Aerospacetestinginternational recently ran an article on the Global 8000.
Here is my TLDR:
The article highlights the recent announcement by Bombardier of their newest addition to their business jet fleet, the Global 8000. Represented by the modified fifth Global 7500 flight test vehicle (FTV5), the aircraft has exceeded Mach 1, making it the fastest commercial aircraft since Concorde. Bombardier did not suggest that the aircraft was supersonic, but instead highlighted that its performance was high enough for testing to take it beyond Mach 1. The Global 8000 is capable of reaching Mach 0.94 and can fly 9,200 miles (14,800km) at Mach 0.85.
One of the most remarkable aspects of the Global 8000 is that there is no external difference between it and the Global 7500, which means that Bombardier is offering the Global 8000 as a new build jet or by retrofit from the earlier model. The target date for service entry is 2025 as trials continue beyond the envelope expansion work that saw the sustainable aviation-fuelled FTV5, an aircraft known internally as the “Masterpiece”, repeatedly achieve Mach 1.015 in May 2021.
According to Bombardier’s Stephen McCullough, the Vice President of Engineering, the Global 8000’s evolution from the 7500 is a result of years of experience in aircraft design and a no-compromise approach. He explains that the company spent a lot of time designing the 7500, optimizing the wing for high and low speeds, and that the Global 8000 taps into the extra potential available from that approach.
The process of unlocking Global 8000 performance from the 7500 design is driven by software changes in multiple areas, with the physical shape and context of the aircraft remaining unchanged. Bombardier is also examining a small cruise thrust increase for the Global 8000’s General Electric Passport engines compared to the Global 7500’s otherwise identical powerplant. Additionally, the new model has a greater usable fuel load, achieved through means other than installing larger tanks.
Overall, Bombardier’s Global 8000 is a masterpiece in the aviation industry, with its supersonic speed and efficient design. It represents a new era of business travel and is sure to revolutionize the skies.
