Bombardier’s Global 6500 business jet has moved one step closer to entry-into-service with its induction into the manufacturer’s completion centre in Montreal.
Bombardier Aviation vice president for program management Julien Boudreault says he couldn’t be happier as the aircraft undergoes high precision completion work.
“With the longest range, largest cabin in its class and smoothest ride, the Global 6500 boasts an innovative interior design and enhanced performance, offering the convenience and state-of-the-art technology our customers have come to expect from the Global family,” Boudreault said in a statement.
Bombardier said 90 per cent of flight testing has been completed at its test centre in Wichita, Kansas, and was progressing well.
The first flight test vehicle (FTV) has now been retired after successfully making it through all its mission testing.
The aircraft is powered by two purpose-built Rolls-Royce Pearl 15 engines and uses a new wing, which Bombardier said made the aircraft faster and more efficient, with “optimal operating costs that outmatch all other aircraft in their class”.
The Global 6500, along with the Global 5500, was launched at the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva in May 2018. Entry into service was planned for later in 2019.
The Global 5500 and Global 6500 share the same fuselages as the current Global 5000 and Global 6000 models.
However, two new models offered 500nm and 600nm of additional range, respectively.
Further, Bombardier said the Global 6500 had an additional range of up to 1,300nm when operating out of hot weather and high-altitude conditions. The aircraft’s top speed was Mach 0.90.
The range allows the aircraft to fly non-stop from Hong Kong or Singapore to London, and from Toluca, Mexico, to Madrid.
Also, the Global 6500 debuts the Nuage chaise, a lounge chair that converts into a flat surface for sleeping or banquet-style dining around the table and was exclusive to the new Global aircraft range.
Introducing the Nuage chaise, a design masterpiece which enables relaxation and productivity in the #Global5500 and #Global6500 cabin. #EBACE19 pic.twitter.com/bMfbtAumcZ
— Bombardier Jets (@bombardierjets) May 20, 2019
Meanwhile, Bombardier’s Global 7500 business jet has made the industry’s first ever non-stop flight from London City Airport to Los Angeles. The Global 7500 landed at Van Nuys, California, a business aviation airport serving the Los Angeles area. This was after performing a series of takeoffs and landings at London City Airport to demonstrate its operational capability, as part of its certification flight test campaign.
The flight London to Los Angeles was undertaken by a flight test vehicle (FTV5) – named “The Masterpiece” – configured with the equivalent weight of a fully fitted interior, including stateroom and shower, and 2,400lbs of additional payload representing about 11 passengers and their baggage.
