BOMBARDIER HAS flown the third Global Express long-range business jet. Aircraft 9003 was flown for the first time on 22 April, from the de Havilland final-assembly plant in Toronto, Canada. It is scheduled to join the first two Global Expresses at Bombardier's Wichita, Kansas, fiight-test centre in early May.
The 2h 40min first flight was restricted to 15,000ft (5,000m) by poor weather, but the aircraft was flown to 41,000ft on the following day during its 4h 5min second flight. Aircraft 9003 will be assigned to avionics testing. Almost 300h has been accumulated in more than 100 flights of the first two aircraft, with Aircraft 9001 assigned to handling and performance testing and Aircraft 9002 to systems evaluation. The Global Express has been flown to Mach 0.955 and 51,000ft.
Bombardier says that Aircraft 9004, 9005 and 9006 are in various stages of assembly, with 9004 to be outfitted with an interior this year and used for function and reliability testing. Aircraft 9005 will be the first customer Global Express and is scheduled for delivery to Bombardier's Montreal completion centre in December.
Source: Flight International
