A glimmer if excitement was provided Monday by Bombardier, who revealed supersonic speed accomplishments and confirmed the launch of its new business plane.
According to the Canadian company, the Global 8000 in development will be “the fastest and longest-range purpose built business jet.”
According to Bombardier, the plane will be in service by 2025 and can carry up to 19 passengers. It has a range of 8,000 miles (14,000 kilometers) and a top speed Mach 0.94.
This news comes after the Global 7500 test vehicle broke through the sound barrier last May during a demonstration flight, reaching speeds exceeding Mach 1.015.
Supersonic breakthrough
Bombardier says that the aircraft was accompanied by a NASA F/A-18 chase airplane. This made it the first Transport Category plane to fly supersonic using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
Eric Martel, President and CEO of Bombardier, stated that the Global 8000 aircraft leverages all the great attributes of the Global 7500 aircraft. This provides our customers with a flagship plane of a new era.
Global 7500 flight test vehicles have already been used to begin testing the Global 8000. Bombardier claims that the new aircraft will have a cabin height equivalent to 2,900 feet.
New era
Global 8000 is only one of the many innovations in the long-running efforts to improve passenger aircraft speed, which began more than 20 years after Concorde’s retirement.
United Airlines announced last year that it may offer supersonic flights as soon as 2029, after having purchased 15 supersonic aircraft.
Boom Supersonic, a Colorado-based company, has been testing X-B1, its prototype aircraft for its Overture Jet. It is designed to carry 65 to 88 passengers and will fly over 500 transoceanic routes.
Unfortunately, Aerion, a Florida-based aviation startup, collapsed months ago after it revealed plans for a Mach4+ commercial airliner called Aerion AS3 last summer.
Correction: An earlier version of this story mischaracterized the retirement date of Concorde. Concorde aircraft were retired from service in 2003.
Top image credit: Bombardier Aviation
