RwandAir Takes Delivery of its First CRJ900 NextGen Airliner from Bombardier

A video is available at http://ow.ly/eEn0W

Bombardier Aerospace has delivered the first of two CRJ900 NextGen regional jets ordered by RwandAir of Kigali, Rwanda. RwandAir’s firm order for the CRJ900 NextGen aircraft, along with options for two additional CRJ900 NextGen aircraft, was announced on March 19, 2012.

The aircraft was handed over to RwandAir during a ceremony at Bombardier’s Mirabel, Québec facility where the CRJ Series aircraft are manufactured. The ceremony was attended by H.E. Edda Mukabagwiza, Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Canada; John Mirenge, Chief Executive Officer, RwandAir, along with other representatives from the airline; officials from the government of Rwanda; Mike Arcamone, President, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft and several Bombardier executives and staff.

“We are very proud to introduce the CRJ900 NextGen aircraft to East Africa,” said Mr. Mirenge. “Our 50-seat CRJ200 aircraft has helped expand our markets to the point where larger capacity aircraft are required to meet passenger demand. The CRJ900 NextGen jetliner is a natural progression from the CRJ200 aircraft that has served us so well. In addition, the larger aircraft have a two-class, 75-seat interior that will allow us to offer a premium service.”

“RwandAir is a perfect example of a customer that successfully integrates pre-owned CRJ200 aircraft, establishes a base and grows to become a customer of new aircraft. The CRJ900 NextGen aircraft is the ideal size to allow RwandAir to connect its regional and international markets as it looks to expand its fleet and services with modern, fuel-efficient CRJ aircraft," said Mr. Arcamone.

“We at Bombardier are very impressed by RwandAir’s steady growth since it began operations in 2002. Today, it is a dynamic airline and the CRJ900 NextGen aircraft will offer it even more operational flexibility,” added Mr. Arcamone.

There are currently more than 200 Bombardier regional jets and turboprop aircraft in service with, or on firm order from, approximately 50 operators in the Middle East and Africa. Bombardier projects that over the next 20 years, the fleet of Bombardier commercial aircraft in the Middle East and Africa will continue to grow, forecasting deliveries of 970 aircraft in the 20- to 149-seat market segments during that period.

About CRJ900 NextGen aircraft
Featuring powerful General Electric CF34-87C5 turbofan engines and a maximum cruise speed of Mach 0.83 (882 km/h), the CRJ900 NextGen aircraft offers next-generation efficiency, performance and passenger comfort with a seating capacity of up to 88 seats.

Like the other members of the CRJ Series aircraft family, the light weight and advanced aerodynamics of the CRJ900 NextGen regional jet deliver improved efficiency and reduced operating costs compared to other aircraft in its class. The combination of larger winglets and other enhancements since the launch of the CRJ900 aircraft give the CRJ900 NextGen regional jet excellent airfield performance and excellent fuel consumption.

Bombardier's CRJ Series jetliners are the world's most successful family of regional aircraft, with some 1,735 in service or ordered as of September 30, 2012. Worldwide, CRJ Series aircraft are in service with more than 60 airlines and have logged more than 34 million flight hours and 28 million take-off and landing cycles. In addition to airline operations, more than 30 customers operate corporate variants of CRJ Series aircraft. More than 270 CRJ900 and CRJ900 NextGen aircraft are in operation or on order.

About RwandAir
RwandAir is the national carrier of the Republic of Rwanda. Operating from Kigali as its hub in the heart of Africa, RwandAir is the fastest growing airline on the African continent. RwandAir's fleet currently consists of four Boeing 737 aircraft and one Bombardier Dash 8-200 aircraft. The two brand new Bombardier CRJ900 NexGen regional jets, and the option of a further two in 2013, will allow the carrier to continue to grow. It serves two domestic destinations and many regional cities such as Nairobi, Entebbe, Mombasa, Bujumbura, Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro and Mwanza. The airline also serves Johannesburg, Dubai, Lagos, Libreville and Brazzaville. More destinations on the African continent and beyond will be added in 2013 and 2014.

About Bombardier
Bombardier is the world’s only manufacturer of both planes and trains. Looking far ahead while delivering today, Bombardier is evolving mobility worldwide by answering the call for more efficient, sustainable and enjoyable transportation everywhere. Our vehicles, services and, most of all, our employees are what make us a global leader in transportation.

Bombardier is headquartered in Montréal, Canada. Our shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD) and we are listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability World and North America indexes. In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011, we posted revenues of $18.3 billion USD. News and information are available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier.

Notes to Editors

• Image 1: John Mirenge, Chief Executive Officer, RwandAir (on the left) and Mike Arcamone, President, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft in the cockpit of RwandAir's first CRJ900 NextGen regional jet at Bombardier's facility in Mirabel, Québec.
• Image 2: Mike Arcamone, President, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft (on the left) and John Mirenge, Chief Executive Officer, RwandAir during the delivery of the airline's first CRJ900 NextGen regional jet at Bombardier's facility in Mirabel, Québec.
• Image 3: From left to right: John Mirenge, Chief Executive Officer, RwandAir, Her Excellency Edda Mukabagwiza, Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Canada, Sylvain Leclerc, Vice President and General Manager, CRJ Programs, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft and Marc Duchesne, Director, Communications, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft during the ribbon cutting to celebrate the delivery of RwandAir's first CRJ900 NextGen regional jet.
• A video is available at http://ow.ly/eEn0W.
• Exterior images and other information on the CRJ Series aircraft are available at: www.crjnextgen.com
• Follow @Bombardier_Aero on Twitter to receive the latest news and updates from Bombardier Aerospace.
• To receive our press releases, please visit the Email Subscription and RSS Feed section.

Bombardier, CRJ, CRJ200, CRJ900, Dash 8, NextGen and The Evolution of Mobility are trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.

For Information