The new Bombardier Global 7500 jet completed a non-stop flight of 8,152 nautical miles (15,100 km), a distance that the Canadian manufacturer classifies as “the longest mission ever flown by a purpose-built business jet”.
The aircraft, an initial production model, departed from Singapore at 7:12 local time on March 4, with three pilots, three passengers and 360 kg of luggage. The jet traveled the transpacific route to land in Tucson, Arizona at 8:19 local time. The trip was just over 16 hours, which also represents a new speed record between the two cities, according to Bombardier.
The maker also said that the Global 7500 landed in the US with 1,950 kg of fuel in the reserve, which would be enough to continue in flight for another 90 minutes. The previous record for the longest, non-stop flights of a business jet was achieved by a Gulfstream G650ER in 2015. This aircraft covered 9,010 nm between Singapore and Las Vegas with four passengers and crew.
The record-breaking business jet, the Canadian registry C-FXAI, was delivered to an unidentified customer on December 14 and was operated as a demonstrator by Bombardier under a lease-back agreement (a financial transaction in which one sells an asset and rents it back).
The Global 7500 aircraft was built to break all records, “said David Coleal, President, Bombardier Business Aircraft. “It achieved the industry’s longest mission ever in business aviation after only two months in service. We have demonstrated its unequaled long-range and high-speed capabilities, but also its ability to break records confidently with healthy fuel reserves remaining, once again, confirming its unsurpassed performance to customers. ”
Despite having traveled more than 8,000 nautical miles between Singapore and Tucson, Bombardier believes the Global 7500 has a range of 7,700 nm and can reach the top speed of Mach 0.925. The Canadian manufacturer has a portfolio of more than 110 orders for the new aircraft, enough to produce it without interruption until 2022.
See also: Bombardier Global 7000 makes first public appearance
