Bombardier's Global 6500 Enters Service

Bombardier’s first Global 6500 has entered service, a milestone reached just a week after the ultra-long-range model and its sibling, the Global 5500, received Transport Canada approval on September 24, the Montreal-headquartered aircraft manufacturer has announced.

That first Global 6500, one of a handful expected to be delivered this year, is leased back to Bombardier for use as a demonstrator. Bombardier will showcase the aircraft during this month’s National Business Aviation Association convention in Las Vegas.

FAA and EASA approvals are anticipated shortly, and deliveries of the 5500s are expected to commence next year. EASA flight-testing was completed as of last month, and the FAA effort is nearly complete. Bombardier has further been working through approvals for the pilot-training process.

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Bombardier Global 5500 and 6500

These new models combine a time-tested fuselage with features that will help the airframer compete in the traditional large-cabin market.

Certification followed a flight-testing program at Bombardier’s test center in Wichita, Kansas. The program involved three aircraft representing both models. Still to be completed are plans for adding true combined vision to the flight deck—in which enhanced vision is overlaid with synthetic vision in a single view on the head-up display. Currently, both enhanced and synthetic vision are on the models but not yet available as a combined feature.

The Transport Canada nod was announced the day after Rolls-Royce reported Canadian approval for the Pearl 15 engines powering the newest members of the Global family. Rolls-Royce also has obtained EASA approval for the Pearl 15, the first of a new engine family for the engine maker.

Bombardier unveiled the 5500 and 6500 in 2018, following on its successful Global 5000 and 6000 jets with redefined wings, new flight-deck features, a redesigned interior that borrows elements from the flagship 7500 such as the Nuage seats, and the 15,125-pound-thrust Pearl 15.

With the enhancements, the Global 6500 flies 6,600 nautical miles, with the ability to connect New York to Dubai and Hong Kong to London. It has a top speed of Mach 0.90.