Bombardier, the airplane manufacturer with operations in Oklahoma City announced it intends to build and assemble its newest business jet, the Learjet 75 Liberty in Wichita.
How many more new jobs it might mean isn’t known. The Learjet 75 Liberty is a six-seat light jet.
“The Learjet 75 Liberty demonstrates our commitment to this iconic brand. This aircraft is a supreme vote of confidence in the Learjet product and our Wichita site, and paves the way for a busy future on the Learjet production line,” said Mark Masluch, director of public affairs for Bombardier.
He wouldn’t say how many jobs could be added in Wichita. The company had more than 1,000 employees in Wichita as of Tuesday, he said according to the Wichita Eagle.
“Of course, we’ll evaluate the need to expand our workforce as this program progresses,” Masluch said.
Bombardier is restructuring its company after essentially dropping out of the commercial plane market last week. The Canada-based company sold its regional jet business to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for $550 million.
The Learjet 75 Liberty will have a list price of $9.9 million, about $2 million less than the original Learjet 75, and fewer seats but more legroom, according to the plane’s specifications. It has a range of 2,080 nautical miles, meaning it can fly from Las Vegas to New York, Seattle to Washington, D.C., without stopping for gas.
The lower-priced jets could help boost Bombardier’s deliveries, which have been on a five-year decline. It delivered 12 Learjet 75s last year.
Bombardier will begin deliveries of the Learjet 75 Liberty in 2020, the release says.
