Widerĝe and Bombardier: a 50-year relationship	May 2003

We don't know of any other aircraft manufacturer that can say it has had an unbroken and exclusive 50-year relationship with a customer. But that's the way it is for Bombardier Aerospace Regional Aircraft, n ée de Havilland of Canada, and Widerĝe's Flyveselskap ASA of Norway.

The manufacturer and the customer celebrated the relationship at a dinner held in Oslo on April 24, 2003. Steven A. Ridolfi, President of Bombardier Regional Aircraft, put the liaison in another, more illustrative context when he remarked, "Powered flight reaches its 100th anniversary later this year, so Widerĝe has been flying de Havilland or Bombardier aircraft exclusively for fully half of those 100 years. That's quite a record."

All of the de Havilland/Bombardier aircraft Widerĝe has flown - or is still flying - were and are powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada engines.

Widerĝe, which was begun in 1934 by legendary Norwegian aviator Viggo Widerĝe, operated its first de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver in 1953. A year later, the airline became the first non-Canadian customer for the new DHC-3 Otter.

de Havilland pioneered the short take-off and landing (STOL) concept with the DHC-6 Twin Otter and, in 1968, Widerĝe took the concept and the airplane and began to build an airline around them, opening scheduled services to remote northern communities with 800-metre (2,635-foot) airstrips. Later came the 50-passenger Dash 7, 37-seat Dash 8-100, 50-seat Dash 8 Q300 and, most recently, 72-seat Q400 aircraft.

In recognition of its achievements, the European Region Airlines Association presented Widerĝe with its Silver Award for 2002/2003. The judges noted that it was remarkable that Widerĝe can show such an outstanding performance in regularity and punctuality, given the harsh weather and geographic conditions in Norway.

We at Bombardier like to think that our airplanes have played, and continue to play, a significant role in this achievement and we look forward to continuing our relationship for another half century.