciously agreed to act as Honorary Chair, and Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the OM for over 20 years. “Bombardier is happy to host the Orchestre Métropolitain along with its guests for this benefit gala. We’re so proud of the work accomplished by our 8,000 employees in Quebec, and we’re pleased to showcase the facility where we’ve been manufacturing and delivering our Global aircraft for almost 25 years,” said Éric Martel, President and CEO of Bombardier. “On a more personal note, as a lifelong admirer of classical music and a huge fan of the Orchestre, I feel extremely privileged to be named Honorary Chair of this gala.”
Bombardier is pleased to announce the appointment of Christophe Degoumois, a former senior sales leader with the company, to the role of independent Executive Advisor, assisting the management team in strategic projects. Mr. Degoumois, who until recently was Vice President, Sales, International, at Bombardier, has over 17 years of experience with the company, and played a key role in instilling its customer-centric culture. "The business aviation industry continues to perform well and to attract interest from around the world," said Eric Martel, President and Chief Executive Officer, Bombardier. "Christophe will bring valuable strategic insight to our leadership team as Bombardier executes its plan toward 2025 growth objectives, in this new era as a company focused on designing, delivering and servicing the world’s best business jets."
Bombardier earlier in the month announced it has earned a top prize for technical innovation in the 2022 Les Mercuriades competition, Quebec's most prestigious business awards program sponsored annually by the Federation of Quebec Chamber of Commerce (Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec, FCCQ). Bombardier received the honour in the Technological Innovation (large corporations) category for advancements in its groundbreaking Smart Link Plus connected aircraft program. The 2022 winners were announced at a gala in Montréal on May 2.
Bombardier is pleased to announce the appointment of Jianwei Zhang as Chairman, Bombardier China, effective immediately. The appointment of the seasoned professional reaffirms Bombardier’s commitment to China where the company continues to offer market-leading business jets and provide aftermarket services at its strategically located service centre in Tianjin. "I am very happy to welcome Jianwei back to Bombardier, and back at the helm of our important outpost in China. With his strong connections, his outstanding reputation and his deep understanding of China and the West, Jianwei is the perfect ambassador of our company and will provide a welcome bridge between the different cultures to further reinforce Bombardier’s presence and impact in China’s business aviation market," said Éric Martel, President and Chief Executive Officer. "His appointment, along with our active service centre in Tianjin, are testaments to our long-term commitment to China as a key strategic market and the importance we place in supporting our customers in the region."