The Global 8000 after the Global 7500 fleet has amassed 100,000 hours since service entry in December 2018

Bombardier marked the delivery of its 150th Global 7500 ultra-long-range business jet on Monday at NBAA-BACE 2023. The aircraft was actually delivered to an undisclosed customer in September. Now comes their flagship the Global 8000.

In addition, the Global 7500 fleet has amassed 100,000 hours since service entry in December 2018. The aircraft also set 20 speed/distance records to date, including a 8,225-nm October 2019 flight from Sydney, Australia, to Detroit, Michigan. Bombardier claims the Global 7500 has a dispatch reliability rate of 99.8 percent.

The Global 7500 features a “smooth flex wing” that reduces drag, fuel burn, and turbulence; a four-zone passenger cabin with the Lufthansa Nice Touch cabin management system, Nuage zero-gravity single executive seats, and Soleil cabin lighting designed with circadian rhythm-based technology to combat jet lag; a large galley; and dedicated crew suite.

A revised version of the aircraft announced in 2022, the Global 8000, remains under development and “on track” according to Bombardier, with plans for it to enter into service in the second half of 2025. The program’s lone test vehicle has flown 150 hours to date backed by 1,000 hours of ground rigging tests. The Global 8000’s top speed is Mach 0.94 thanks to a software change to its GE Passport engines.

The Global 8000

During flight testing in 2021, the Global 8000 exceeded Mach 1 in a shallow dive. Maximum range increases by 300 nm, to 8,000 nm, as a result of fuel storage optimization. The aircraft also adds advanced Hepa cabin air filtering. Overall aircraft dimensions are unchanged from the Global 7500, and 7500 operators will be able to upgrade their aircraft to Global 8000 configuration via service bulletin for a modification and calibration process that will take approximately one week, according to Bombardier.

Bombardier CEO Eric Martel said the company has more than 200 “order options” from large operators of Challenger and Global aircraft, with Global 7500 and Global 8000 models accounting for nearly half the total. He said the company “has set a solid foundation for its future,” adding that the company had no plans to sell any additional assets to pay down debt.

Bombardier disposed of its rail car, aerostructures, turboprop, and commuter jet divisions in recent years and is now a pure business jet player. “We’re on a nice path. We’ve been reducing the debt by more than half so far and still, you know, have a bit of work to do, but I think [we’re headed] in the right direction.”

Martel said the company was sticking with 2023 annual revenue guidance of $7.63 billion, up from $6.9 billion in 2022. Bombardier also paid down $1.1 billion of its outstanding debt, but still had $6 billion in long-term debt remaining at the end of last year. It lost $128 million from continuing operations in 2022. Moody’s currently rates Bombardier’s debt at B2 or stable. The company also has added 1,100 employees since the end of 2022 and its workforce currently stands at 17,000.

This week Bombardier also is showcasing its used aircraft resale program called Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) and discussing the Smart Services Elite enhanced product support program.

Paul Sislian, Bombardier executive v-p of aftermarket support and strategy, said aircraft that go through the CPO process on average sell for 10 percent above Blue Book value and sell 40 percent faster than those that do not. Bombardier will offer aircraft it has acquired on the aftermarket for the program and also will offer it for customer-owned Learjet, Challenger, and Global aircraft.

The CPO refurbishment program includes a full cabin upgrade with new soft goods, electronics, and connectivity. “The customer feels like he is walking into a new aircraft,” Sislian said. The process also includes all applicable service bulletin updating and a one-year warranty that includes corrosion coverage and Bombardier Smart Parts enrollment for the customer. “It’s full peace of mind,” Sislian said. A 10-year-old Challenger 300 that has been through the process is on static display this week at NBAA-BACE.

Sislian called Bombardier’s new Smart Services Elite maintenance plan “the most comprehensive cost per hour program on the market bar none” that consolidates the current Smart Services program into a single offering with a single invoice that “eliminates all the confusion” of menu-driven plans. “We’ve made the program easy.”

The Global 8000

The Global 8000 private jet is the flagship for a new era where the fastest speed, the longest range and the smoothest ride converge in a single business aircraft with proven reliability and the healthiest, best-connected cabin in the industry.

Fastest

Get to your destination faster and save time with an unbeatable top speed of Mach 0.94—the fastest ever in business aviation.

Farthest

Fly farther than ever before with an industry-leading 8,000 nautical mile range of the Global 8000 and unrivalled short‑field performance in all-weather conditions.

Smoothest

Experience the ultimate in ride quality with the Smooth Flĕx Wing of the Global 8000 , engineered for maximum control and agility at all speeds while delivering the smoothest ride.

Healthiest

Breathe easier with Bombardier Pũr Air and its advanced HEPA filter technology, arrive rested and refreshed with the Soleil circadian-based lighting system, experience the comfort of the industry’s lowest cabin altitude, and enjoy reduced lower back pressure with the Nuage seat and zero-gravity position in the Global 8000 .

Clearest

Featuring next generation fly-by-wire technology, the Bombardier Global 8000 Vision flight deck blends cutting‑edge avionics with exceptional ergonomics and aesthetics for remarkable comfort and control.

The Global 8000 is like two aircraft in one

The Global 8000 business jet is like two aircraft in one, offering the industry’s fastest speed and longest range with the spaciousness of a cabin with four equal size living spaces.

The world’s fastest business jet

The Global 8000 aircraft is the fastest business jet ever conceived. With a top speed of Mach 0.94—and the first ever transcontinental ultra-high speed cruise of Mach 0.92—you can now fly faster, providing you with more of the one thing that is always in short supply, time.

Unlock new possibilities

With an industry-leading range of 8,000 nautical miles, the Global 8000 business jet unlocks tens of thousands of popular city pair possibilities—including new ultra-long range routes, such as Dubai to Houston, Singapore to Los Angeles and London to Perth, among many others.

Longest range from even the shortest runways

Thanks to its revolutionary Smooth Flĕx Wing and innovative GE Passport engines, the Global 8000 aircraft delivers the longest range from even the shortest runways—and in all weather conditions.

Global supersonic test flight

Watch Bombardier’s FTV5 go supersonic in testing, paving the way for the Global 8000 aircraft development and making business aviation history. See the Global 8000 home page.

WITNESS THE SPEED

Visit the Global 7500 home page for more.