First Production Bombardier Global 8000 Underway

As the testing program for Bombardier’s new flagship Global 8000 nears completion, the Canadian airframer announced at the 2024 NBAA-BACE that it has begun construction of the first production model of the ultra-long-range business jet. It will be the first built from the wheels up as a Model 8000, since modified Global 7500s were used for the flight-test program. Service entry is schedule for later next year.

Éric Martel, the OEM’s president and CEO, said certification of the twinjet—a longer-legged, faster variant of the Global 7500—is expected to go smoothly as it approached 300 hours of testing. “We do flight testing across the product, so we are extremely happy with the result; the industry’s fastest speed, longest range, lowest cabin altitude, and smoothest ride is coming next year,” he said. Range is expected to be 8,000 nm at Mach 0.85, while its top speed will be Mach 0.94.

Production of major components is currently taking place at Bombardier facilities in Saint-Laurent, Québec; Red Oak, Texas; and Querétaro, Mexico.

A retrofit kit will be available for Global 7500 customers looking to bring their aircraft to the 8000 standard, a process that will take approximately 10 days in a Bombardier service center.

Meanwhile, Bombardier is about to reach the 200th Global 7500 delivery, to be followed soon after by the 100th Challenger 3500 handover and 1,000th shipment of a 300-series Challenger. Courtesy of AIN.