Bombardier is stressing to NBAA attendees that three of its new Global business jets remain on track for entry into service this year and next.
The Montreal airframer expects "imminent" certification by US and European regulators of its Global 7500, which received Canadian certification in late September.
"We are in full production," says Bombardier Business Aircraft president David Coleal. "This aircraft will enter service this year."
The company is already installing interiors on production GE Aviation Passport–powered 7500, he adds.
The Global 5500 and 6500 – Bombardier unveiled both to surprised EBACE attendees earlier this year – will be flying for customers in 2019, says senior vice-president of Bombardier's Global 7500 and 8000 programme Michel Ouellette.
Bombardier has completed 70% of 5500/6500 flight testing, which has been done at the company's Wichita site. The manufacturer also finished an aerodynamic validation of a "re-profiled" wing.
"Bombardier’s experienced flight test team reports that the Global 5500 and Global 6500 aircraft are performing exceptionally well throughout the rigorous flight testing programme," the company says in a release.
Bombardier made notable tweaks to differentiate the 5500 and 6500 from predecessors Global 5000 and 6000.
The reworked wing provides better range and speed, and the aircraft's recently certified Rolls-Royce Pearl 15 engines, which replace R-R BR710s, provide 7% better fuel efficiency, more thrust and improved operations from "hot and high" airports, the company says.
The 16-passenger 5500 has a range of 5,700nm (10,600km), which is 500nm more than the 5000. The 17-passenger 6500's range comes in at 6,600nm, 600nm more than the 6000, according to Bombardier. The aircraft have top speeds of Mach 0.90.
The company also modernised the 5500's and 6500's cockpits and cabins. The aircraft have Bombardier's Vision flight deck, which includes a "combined vision system" that merges "enhanced and synthetic images into a single view".
The cabins have Bombardier's "Nuage" seats, high-speed internet connectivity and a "4K, ultra-high resolution" video system.
Bombardier has said it will continue building Global 5000s and 6000s, but will leave the ultimate fate of those models to market demand.
For all the coverage from NBAA check out our dedicated event page
Source: Flight Daily News
