With a fresh coat of paint and 60 hours of logged time under its wing since it started flying on March 7, the first of two flight-test versions of Bombardier’s new Global 5000 made its public debut at the week-long Paris Air Show last month. The “super large” business jet–a truncated Global Express–is scheduled to enter corporate service in the fourth quarter of next year, fully certified to the latest FAA, JAA and Transport Canada amendments.
Because this Global 5000 doesn’t have RVSM approval, Bombardier did not attempt to establish any speed records on its way to or from Paris. But the aircraft’s first transatlantic trip was also its longest nonstop flight to date–six-plus hours–and it gave the crew of seven (three pilots, three technicians and a flight-test engineer) the opportunity to collect long-range fuel burn and other data. The airplane took off from White Plains, N.Y., at 85,000 pounds (2,700 pounds below mtow) and headed for an initial cruise altitude of 41,000 feet. The Atlantic crossing was made at FL430 and Mach 0.85.
More In Aircraft
