A thousand reasons to celebrate

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Airbus, Airbus Corporate Jets, Aircraft, Aviation, Boeing, Boeing Business Jets, Bombardier, Business, Business Aircraft, Business Aviation, Challenger 650, Embraer, Gulfstream, Luxury Travel, NBAA, NetJets, News, Transport, Travel

Bombardier’s 1,000th Challenger 600 series aircraft is set to enter into service this year …and that airplane will be the first Challenger 650, built for private aviation leader NetJets Inc.

Bombardier made the announcement as business aircraft manufacturers descended on Las Vegas for the 2015 National Business Aviation Association conference and exhibition.

The airplane will be on static display at the three-day show opening Tuesday.

Pat Gallagher (left) of NetJets with David Coleal of Bombardier in Las Vegas on Monday.

“Our collaboration with NetJets to create their Signature Series concept on our Challenger and Global platforms is evidence of what can be accomplished when two visionary industry leaders join forces,” said David Coleal, president of Bombardier Business Aircraft.

The aircraft is part of an original NetJets order announced in June 2012 for 100 Challenger aircraft with options for an additional 175, Bombardier said.

NetJets has also placed a firm order for 50 Global jets with options for an additional 70 aircraft in March 2011.

“The Challenger 650 aircraft will be a wonderful addition to our fleet,” said Pat Gallagher, NetJets’ executive vice-president of sales and marketing.

The airplane received certification from the Federal Aviation Administration and Transport Canada this month.

With a range of more than 7,400 kilometres, the aircraft can fly from London to New York, Dubai to London or Sao Paulo to Miami non-stop.

In other show news:

Embraer Executive Jets is forecasting a global demand for 9,100 new business jets, worth $259 billion, over the next 10 years.

“This is the total market opportunity to be serviced by all manufacturers and represents a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 3 per cent per year over the next 10 years, Embraer said.

“The analysis foresees that demand is likely to exceed the last decade’s deliveries and market value, when approximately 8,190 business jets were delivered, worth $198 billion.”

Earlier in the day, Boeing Business Jets announced orders for four new BBJ MAX 8 airplanes.

Three airplanes were ordered by an undisclosed customer based in the Middle East while one order came from an undisclosed customer in Asia, Boeing said.

Nearly 100 business aircraft will be on display at NBAA15, which has attracted more than 1,000 exhibitors from around the world.

Meanwhile, Cessna Aircraft Co. debuted its new Citation Longitude business jet.

It also announced plans to enter the large business jet category with the Citation Hemisphere.

“The Longitude and Hemisphere will join the Citation Latitude to complete a new, large-cabin, three-aircraft Citation family,” the company said.

Images are courtesy of Bombardier, NBAA, Embraer, Boeing and Cessna.

 

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Stars of the Dubai Airshow

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A350XWB, A380, Airbus, Airlines, Airports, Aviation, Boeing, Bombardier, Business, Business Aircraft, CSeries, Dassault Falcon, Dreamliner, Dubai, Dubai Airshow, Embraer, Gulfstream, News, Textron, Transport, Travel

The 14th edition of the Dubai Airshow opens on Sunday. DAS 2015 is the biggest in the show’s history. More than 160 aircraft will be on display at the five-day show.

Featured below are some of them: The first two-class configured Emirates A380, the Sukhoi Superjet 100, the Bell 429, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the Airbus A350XWB, the Bombardier CS100, the Bombardier Global 6000, the Gulfstream E650ER, the Embraer Legacy 650, the Dassault Falcon 9000LX and the Embraer Phenom 100.

Images are courtesy of their respective owners. 

Global 7000 : ‘There’s no competition’

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Airbus, Airlines, Aviation, Boeing, Bombardier, Business, Business Aircraft, Canada, Embraer, GE Aviation, Global 7000, Global 8000, Gulfstream, Luxury Travel, Montreal, News, Toronto, Transport, Travel

Work is progressing rapidly at a Bombardier facility in Toronto on what is being billed as the ultimate long-range business aircraft.

The super-luxury Global 7000 boasts of many firsts, among them a four-zone cabin that includes a bedroom.

Two Global 7000 flight test vehicles are being assembled on what the company calls “the most advanced production line in business aviation.”

Two additional test vehicles are in various stages of production.

Coleal, Ouellette and GE’s Kathy MacKenzie in Toronto on Tuesay.

“With a no-compromise approach and forward-thinking technology, we are focused on bringing the game-changing Global 7000 aircraft to market,” said David Coleal, president of Bombardier Business Aircraft.

He noted that Bombardier is employing the highest-calibre technology throughout the entire manufacturing process for the Global 7000 and Global 8000 aircraft program.

“The final assembly line in Toronto features a state-of-the-art automated positioning system that moves the wing structure into place for joining with the fuselage.”

The program’s integrated aircraft ground tests are also making good progress across 15 facilities, the company said.

When the Global 7000 and 8000 program was first announced in 2010, many thought it was in response to Gulfstream’s G650. More than 100 G650s are in service now.

But Coleal doesn’t agree with that argument.

Design Manager Tim Fagan

“The G650 is not a competitor because of the four-zone cabin,” he said Tuesday as Bombardier showcased the test vehicles to the media.

In fact, Coleal doesn’t think there is another business aircraft currently in operation or in development to compete with the Global 7000.

Powered by the next-generation General Electric engines, the Global 7000 aircraft will have a range of 7,400 NM (13,705 km) at M 0.85 with 8 passengers, and will be able to connect London to Singapore or New York City to Dubai non-stop.

The Global 8000, which is also under development, will have a longer range and feature a three-zone cabinet. It will also be powered by GE engines.

“We’re excited by the unprecedented precision and quality we’ve observed on the assembly of the first two flight test vehicles,” said Michel Ouellette, senior vice-president of the program.

“This further validates that Bombardier made the right choice in the technology it is employing to build the most advanced business jet on the market.”

The Global 7000 is expected to enter service in the second half of 2018.

As for customer interest, Ouellette said, “We’ve a healthy backlog of orders.”

A full-scale mock-up of the Global 7000

All images are by Abdul Latheef