Bombardier’s flagship Global 7500 business jet has entered service, eight years after its launch.
The milestone was marked at a dedicated ceremony on 20 December at the airframer's Montreal-based completion centre, where Bombardier Business Aircraft president David Coleal called the ultra-long-range aircraft "the gateway to a transformed business aviation landscape and a very bright future".
The aircraft, which carriers the serial number 70006, was delivered to its unnamed owner in early December and Bombardier will operate the aircraft as a demonstrator under a lease-back arrangement with the customer. "It will then move on to another end-user," the airframer says.
The GE Passport-powered twinjet was launched in 2010 as the Global 7000. It was rebranded in May to reflect a 300nm (560km) increase in maximum operating range during flight testing to 7,700nm.
The Global 7500 has the longest cabin in the traditional business jet market, at 16.5m (54ft) and is described by Bombardier as the only aircraft in its segment with "four customisable living areas".
"The world-class, highly skilled team [at Bombardier] continues to carry on the tradition of delivering game-changing large-cabin aircraft in Montreal, much like the original Global Express 20 years ago," says Michel Ouellette, senior vice-president, programme management and engineering.
Bombardier has secured over 100 orders for the Global 7500 and says production is sold out until 2021. The company forecasts deliveries of between 15 and 20 aircraft in 2019 and between 35 and 40 in 2020.
Customers include former Formula 1 racing driver and Bombardier brand ambassador Niki Lauda, Hong Kong charter and management company HK Bellawings Jet, fractional ownership giant NetJets, and Thomas Flohr, founder of luxury charter provider and long-time Bombardier customer VistaJet.
Source: Flight International
