As the Global 7000 performs high-speed taxi texts at Toronto’s Downsview airport, Bombardier bosses could be celebrating a highly symbolic first flight for the new flagship business jet before the show closes on Thursday.
High-speed taxi tests are a last prelude to a maiden take-off, but the Canadian manufacturer – which launched the Global 7000 at the NBAA show six years ago – must wait for near-perfect conditions before committing to the air. Bombardier released video of the high-speed tests on 1 November.
Although Bombardier is not commenting short of saying that it intends to fly the ultra-long-range type this year, it is believed to be waiting for a suitable weather window this week.
A maiden flight during the year’s biggest business aviation gathering would be a fillip for Bombardier’s business aircraft prospects after the company nearly halved output of the smaller Global 5000/6000 family earlier this year.
First flight in the next few days would keep the programme on track for certification and first delivery in the second half of 2018.
fly by wire
The $72.8 million aircraft features a full fly-by-wire flight control system derived from the architecture developed for the Bombarder CSeries aircraft family.
It is equipped with the GE Aviation Passport engine and Vision flightdeck, which is based on the Rockwell Collins avionics suite.
As deliveries begin in two years’ time, the Global 7000 will offer the first direct response to the 7,000nm range offered by the Gulfstream G650, but with a nearly 8ft longer passenger cabin.
Bombardier plans to build four aircraft for the two-year-long flight test campaign. As FTV-1 begins flying, FTV-2 is advancing down the final assembly line. “It looks like a beehive. It should. There’s a lot of people working on this to bring it to flight,” says Michel Ouellette, senior vice-president of the Global 7000 and 8000 programmes.
The next aircraft, FTV-3, will be assembled to focus on the aircraft’s electronic systems and avionics during flight testing. Finally, FTV-4 will be assembled with a complete and production-standard interior. So far, Bombardier workers have joined the wings on aircraft FTV-4.
Source: Flight Daily News
