Bombardier inaugurates new Aviator Lounge in Monaco

H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco officially opened the new Aviator Lounge by Bombardier in the company of Pierre Beaudoin, Bombardier’s Chairman of the Board and other Bombardier’s senior leadership members.

The new Lounge - strategically located at the Monaco Yacht Club - will provide a visually stunning, welcoming space for visitors to learn about Bombardier’s aircraft, legacy, and innovations.

“We are immensely proud to reaffirm our presence in the region with the opening of the magnificent new Aviator Lounge by Bombardier, the first tailor-made space of this kind by any jet manufacturer," said Emmanuel Bornand, Vice President of International Sales, Bombardier.

"We are honoured to be so firmly anchored within the Monaco Yacht Club, a historic and prestigious institution at the heart of the Principality of Monaco. The Aviator Lounge is a unique meeting place. Thanks to its location, it symbolizes the meeting of the land, the sea and the air. Most importantly, it provides a welcoming place for us to meet with anyone who wants to stop by to learn about Bombardier’s groundbreaking research in sustainability, about the eight decades of innovation that resulted in uncompromising, record-breaking performance of our jets, and our pioneering research into more sustainable ways to fly.”

Bombardier's Aviator Lounge was officially inaugurated by H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco and Pierre Beaudoin, Chairman of the Board, Bombardier. They were joined by (L to R) Emmanuel Bornand, Vice President, International Sales, Bombardier, Hélène Robitaille, Mr. Beaudoin's wife, and Dr. Diane Vachon, Honorary Consul General of Monaco in Montréal and Ottawa, Permanent Representative at ICAO and President of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation (Canada).

The Aviator Lounge complements Bombardier’s already strong presence across the globe. In Europe, members of Bombardier’s sales team are strategically located across the continent to be available to clients wherever they are. A broad network of service facilities includes two service centres, in London–Biggin Hill and Berlin, and five Line Maintenance Stations. These include stations at the Nice airport, the second busiest in Europe in terms of business aviation, and at Le Bourget airport in Paris.

An innovative and welcoming design

The Aviator Lounge, which already reflects Bombardier’s new brand identity unveiled only weeks ago, is a design masterpiece. It was conceived by the renowned Paris-based architect Andrea Mosca. Working from a blank canvas, he conceptualized an inviting space that is centered on Bombardier’s core value: the importance of authentic, personal, family-like relationships.

Mosca found ingenious ways to integrate Bombardier’s most important innovations and achievements into the design, both as their symbols and as conversation starters. The welcome desk in the shape of an aircraft wing hints at Bombardier’s legacy of innovation in wing design. It evokes the winglet that was first used on Learjet aircraft before becoming prevalent in aircraft design.

It is also a tribute to Bombardier’s Smooth Flĕx Wing, an engineering marvel behind the legendary smooth flight and uncompromising performance of Bombardier Global aircraft, which can perform in all types of weather and are the largest to land in airports like Gstaad’s Saanen. A stunning lightning feature resembling an engine fan blisk hangs from the ceiling, a reminder that Bombardier was the first in business aviation to use this advanced engine type.

Bombardier’s EcoJet research platform, through which the company is testing aerodynamic, propulsion and other enhancements with the potential to reduce an aircraft’s greenhouse gas emissions by 50%, is prominently displayed as well. It serves as a symbol of Bombardier’s longstanding dedication and commitment to finding tangible ways to reduce aviation’s environmental footprint.

Stunning photographs of Bombardier aircraft by the renowned French photographer Guillaume Plisson grace the walls and further elevate the space. The images were taken as part of his recent extensive collaboration with Bombardier that resulted in a host of evocative images that add to the company’s new visual identity. This was the first foray into the world of aviation for Plisson, one of the world’s most prominent maritime and yacht photographers.

New Assouline Ultimate book celebrates Bombardier’s heritage

During the inauguration of the Aviator Lounge, guests were also able to see for the first time the brand-new book Bombardier, by the acclaimed publishing house Assouline. The book, an Assouline Ultimate edition, charts Bombardier’s history from its beginnings in Valcourt, Québec (Canada), where the legendary innovator Joseph-Armand Bombardier founded the company in the 1920s after inventing a first snowmobile, until its current evolution as a company focused solely on designing, manufacturing and servicing the world’s best business jets.

The deeply researched book is complemented with insights from Laurent Beaudoin, Joseph-Armand Bombardier’s son in law, who helmed the company from 1966 to 2008, and his grandson Pierre Beaudoin, Bombardier’s current Chairman of the Board. Thanks to fascinating archival photography and new visuals by Guillaume Plisson, readers will be treated to a window seat to the fascinating history and legacy of the legendary Canadian business jet company. The book will be on sale from June 2024.

BlueSky Business Aviation News | 16th May 2024 | Issue #748