While business jet deliveries at Bombardier Aviation in the third quarter were flat year-over-year at 31 units, revenue increased 4 percent, to $1.558 billion, due to a more favorable mix that included two Global 7500s and the first Global 6500, it said today. The company also announced the sale of its aerostructures business to Spirit Aerosystems for $500 million, with the deal scheduled to close in the first half of next year.
According to Bombardier Inc. president and CEO Alain Bellemare, the pace of aircraft deliveries will accelerate in the current fourth quarter, including handovers of 10 to 15 Global 7500s. “There are 20 Global 7500s now in completions, with a dozen in the last stages of completion,” he added. The aviation division is “on track” to reach 175 to 180 aircraft deliveries for the full year, with projected revenue of $8 billion, Bellemare said.
Business jet order momentum remained healthy during the quarter, he noted, with book-to-bill at 1.3:1. Bombardier’s business jet backlog stood at $15.3 billion at the end of September, up $1 billion from year-end 2019.
Meanwhile, the aerostructures sale to Spirit includes manufacturing facilities in Belfast, UK, and Casablanca, Morocco, as well as Bombardier’s aerostructures MRO facility in Dallas.
