May, 07 /Geneva, Switzerland/ -- Sophisticated system standard on Bombardier Global Express aircraft

Bombardier Aerospace today announced that flight testing of its Bombardier Enhanced Vision System (BEVS) for the ultra long-range Global Express* business jet has started.

A Global Express flight test aircraft equipped with a BEVS prototype aerodynamics installation successfully flew April 24 from Bombardier’s flight test center in Wichita, Kan., effectively kicking off a 24-month development program that will lead to a certified installation in the first quarter of 2005.

These initial flight tests are intended to complement computational fluid dynamic results to date and improve understanding of the installation’s effect on aircraft aerodynamics. The tests will evaluate the aerodynamic fairing and viewing glass impact on altitude reporting for Reduced Vertical Separation Minima (RVSM) operations, and their overall impact on air data system performance in icing conditions.

Introduced in October 2002, BEVS is the latest enhancement to the state-of-the-art Bombardier Global Express. It features the latest in infrared sensor technology to increase overall depth-perception in difficult operating conditions, such as those often encountered at unfamiliar airports, and to minimize runway incursions at night-time and during other low visibility conditions.

BEVS will be offered as a standard feature on all new Bombardier Global Express production aircraft delivered as of 2005. It will also be available for retrofit through the Bombardier Business Aviation Services (BBAS) centers network.

BEVS will provide a second-generation forward-looking infrared sensor, positioned near the pilot’s direct line of sight. The sensor will project a video image onto a Head-up Flight Display System (HFDS) and, for the co-pilot, a unique “Head-down” display.

Projected on the HFDS, the combined video image and flight critical information will provide a new level of situational awareness, taking advantage of the HFDS unique field of view, which is a full 28 percent larger than any commercially available Heads-Up Display. Projecting the video image on a “Head-down” display will lead to improved cockpit resource management, an important asset during critical phases of flight in reduced visibility.

BEVS is being developed by a team of world-leading electronics experts, principally Thales Avionics, the overall integrator, and CMC Electronics, the supplier of the SureSight™ EVS infrared sensor.

The Bombardier Global Express is the only business jet engineered specifically to provide precious time savings in the most comfortable and productive cabin environment. With a full payload of eight passengers and four crew members, it can travel over 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km) at a cruise speed of Mach 0.85 (561 mph; 904 km/h) and can fly at speeds up to Mach 0.89 (590 mph; 950 km/h). Certified to stringent regulations by both European (JAA) and North American (FAA and Transport Canada) airworthiness authorities, the aircraft flies faster, farther, than any other business aircraft and accesses the most challenging airfields.

Bombardier Aerospace, a unit of Bombardier Inc., is a world leader in the design and manufacture of innovative aviation products and provides services for the regional, business and amphibious aircraft markets. It also offers Bombardier Flexjet* and Bombardier Skyjet* business aircraft programs, technical services, and aircraft maintenance and pilot training for business, regional airline and military customers.

Bombardier Inc., a diversified manufacturing and services company, is a world-leading manufacturer of business jets, regional aircraft, rail transportation equipment and motorized recreational products. It also provides financial services and asset management in business areas aligned with its core expertise. Headquartered in Montréal, Canada, the Corporation has a workforce of some 75,000 people and manufacturing facilities in 25 countries throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Its revenues for the fiscal year ended Jan. 31, 2003 stood at $23.7 billion Cdn. Bombardier shares are traded on the Toronto, Brussels and Frankfurt stock exchanges (BBD, BOM and BBDd.F).

* Trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.