Bombardier Global Express Wins FAA Certification; Approved to highest standards in the industry.

MONTREAL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 16, 1998--The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded type approval on Friday, November 13, for the pioneering ultra long-range Bombardier Global Express business jet. The announcement comes just one week after Transport Canada issued the first Certificate of Airworthiness for a Global Express aircraft. The twin developments clear the way for Bombardier, the world's third largest civil aircraft manufacturer, to begin customer deliveries of the jet.

"We are delighted to earn these key milestones," declared John Holding, executive vice-president, engineering and product development, Bombardier Aerospace. "The Certificate of Airworthiness from Transport Canada and the FAA approval affirm that the world's most advanced corporate jet is cleared for takeoff."

Interior completion of the first Global Express for customer delivery is well advanced and the aircraft is on schedule to enter corporate service in early 1999. At that time, another group of Global Express aircraft will begin completions work at Bombardier's new state-of-the-art completions center in Montreal - the most sophisticated and best equipped facility of its kind in the world.

Approval from the European Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) for the Global Express is expected shortly. With 80 firm orders already placed for the aircraft, market interest continues to intensify as the Global Express successfully completes each hurdle towards its entrance into service.

Note to Editors:

Unlike other aircraft in its class, the Global Express is the result of a new "clean sheet" design allowing operators to benefit from the very best business aviation can offer; the aircraft combines unsurpassed range and speed with superior reliability and the largest cabin in corporate aviation.

The Global Express flies 6,500 nautical miles (12,038 km) non-stop and features a top cruise speed of Mach 0.88 (581 mph; 935 km/h). On a 5,000-nautical-mile (9,260-km) mission between London and San Francisco, it will cruise at Mach 0.88, well beyond the capabilities of any aircraft in this category. Other performance highlights include its ability to land and take off at the smaller runways of local and regional airports. At its maximum take-off weight of 93,500 pounds (42,411 kg), the Global Express requires only a 5,550-foot (1,682-m) runway.

In addition, the aircraft is designed specifically to ensure both dispatch and in-flight reliability with triple redundancy built into every major system - all backed by the industry's most sophisticated built-in maintenance diagnostic capabilities.

With a total volume of 2,140 cubic feet (60.60m3), the cabin is the largest of any true business jet, and is further enhanced by the total flexibility of the clean sheet design. Unlike competitors whose cabins are restricted by secondary pressure bulkheads inherited from older derivative designs, the Global Express cabin offers complete and total freedom for operators.

The Global Express has been subject to one of the most stringent certification programs in corporate aviation history involving extensive flight and ground testing closely monitored by Transport Canada, the FAA and the JAA. The Global Express is the only aircraft in its category that is certified to the very latest FAA standards, including FAR Part 25, up to Amendments 25-97.

Bombardier has already addressed all items under the latest U.S. Amendment 97, including new standards for lightning; airplane jacking and tie-down; flammability protection for interior materials; structural fatigue evaluation; braked roll conditions; revised gust-load design requirements; type and number of passenger emergency exits; and allowable carbon dioxide concentrations.

Bombardier Aerospace, a unit of Bombardier Inc., is the world's third largest civil aircraft manufacturer with its Canadair and de Havilland operations in Canada, Learjet in the United States and Shorts in the United Kingdom. It has the industry's widest range of business jets, from the light and mid-size Learjet(R) series to the widebody Challenger(R) and ultra long-range Global Express(R). Leading the 20- to 70-passenger regional carrier market, Bombardier Aerospace offers complete families of Dash 8(R) turboprop and Canadair Regional Jet(R) aircraft. It also produces the Canadair 415 firefighting/maritime mission aircraft and designs and manufactures airframe components and aircraft engine nacelles.

Bombardier Inc. is a Canadian corporation, active in the fields of aerospace, rail transportation equipment, recreational products, financial services and services related to its products and core businesses. It operates plants in 11 countries in North America and Europe and more than 88 per cent of its revenues are generated outside Canada. Bombardier's revenues for its fiscal year ended January 31, 1998 totaled $8.5 billion (Cdn).

(R) Registered trademarks of Bombardier Inc.