Bombardier Global Express
Encyclopedia
The Bombardier Global Express is an ultra long range corporate and VIP
high speed jet aircraft
produced by Bombardier Aerospace
. The Bombardier Global 5000 is a slightly shorter version. The Global Express has also been modified for military missions, such as the Raytheon Sentinel
.
The Global Express shares the Canadair Regional Jet's fuselage cross section and is similar in length, but despite the size similarities the two aircraft are very different due to the nature of their roles. The Global Express features an advanced all new supercritical wing with a 35° sweep and winglets, plus a new T-tail. The aircraft is powered by two BMW RollsRoyce BR-710 turbofan
s with FADEC. The advanced flightdeck features a six screen Honeywell Primus 2000 XP EFIS suite and is offered with optional heads-up displays.
The Global Express was announced on October 28, 1991 at the NBAA convention. Full-scale cabin mockup was exhibited at the NBAA convention in September 1992. Conceptual design started early 1993 and the programme was officially launched on December 20, 1993. The aircraft high-speed configuration was frozen in June 1994 and the low-speed configuration was established in August 1994.
The Global Express can fly intercontinental ranges without refueling (e.g. New York
–Tokyo
) or between most two points in the world with only one stop. In this class the Global Express competes with the Airbus Corporate Jet, Boeing Business Jet
, Dassault Falcon 7X
and Gulfstream G550
.
Bombardier subsidiaries have three specific roles in the project: Canadair
is the design leader and manufactures the nose; Short Brothers
, Belfast
is responsible for the design and manufacture of the engine nacelle
s, horizontal stabiliser
and forward fuselage
; and de Havilland Canada
builds the rear fuselage and vertical tail
and carries out final assembly. The major external supplier is Japan
's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
which builds the wing and centre fuselage sections.
s simply to improve the brand image. The range increase is achieved by addition of a 1,486 lb (674 kg) fuel tank at the wing root. The Global Express XRS entered service in early 2006. The unit price is estimated to be $45.5 million (US). Bombardier claims it takes 15 minutes less to fuel the XRS than the original model thanks to improved computer systems and mechanical refinements.
The Global 5000 (model designation BD-700-1A11) is a derivative based on Global Express, with 0.813 m (32 in) reduction in forward fuselage length, and 1,200 nm reduction in maximum range. Seating capacity is up to 19 passengers. The aircraft was announced on October 25, 2001 with the official launch on 5 February 2002, after a positive market assessment with letters of intent for 15 aircraft.
The aircraft is manufactured by Bombardier Aerospace in Toronto, Ontario, and flown "green" to Montreal, Quebec, or Savannah for final completion.
The Global 5000 is built on the same production line as the Global Express XRS, and the two types' serial numbers are intermingled.
The first Global 5000 aircraft (s/n 9127) flew on March 7, 2003. The flight was dedicated to testing basic system functionality and assessing the aircraft's handling and flying qualities. The aircraft completed its preliminary testing at Bombardier's Downsview facility, before it moved to Bombardier's Wichita facility to begin the flight test program.
The Global 5000 made its first appearance at the Paris Air Show
in June 2003.
The Global 5000 can fly close to 5000 nautical miles (9,260 km) nonstop at Mach 0.80. The average trip lengths for most operators is 2.5 hours where the aircraft will cruise between Mach 0.85 and Mach 0.89, making it one of the fastest long range jets available today.
Typical configuration features 18 passenger seats including fully berthable seats and an aft lounge/bedroom. The aircraft has a full galley and two lavatories. The crew rest area was removed, but is being considered on newer versions.
Originally, the maximum takeoff weight was 89700 lb (40,687.2 kg). With typical equipment and passenger accoutrements, the empty weight was 52,000–55,000 pounds (22,600–25,000 kg). In April 2008, Bombardier announced that the certified gross weight had been increased to 92,500 lb (41954 kg), which permitted an increased fuel load—projected maximum range increased to 5,200 nm (9637 km).
The maximum certified altitude is 51000 ft (15,544.8 m) The typical approach speed is 108 knots (211.7 km/h) requiring approximately 2600 feet (792.5 m) of runway for landing.
Global 5000 changes compared to the Global Express are:
), companies (such as MNG JET Aerospace) and executive charter operators, and the following government agencies:
Very Important Person
A Very Important Person, or VIP is a person who is accorded special privileges due to his or her status or importance.Examples include celebrities, heads of state/heads of government, major employers, high rollers, politicians, high-level corporate officers, wealthy individuals, or any other...
high speed jet aircraft
Jet aircraft
A jet aircraft is an aircraft propelled by jet engines. Jet aircraft generally fly much faster than propeller-powered aircraft and at higher altitudes – as high as . At these altitudes, jet engines achieve maximum efficiency over long distances. The engines in propeller-powered aircraft...
produced by Bombardier Aerospace
Bombardier Aerospace
Bombardier Aerospace is a division of Bombardier Inc. and is the third-largest airplane manufacturer in the world. It is headquartered in Dorval, Quebec, Canada.- History :...
. The Bombardier Global 5000 is a slightly shorter version. The Global Express has also been modified for military missions, such as the Raytheon Sentinel
Raytheon Sentinel
|-See also:-References:* Winchester, Jim. "Aircraft of the RAF Part 5 - Raytheon Sentinel R1". Air International, Volume 75 No.3, September 2008. pp.54-57.-External links:* * * *...
.
Design and development
Bombardier Aerospace began studies in 1991 and the aircraft was officially launched in 1993. The first flight occurred on October 13, 1996.The Global Express shares the Canadair Regional Jet's fuselage cross section and is similar in length, but despite the size similarities the two aircraft are very different due to the nature of their roles. The Global Express features an advanced all new supercritical wing with a 35° sweep and winglets, plus a new T-tail. The aircraft is powered by two BMW RollsRoyce BR-710 turbofan
Turbofan
The turbofan is a type of airbreathing jet engine that is widely used for aircraft propulsion. A turbofan combines two types of engines, the turbo portion which is a conventional gas turbine engine, and the fan, a propeller-like ducted fan...
s with FADEC. The advanced flightdeck features a six screen Honeywell Primus 2000 XP EFIS suite and is offered with optional heads-up displays.
The Global Express can fly intercontinental ranges without refueling (e.g. New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
–Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
) or between most two points in the world with only one stop. In this class the Global Express competes with the Airbus Corporate Jet, Boeing Business Jet
Boeing Business Jet
|-External links:* .* .*...
, Dassault Falcon 7X
Dassault Falcon 7X
|-See also:-External links:****...
and Gulfstream G550
Gulfstream G500/G550
The Gulfstream G500 and G550 are business jet aircraft produced by General Dynamics' Gulfstream Aerospace unit, located in Savannah, Georgia, USA. They are variants of the Gulfstream V. There are nine G500s, and 198 G550s in active service as of ....
.
Bombardier subsidiaries have three specific roles in the project: Canadair
Canadair
Canadair Ltd. was a civil and military aircraft manufacturer in Canada. It was a subsidiary of other aircraft manufacturers, then a nationalized corporation until privatized in 1986, and became the core of Bombardier Aerospace....
is the design leader and manufactures the nose; Short Brothers
Short Brothers
Short Brothers plc is a British aerospace company, usually referred to simply as Shorts, that is now based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Founded in 1908, Shorts was the first company in the world to make production aircraft and was a manufacturer of flying boats during the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s...
, Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
is responsible for the design and manufacture of the engine nacelle
Nacelle
The nacelle is a cover housing that holds engines, fuel, or equipment on an aircraft. In some cases—for instance in the typical "Farman" type "pusher" aircraft, or the World War II-era P-38 Lightning—an aircraft's cockpit may also be housed in a nacelle, which essentially fills the...
s, horizontal stabiliser
Tailplane
A tailplane, also known as horizontal stabilizer , is a small lifting surface located on the tail behind the main lifting surfaces of a fixed-wing aircraft as well as other non-fixed wing aircraft such as helicopters and gyroplanes...
and forward fuselage
Fuselage
The fuselage is an aircraft's main body section that holds crew and passengers or cargo. In single-engine aircraft it will usually contain an engine, although in some amphibious aircraft the single engine is mounted on a pylon attached to the fuselage which in turn is used as a floating hull...
; and de Havilland Canada
De Havilland Canada
The de Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd. company was an aircraft manufacturer with facilities based in what is now the Downsview area of Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
builds the rear fuselage and vertical tail
Vertical stabilizer
The vertical stabilizers, vertical stabilisers, or fins, of aircraft, missiles or bombs are typically found on the aft end of the fuselage or body, and are intended to reduce aerodynamic side slip. It is analogical to a skeg on boats and ships.On aircraft, vertical stabilizers generally point upwards...
and carries out final assembly. The major external supplier is Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
, or MHI, is a Japanese company. It is one of the core companies of Mitsubishi Group.-History:In 1870 Yataro Iwasaki, the founder of Mitsubishi took a lease of Government-owned Nagasaki Shipyard. He named it Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works, and started the shipbuilding business on a full scale...
which builds the wing and centre fuselage sections.
Global Express XRS
The Global Express XRS is an improved version of the original aircraft, (announced on October 6, 2003 during the NBAA Convention at Orlando (Florida)) offering higher cruise speed, increased range, improved cabin layout and lighting. It is reported that the letters have no significance, but were chosen by focus groupFocus group
A focus group is a form of qualitative research in which a group of people are asked about their perceptions, opinions, beliefs and attitudes towards a product, service, concept, advertisement, idea, or packaging...
s simply to improve the brand image. The range increase is achieved by addition of a 1,486 lb (674 kg) fuel tank at the wing root. The Global Express XRS entered service in early 2006. The unit price is estimated to be $45.5 million (US). Bombardier claims it takes 15 minutes less to fuel the XRS than the original model thanks to improved computer systems and mechanical refinements.
Global 5000
The aircraft is manufactured by Bombardier Aerospace in Toronto, Ontario, and flown "green" to Montreal, Quebec, or Savannah for final completion.
The Global 5000 is built on the same production line as the Global Express XRS, and the two types' serial numbers are intermingled.
The first Global 5000 aircraft (s/n 9127) flew on March 7, 2003. The flight was dedicated to testing basic system functionality and assessing the aircraft's handling and flying qualities. The aircraft completed its preliminary testing at Bombardier's Downsview facility, before it moved to Bombardier's Wichita facility to begin the flight test program.
The Global 5000 made its first appearance at the Paris Air Show
Paris Air Show
The Paris Air Show is the world's oldest and largest air show. Established in 1909, it is currently held every odd year at Le Bourget Airport in north Paris, France...
in June 2003.
The Global 5000 can fly close to 5000 nautical miles (9,260 km) nonstop at Mach 0.80. The average trip lengths for most operators is 2.5 hours where the aircraft will cruise between Mach 0.85 and Mach 0.89, making it one of the fastest long range jets available today.
Typical configuration features 18 passenger seats including fully berthable seats and an aft lounge/bedroom. The aircraft has a full galley and two lavatories. The crew rest area was removed, but is being considered on newer versions.
Originally, the maximum takeoff weight was 89700 lb (40,687.2 kg). With typical equipment and passenger accoutrements, the empty weight was 52,000–55,000 pounds (22,600–25,000 kg). In April 2008, Bombardier announced that the certified gross weight had been increased to 92,500 lb (41954 kg), which permitted an increased fuel load—projected maximum range increased to 5,200 nm (9637 km).
The maximum certified altitude is 51000 ft (15,544.8 m) The typical approach speed is 108 knots (211.7 km/h) requiring approximately 2600 feet (792.5 m) of runway for landing.
Global 5000 changes compared to the Global Express are:
- Fuselage shortened by 0.813 m (32 in).
- Removal of the fuel tank in the tail and limiting fuel in the wings.
- Reduction in MTOW by 5500 pounds (2,494.8 kg).
- Reduction in maximum range by 1,200 nm.
- Rearrangement of some avionics to gain usable cabin length.
- Generous allowance for interior completions (3200 kg).
Variants
- Global Express - (model designation BD-700-1A10) is the basic model.
- Global Express XRS -
- Global Express 5000 -
- Raytheon SentinelRaytheon Sentinel|-See also:-References:* Winchester, Jim. "Aircraft of the RAF Part 5 - Raytheon Sentinel R1". Air International, Volume 75 No.3, September 2008. pp.54-57.-External links:* * * *...
R1 - (Surveillance aircraftSurveillance aircraftA surveillance aircraft is an aircraft used for surveillance — collecting information over time. They are operated by military forces and other government agencies in roles such as intelligence gathering, battlefield surveillance, airspace surveillance, observation , border patrol and fishery...
using Bombardier airframe supplied to RaytheonRaytheonRaytheon Company is a major American defense contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. It was previously involved in corporate and special-mission aircraft until early 2007...
) - Northrop Grumman E-11A - United States Air Force designation for four Global Express being used as a platform for the Battlefield Airborne Communications NodeBattlefield Airborne Communications NodeThe Battlefield Airborne Communications Node is an airborne communications relay and gateway system hosted on a variety of aircraft that provides flexible radio connectivity across the battlespace for airborne and surface operators...
.
Military operators
- Botswana Air Force - operates a single BD-700-1A10 for VIPVIPVIP and V.I.P. is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:-In general:* Vacuum insulated panel* Values, Influence, and Peers, an anti-crime campaign in Ontario elementary schools* Variable Information Printing, a form of on-demand printing...
transportTransportTransport or transportation is the movement of people, cattle, animals and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, rail, road, water, cable, pipeline, and space. The field can be divided into infrastructure, vehicles, and operations...
.
- LuftwaffeLuftwaffeLuftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
- 4 ordered for VIP transport
- Royal Malaysian Air Force
- 1st Division - 2 Squadron - 1 for VIP transport
- Royal Air ForceRoyal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
- No. 5 Squadron RAFNo. 5 Squadron RAFNo. 5 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is the operator of the new Sentinel R1 Airborne STand-Off Radar aircraft and is based at RAF Waddington.-History:As No...
- 5 (Bombardier airframe modified as Raytheon Sentinel R1Raytheon Sentinel|-See also:-References:* Winchester, Jim. "Aircraft of the RAF Part 5 - Raytheon Sentinel R1". Air International, Volume 75 No.3, September 2008. pp.54-57.-External links:* * * *...
by RaytheonRaytheonRaytheon Company is a major American defense contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. It was previously involved in corporate and special-mission aircraft until early 2007...
)
- No. 5 Squadron RAF
- Mexican Air ForceMexican Air ForceThe Mexican Air Force is the aviation branch of the Mexican Army and depends on the National Defense Secretariat . Since 2008, its commander is Gen...
- 1 ordered
Civil operators
The aircraft is operated by private individuals (such as Mark ShuttleworthMark Shuttleworth
Mark Richard Shuttleworth is a South African entrepreneur who was the second self-funded space tourist. Shuttleworth founded Canonical Ltd. and as of 2010, provides leadership for the Ubuntu operating system...
), companies (such as MNG JET Aerospace) and executive charter operators, and the following government agencies:
- Federal Aviation AdministrationFederal Aviation AdministrationThe Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...