Bombardier revealed on Monday that a test business jet aircraft broke the sound barrier on a flight carried out in 2021, accompanied by a NASA F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet.
According to the Canadian company, it was the FTV5 prototype that in May of last year reached Mach 1015, making it the first civil aircraft to perform a supersonic flight since Concorde.
The test program involves the launch of the Global 8000, its most impressive performance business jet to date. Presented at EBACE, the model will be capable of flying at Mach 0.94 and at a distance of 8,000 nm (14,800 km).
The new plane will be able to carry up to 19 passengers and should hit the market in 2025, the company predicts.
The answer to the Gulfstream G800, the Global 8000 is an enhancement of the Global 7500, which has been selling well since its launch.
To match the proposed performance, Bombardier improved the jet’s wings and also the Passport engine. In addition, the aircraft lost weight and now has greater fuel capacity.
“The Global 8000 aircraft leverages the outstanding attributes of the Global 7500 aircraft, providing our customers with a flagship aircraft of a new era. We remain unmatched, which for an innovation-focused team like us, is great,” said Éric Martel, Bombardier’s President and Chief Executive Officer.
The launch of the Global 8000 is decisive for the recovery of Bombardier, a company that has shrunk significantly in recent years after selling its turboprop, commercial jet and rail equipment divisions, as well as ending production of the Learjet models.
