Bombardier’s Global 5500 and 6500 have been awarded Transport Canada certification, clearing the way for the airframer to begin delivering the re-engined and re-winged business jets.
The certifications came one day after Rolls-Royce announced it had secured certification from Transport Canada for the 15,125lb (67.2kN)-thrust Pearl 15 turbofans which power the two aircraft.
Bombardier expects to “imminently” deliver the first aircraft, a 6500 variant, to a lessor, which will lease the aircraft back to the manufacturer as a product demonstrator.
The airframer anticipates that the European Union Aviation Safety Agency will green-light the Global 5500 and 6500 next, followed by the US Federal Aviation Administration.
The company does not disclose a timeline for those certifications, but expects to deliver a handful of the aircraft before year-end.
Bombardier
Bombardier announced development of the Global 5500 and 6500 at last year’s EBACE show in Geneva.
The aircraft have new wings, and the Pearl 15s burn 7% less fuel per pound of thrust than the R-R BR710s, which power the older Global 5000 and 6000.
The 16-passenger Global 5500 has a 5,700nm (10,600km) range, allowing it to fly routes such as Sao Paulo-Paris, while the 17-passenger Global 6500’s 6,600nm range allows that model to connect cities like Hong Kong with London.
By comparison, the Global 5000 has a 5,200nm range and the 6000 has a 6,000nm range.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
