The Bombardier CRJ-700 in the American Airlines crash was a safe and reliable workhorse for short-haul routes
The jet's sterling record won't help Bombardier as the Quebec manufacturer divested its aircraft programs to focus on building private jets for businesses and the ultra-wealthy.
The Bombardier CRJ-700 passenger plane involved in the tragic mid-air crash with a U.S. Army helicopter in the midnight skies of Washington, DC., is a work horse of the regional jet market with a sterling safety record.
In the final hours of Wednesday, the aircraft was on its approach to DC's Ronald Reagan National carrying 64 passengers and crew when it collided with a Sikorski BlackHawk on a training flight.
The first fatal U.S. aviation accident since 2009 occurred in one of the most heavily controlled airspaces on American soil. Reagan National is a Class B airport, reserved for the busiest destinations like New York's JFK. This means airborne objects as far as 30 nautical miles away and operating up to a ceiling of 10,000 feet are subject to air traffic rules from the tower.
But Bombardier is no Boeing. The Canadair Regional Jet 700 series, which entered service over 25 years ago, has not been subject to mid-air malfunctions or defects of any kind and no fatalities are associated with this class of aircraft.
According to a database run by the nonprofit Flight Safety Foundation, there was only one occurrence of a mechanical defect in July 2017 during a landing manouever in Denver that damaged the plane.
All other incidents have been largely minimal and stemmed from human negligence.
'Today, the CRJ Series family of aircraft is the world's most successful regional aircraft program,' Bombardier says.
Yet the Montreal, Quebec-based aerospace firm likely won't have to face any uncomfortable questions when it reports results next Thursday.
That's because the company is not even in the business of manufacturing aircraft for carriers like American's wholly owned subsidiary PSA Airlines, which operated the American Eagle flight 5342 out of Witchita, Kansas.
Due to financial difficulties in the 2010s stemming from the costly development of its C-Series narrowbody line, Bombardier management streamlined its portfolio to focus solely on exclusive private jets for businesses and the ultra-wealthy.
All the other civilian aircraft projects—including the C-Series now marketed as the Airbus A220—were divested one by one. The Canadair Regional Jet line, meanwhile, was sold for $750 million in equity and debt to Japanese competitor Mitsubishi Heavy Industries just months before the COVID pandemic broke out.
Under the deal, Bombardier was only obligated to finish construction of the remaining aircraft on backlog, with the final CRJ-700 plane delivered to customers four years ago.
Despite MHI's investment largely targeted at accessing a new geographic market, the new owner eventually abandoned the regional jet business entirely, shutting down its planned CRJ successor, the MHI SpaceJet. Now demand for passenger planes capable of seating 60-100 people is largely served by Brazil's Embraer Group.
Bombardier currently concentrates on its two main lines of private jets, Challenger and Global, that were developed following its 1990 acquisition of Learjet. These are led by the upcoming flagship Global 8000 that costs an estimated $80 million-plus, and can seat as many as 18 occupants while travelling nearly at the speed of sound.
This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
2 hours ago
Jack Daniel's maker Brown-Forman sees sales fall as Trump trade conflicts weigh on spirits producers
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Brown-Forman Corp. reported weaker sales Thursday as the maker of Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey confronts challenging market conditions amid global trade conflicts and pinched consumer spending. The Louisville, Kentucky-based spirits giant said its full-year net sales of nearly $4 billion were down 5% from a year ago, and fell 7% in in the fourth quarter. Net income was down 15% for the full fiscal year and plunged 45% in the fourth quarter ending April 30, the company said. The quarterly drop came as Brown-Forman and other U.S. spirits producers who rely heavily on foreign sales felt the reverberations from President Donald Trump's sweeping tariff plans and consumer anxiety about the economy. Brown-Forman also offered a sobering assessment for the coming year. Having steered the company through an 'extremely challenging and uncertain operating environment' in the past year, Brown-Forman CEO Lawson Whiting predicted another challenging year ahead. 'Fiscal 2025 was a year unlike any other that I've seen in the past three decades,' he said during a conference call with industry market analysts. Whiting pointed to industry figures showing that many consumers are purchasing smaller sizes of spirits. He called it unusual and said it reflects a consumer 'who's pinched and just goes to the store with a $10 bill instead of $20 and then they get the smaller size.' 'The consumer and their wallet just doesn't have as much money in it," he said. "They're spending money on things like vacations and lodging, and other things like that. But then when it trickles down and they go to the grocery store, I think in some cases, spirits have fallen out of the basket a little bit.' In its outlook for the next year, the company said the challenges include continued consumer uncertainty and the 'potential impact from currently unknown tariffs.' 'We know it's highly volatile," Leanne Cunningham, the company's CFO, said while fielding a question about tariffs during the conference call. "None of us can predict what's going on." The company believes the market volatility will "create sustained levels of consumer uncertainty, which we believe will lead to another year of below historical total distilled spirits trends,' she said. Trump has often announced changes and pauses to his sweeping tariff plans on his social media platform. Trump hiked nearly all of his tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to a punishing 50% on Wednesday in a move that's set to hammer businesses from automakers to home builders, and likely push up prices for consumers even further. Brown-Forman executives said Thursday that American spirits brands mostly remain off store shelves in Canada. Trump has angered Canadians with his trade war and calls to make Canada the 51st state. Spirits makers in Kentucky have expressed fears of becoming "collateral damage' by getting caught up in trade conflicts. 'The uncertainty of the tariffs continues to weigh down distilleries large and small," Chris Swonger, president and CEO of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, said in a statement Thursday. "We are urging the Trump administration to help get the spirits sector back to fair and reciprocal trade with zero-for-zero tariffs with our major trading partners.' Meanwhile, Brown-Forman's full-year results showed that net sales for its whiskey products were flat. Growth from Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey and its Woodford Reserve brand was offset by the negative effect of foreign exchange and declines in other super-premium Jack Daniel's products, it said. The company will launch a new product, Jack Daniel's Tennessee Blackberry, this summer. 'BlackBerry is a globally recognized, well-established flavor trend, and naturally complements the flavor of Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey," Whiting said. In January, Brown-Forman announced it was reducing its global workforce by about 12% and closing its hometown barrel-making plant in Louisville. Whiting reaffirmed Thursday that those actions are expected to produce about $70 million to $80 million in annualized cost savings.
2 hours ago
The implosion of a powerful political alliance: Trump and Musk in their own words
Last Friday, President Donald Trump heaped praise on Elon Musk as the tech billionaire prepared to leave his unorthodox White House job. Less than a week later, their potent political alliance met a dramatic end Thursday when the men attacked each other with blistering epithets. Trump threatened to go after Musk's business interests. Musk called for Trump's impeachment. Here's a look at the implosion of their relationship in their own words. 'Today it's about a man named Elon. And he's one of the greatest business leaders and innovators the world has ever produced. He stepped forward to put his very great talents into the service of our nation and we appreciate it. Just want to say that Elon has worked tirelessly helping lead the most sweeping and consequential government reform program in generations.' — Trump, May 30, Oval Office remarks ___ Trump invited cameras into the Oval Office last week to bid farewell to Musk, who said he was stepping away from his government work to focus on his businesses. Trump spoke effusively of Musk and his work with the Department of Government Efficiency for nearly 15 minutes straight. "I'll continue to be visiting here and be a friend and adviser to the president," Musk said. He marveled at the gold-tinged decorations Trump placed around the Oval Office. 'The oval office finally has the majesty that it deserves thanks to the president,' he said. 'I'm sorry, but I just can't stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it.' — Musk, Tuesday, post on X. ___ Days after their Oval Office meeting, Musk escalated his previously restrained criticism of Trump's 'big, beautiful' budget bill, the president's top congressional priority. Still, he kept his critique focused on their policy disagreement. He did not go after Trump by name, even as he called on Republican lawmakers to vote down the bill and threatened political retribution against those who took Trump's side. 'In November next year, we fire all politicians who betrayed the American people,' Musk wrote on X. Uncharacteristically for a man who rarely lets a snub go unanswered, Trump did not respond. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Musk's views on the bill were not a surprise to Trump, and his social media posting 'doesn't change the president's opinion.' Musk continued Wednesday, approvingly sharing social media posts and memes that criticized the budget's price tag and deficit impacts, though still directing his ire at Congress. 'Elon and I had a great relationship. I don't know if we will anymore." -- Trump, Thursday, Oval Office meeting with the German chancellor. ___ Trump said he was 'very disappointed in Elon" and was surprised by his benefactor's criticism. The war of words escalated rapidly from there. It all played out on their respective social media platforms, with Musk posting on X and Trump on Truth Social. Musk dismissed Trump's criticism. 'Whatever,' he wrote. He shared old Trump social media posts urging lawmakers to oppose deficit spending and increasing the debt ceiling. 'Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate," Musk posted, a reference to Musk's record political spending last year, which topped $250 million. 'Such ingratitude,' he added. Trump said Musk had worn out his welcome at the White House and was mad that Trump was changing electric vehicle policies in ways that would financially harm Musk-led Tesla. 'Elon was 'wearing thin,' I asked him to leave, I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!), and he just went CRAZY!' Trump wrote. He added: 'The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon's Governmental Subsidies and Contracts. I was always surprised that Biden didn't do it!' 'Time to drop the really big bomb: Trump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!' — Musk, Thursday, X post. ___ In a series of posts, he shined a spotlight on ties between Trump and Jeffrey Epstein, the financier who killed himself while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. Some loud voices in Trump's 'Make America Great Again' movement claim Epstein's suicide was staged by powerful figures, including prominent Democrats, who feared Epstein would expose their involvement in trafficking. Trump's own FBI leaders have dismissed such speculation and there's no evidence supporting it. 'Yes,' he wrote.
Black America Web
3 hours ago
- Black America Web
Target Loses $12 Billion —Biggest Boycott Since Montgomery Bus Protest
Source: Bettmann / Getty In what's being widely recognized as the most impactful Black-led boycott since the Montgomery Bus Boycott of the 1950s, Target has suffered a staggering $12 billion loss in market value. The ripple effects were swift: stock prices tumbled, and the company's CEO saw his salary slashed by nearly half. And it all started with a unified community refusing to spend. At the heart of this movement is a renewed focus on economic justice and buying power, led by Black organizers and everyday consumers who decided enough was enough. The digital front lines were powered by platforms like @miiriya_, a Black-owned marketplace app that promotes shopping from Black businesses and creators. Their viral posts and grassroots messaging helped ignite a widespread movement calling for economic withdrawal from companies perceived to be failing the Black community—Target being a key focus. This boycott didn't just trend—it translated into billions of dollars in real economic consequence. While Target has yet to release a full statement addressing the financial fallout, the damage is already done. More importantly, the message has been delivered: Black consumers are not to be overlooked or taken for granted. The comparisons to the Montgomery Bus Boycott are more than symbolic. That historic protest lasted over a year and reshaped American civil rights. Today's version happened in a digital world, but the strategy is rooted in the same core principle: collective financial action leads to real accountability. The success of this boycott is a blueprint for future organizing. It shows that through tech, social platforms, and intentional spending, Black economic power can shift markets. It also highlights the importance of supporting Black-owned alternatives like Miiriya, which not only gives consumers a place to shop with purpose but also reinforces a vision for long-term community sustainability. RELATED: Target Messed Around And Found Out, Reports 1st Quarter Sales Slump SEE ALSO Target Loses $12 Billion —Biggest Boycott Since Montgomery Bus Protest was originally published on Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
