Bombardier aircraft: free cash flow a priority; sell-offs no surprise

In many ways, Bombardier's decision to sell its Q400 turboprop programme and its business jet training segment was not surprising, given that it now only retains a minority stake in the CSeries (now the A220). The sell-off is part of a broader scheme by the company to improve its fortunes and bolster free cash flow in the near future.

Perhaps now the question is how much those changes, and Bombardier's evaluation of options for the CRJ programme, will affect the commercial aerospace landscape. And the answer is that there will be no shift in the pecking order.

Bombardier's decision to cede a 50% stake of the CSeries to Airbus and Boeing's pursuit of a commercial JV will only strengthen the dominance Airbus and Boeing have enjoyed in the commercial aircraft industry for decades.