[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 77 (Wednesday, May 21, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E795]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING THE NEW CRJ900 BOMBARDIER/AMERICAN AIRLINES PARTNERSHIP

                                  _____
                                 

                          HON. KENNY MARCHANT

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 21, 2014

  Mr. MARCHANT. Mr. Speaker, yesterday a new plane debuted in the skies 
above Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport. From the outside it may 
have resembled other aircraft you've seen, on the inside this state-of-
the-art bird offers passengers a better travel experience, with more 
leg room, bigger overhead bins, and a brighter cabin.
  This plane is the CRJ900 NextGen aircraft, a new regional jet built 
by Bombardier, the world's only manufacturer of both planes and trains. 
American Airlines will be the first carrier to fly these aircraft, and 
will begin adding them to their fleet next month.
  American Airlines has been an operator of Bombardier's CRJ family of 
aircraft for a long time. And though we are all familiar with American, 
our DFW-based airline, you may not be as familiar with Bombardier who 
also has strong presence in our hometown.
  Bombardier employs more than 8,500 people in the U.S., whether at 
their manufacturing facilities that build aircraft and rail equipment 
for both domestic and export markets, at their network of service 
centers that maintain the products they build, or at their flight test, 
engineering and training centers that are an extension of their core 
manufacturing operations.
  Bombardier has four facilities in the North Texas area alone, 
including two in the 24th district: Bombardier built and currently 
operates the Skylink automated people mover at DFW, the free system 
that swiftly connects passengers to all five airport terminals. 
Bombardier also has a pilot and technician training facility at DFW, 
which I had the pleasure to visit last year, where six full-sized, 
state-of-the-art aircraft simulators train pilots and maintenance 
technicians on Bombardier aircraft. Pilots and technicians from around 
the world come to this training facility in my district.
  Bombardier is a key employer in the 24th district, and I am excited 
for American to be the first to take delivery of this sophisticated new 
regional jet. I congratulate them both on this partnership and look 
forward to flying on the new CRJ900 in the near future.

                          ____________________