Bombardier Global 8000 taking off at Farnborough International Airshow 2026

Global 8000 Takes the Sky: Inside Bombardier's Farnborough Debut

How the flagship jet earned its flying display slot, and where it fits in Bombardier's defense playbook

En route from Los Angeles to Farnborough, the Mach 0.95 business jet set a new speed record, completing the flight in just 8 hours and 46 minutes. What makes this display even more remarkable is that Bombardier is using a fully customer-configured demo aircraft—flown by regular demonstration pilots—to prove its real-world envelope, safety, and short-field performance. BJT sister-publication Aviation International News reporter Charlotte Bailey speaks with Bombardier to discuss how they prepared for the flying display, as well as how the Global 8000 and Global 6500 fit into the expanding Bombardier Defense portfolio—from ISR and SIGINT applications to head-of-state transport.

THANK YOU TO OUR BJTONLINE SPONSORS