Bombardier Aerospace Planning to Expand Hartford Business Aviation Services Center.

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HARTFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 27, 2000

The signing of a 30-year lease for approximately 19 acres of additional land at Bradley International Airport is the first step in a proposed multi-million dollars expansion of Bombardier Aerospace's Business Aviation Services facility near Hartford, according to a joint announcement by the company and the State of Connecticut today.

Bombardier is developing plans for a hangar and office complex which would add approximately 100,000 square feet (9,290 sq.m.) to its existing facilities and increase employment by as much as 300 specialists and technicians over four years.

Bombardier, which manufactures Learjet(R), Challenger(R), and Global Express(R) business aircraft, has operated a service center at the airport since 1995 when it combined its former Learjet and Challenger service organizations into a single network. The current Hartford facility began operations as a Challenger maintenance site in 1981. It currently employs 290 people in a 110,000-square-foot (10,219 sq.m.) complex, offering comprehensive, factory-backed service to Bombardier's complete line of business aircraft.

Bombardier has been investing heavily in its worldwide factory service center network in the past two years, opening new facilities in Dallas, Texas, and Berlin, Germany, while expanding operations in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and Tucson, Arizona. Together, these initiatives will add 256,000 square feet (23,783 sq.m.) of space to Bombardier's service center network; its facilities currently service 500 aircraft each month, more than double the number handled in 1995.

Jim Scavotto, vice-president, Eastern region, Business Aviation Services, indicated that "to accommodate Bombardier's rapidly expanding fleet and product lines, we need to make dramatic additions to our service capacity nationwide and, specifically, on the East Coast. With the acquisition of this new space, we'll be able to virtually double our existing hangar space in Hartford and take the necessary steps to accommodate both the Global Express and the new Continental* super midsize business jet at this site.

"We currently have about 130,000 square feet (12,077 sq.m.) of hangar space between our facilities at Bradley and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to support a growing list of operators based in the Eastern part of the country. We'll be opening a new hangar in Ft. Lauderdale later this summer that will increase that total to around 180,000 square feet (16,722 sq.m.)."

Continued Mr. Scavotto: "Our experience and projections make it obvious that our service and completion businesses will continue to grow. Last year alone, at the Hartford site, we recorded more than 1,200 aircraft service visits...and, had capacity not been an issue, could have accommodated hundreds more. 97 per cent of the aircraft we serviced were from outside the state of Connecticut. Obviously, we're anxious to add this much-needed capacity," he concluded.

"Bombardier's decision to expand their facility at Bradley International Airport is a testament to the airport's importance as a hub for economic development in Connecticut," said Jim Abromaitis, Commissioner of Connecticut's Department of Economic and Community Development. "The 300 new jobs will provide a tremendous boost to the local and regional economy and are an indication that Connecticut's competitive business climate is one that encourages business growth."

Bombardier Aerospace, a unit of Bombardier Inc., is the leading business, regional and amphibious aircraft manufacturer. With full design and production capabilities in three countries, it offers the most comprehensive families of turboprop and regional jet aircraft and the widest range of business jets. It also provides the Flexjet fractional business aircraft ownership program, technical services, aircraft maintenance and pilot training for business, regional airline and military customers.

Bombardier Inc., a diversified manufacturing and service company, is a world leading manufacturer of business jets, regional aircraft, rail transportation equipment and motorized recreational products. It is also a provider of financial services and asset management. The Corporation employs 56,000 people in 12 countries in North America, Europe and Asia, and more than 90 per cent of its revenues are generated outside Canada. Bombardier's revenues for its fiscal year ended Jan. 31, 2000, totalled $13.6 billion Cdn (US $9.25 billion).

(R) Registered trademark of Bombardier Inc.

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