Shandong Airlines (SDA) signed in Beijing today a contract involving 1.1 billion USdollars with Canada's Bombardier Aerospace attached to the Bombardier Inc., purchasing five CRJ (Canadair Regional Jet 200) planes.

CRJ has 50 seats and is mainly designed to satisfy the needs of regional air transportation markets. SDA's president, Sun Dehan said that they will use the airplanes to further extend their regional routes in China.

SDA and Canada's CAE Electronics have also signed a contract to set up a training center in Shandong Province, offering support services, including technological training, daily maintenance and repairs, and also training of air hostesses.

James Dailly, vice president of the Asia/Pacific Sales for Bombardier Aerospace, said that China is a large market of extreme importance in the Asian-Pacific region, and Bombardier Aerospace will strive to become dominant in China's regional air transportation system.

Sun said that the SDA has opened 200 routes linking 20 cities in the country since the Airline was founded in 1994. The Airline has also opened a route to Seoul.

The Bombardier Inc. is an enterprise dealing in aerospace, railway transportation, entertainment facilities, and finance. It has set up factories and offices in 12 countries in North America, Europe, and Asia. (Xinhua)