Charles Bombardier

Charles Bombardier
Born 1974 (age 41–42)
Valcourt, Canada
Nationality Canadian
Occupation Industrial designer, Entrepreneur

Charles Bombardier (born 1974) is a Canadian engineer, inventor and angel investor.[1][2] Bombardier worked for his family's vehicle design and manufacturing company, Bombardier Inc. and Bombardier Recreational Products.[2] Bombardier creates his own vehicle designs and publishes them on his website. Some of his designs are republished by newspapers and blogs on the web.

Background

Charles Bombardier was born in Valcourt, Canada.[3] Bombardier's grandfather was Joseph-Armand Bombardier, founder of Bombardier Inc. and Bombardier Recreational Products and inventor of the snowmobile.[2][3][4][5] In 1991, Bombardier began working for his family's company at 16 on the Ski-Doo assembly line in Valcourt.[6]

Education

Bombardier learned computer assisted design and machining (CAD / CAM) in CEGEP before completing his Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering at the École de technologie supérieure in Montreal, Quebec.[3][7] Bombardier graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering in 1998. In 2011, he completed a Certificate in Board Governance from Mc Master University, where he received the title of Chartered Director (C.Dir) and ASC.[3]

Career

Bombardier began his career with Bombardier Inc. after graduation. In the 2000s he managed three development projects with Bombardier Recreational Products as engineer and production manager.[3][8] Bombardier's first development project was the Traxter XL ATV, the first 4X4 straddle type all-terrain vehicle with a cargo box.[3] The second vehicle Bombardier developed and produced was the Ski-Doo Elite Snowmobile, a luxury side-by-side snowmobile.[3] In 2005, Bombardier was given the task to developed the BRP Can-Am Spyder Roadster.[3][9] It was the first certified on-road motorcycle manufactured by BRP. In 2008 Bombardier founded a private R&D Center and developed electric urban transporters and electric ATV's prototypes.

While working for BRP, Bombardier was also the owner of Segway Canada, but after three years sold his business back to Segway because of the limited market.[3] Bombardier also owned and operated Évasion Hors-Piste, a BRP, Kawasaki, and BMW.[3] vehicle dealership with point sales in Sherbrooke and Granby, Quebec. Bombardier sold the business in 2009 to pursuing his career in designing.[3] In October 2013, Bombardier began writing as a columnist for the automobile section of The Globe and Mail. He also became a major partner in Tandem Launch Technologies, an IT Incubator founded by Helge Seetzen.[6][10]

Concept designs

Bombardier began publishing his concepts online in March 2013.[9] The concept designs Bombardier publishes range from cars, motorcycles, planes, and boats.[8] Each design includes a narrative explaining Bombardier's reasoning for developing the idea and how the design works.[11] Bombardier collaborates with multiple different designers who take his ideas into concepts.[3] Bombardier does not patent his designs and publishes them on his website to gather feedback and improve his designs.[3] The concepts are meant to attract the attention of potential investors and manufacturers and create potential business opportunities.

Antipode

Antipode Supersonic Business Aircraft Concept
Antipode LPM Nozzle view

A hypersonic business aircraft concept designed to fly from New York to London in 11 minutes.[12][13] Rocket boosters will initially lift the aircraft from the ground to an altitude of 12,000 m (40,000 ft) and propel it to Mach 5, when scramjets will ignite accelerating the aircraft up to Mach 24. A nozzle in the aircraft's nose will apply NASA's Long Penetration Mode concept to scoop-up air to cool the aircraft.[14]

The Arrow

Arrow

Bombardier published the concept for the Arrow in The Globe and Mail in November 2013.[6] The Arrow is a small electronic vehicle with a narrow body that has a cockpit.[6][15] The design would be powered by Lithium-air batteries with a range of over 600 km (370 mi).[16][17] Bombardier found inspiration for the design after visiting an R&D shop in California that makes personal watercrafts that also double as semi-submersibles.[16]

Photon Mini Jetboat

Bombardier created the design for the Photon Mini Jetboat based on the design of motorboats with outwards motors that were popular in the 1970s.[18][19] The design was chosen largely for the reason of aesthetics.[18] The objective of the design is to provide a more immersive water experience.[18]

Nunavik

Nunavik

The Nunavik is a ground effect cargo plane concept designed by Bombardier.[5] The Russian Ekranoplan served as Bombardier's inspiration for the design.[5] The Nunavik is designed to fly up to 320 km/h (200 mph), 5 to 15 m (15 to 50 ft) above the ground.[5] The concept would be used to support drilling and mining operations by transporting cargo between Arctic locations, as well as border patrol and search-and-rescue missions.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "A dream job dreaming up future vehicles". Cnet. Retrieved 2014-04-13.
  2. 1 2 3 "A vision of the future – the driverless race car". Pitpass.com. 2014-05-26.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "Charles Bombardier dreams big with wild concepts". Driving. Retrieved 2014-04-13.
  4. ↑ "This Trike Motorcycle Concept Is Like A Big Wheel For Adults". Popular Science. Retrieved 2014-04-13.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Designer Airliners – Ice Road Flying". Aviation Week. Retrieved 2014-04-13.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "The Arrow: A motorcycle with a dash of fighter jet". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2014-04-13.
  7. ↑ "L’Exuma, Un Nouveau Concept de Ponton Électrique de Charles Bombardier". Quebec Yachting. Retrieved 2014-04-13.
  8. 1 2 "Charles Bombardier, artiste-ingénieur". La Presse. Retrieved 2014-04-13.
  9. 1 2 "Le Petit-Fils de Joseph-Armand Bombardier Concepteur D'Automobiles". Autonet. Retrieved 2014-04-13.
  10. ↑ "The Overdrive truck: Able to move in any direction". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2014-04-13.
  11. ↑ "Creating a Stress-Free Environment". Trend Reports. Retrieved 2014-04-13.
  12. ↑ Carrington, Daisy. "The Antipode: Flying from New York to London in 11 minutes". CNN. CNN. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  13. ↑ Charles, Bombardier. "Antipode". Imaginactive. Imaginactive. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  14. ↑ Venkatachari, Balaji Shankar; Chang, Chau-Lyan; Zichettello, Benjamin; Bilyeu, David L. "Long Penetration Mode Counterflowing Jets for Supersonic Slender Configurations — A Numerical Study" (PDF). NASA. NASA. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  15. ↑ "Tandem electric car is like a road-going jet fighter". Dvice. Retrieved 2014-04-13.
  16. 1 2 "Arrow: A four-wheeled 'fighter jet' for the road". Cnet. Retrieved 2014-04-13.
  17. ↑ "The Arrow: What Happens When an Electric Motorcycle and a Fighter Jet Have a Love Child". Inhabitat. Retrieved 2014-04-13.
  18. 1 2 3 "Photon Mini Jetboat". Moteur Boat. Retrieved 2014-04-13.
  19. ↑ "Véhicule concept: Photon Mini Jetboat". Le Guide De L'Auto. Retrieved 2014-04-13.

External links

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