Vistajet to put Global 7500 aircraft into service

Jon Lawson

Bombardier’s latest line of private jets has broken several international records. In March, the Global 7500 aircraft flew more than eight thousand nautical miles without a break. It sustained a speed of mach 0.85 throughout the flight, finally touching down after sixteen hours of sustained airtime. This is a record for a purpose-built business jet, and breaks the advertised range of the craft, which sits at just 7,700 nautical miles. The flight took place between Singapore and Arizona.

Another record quickly followed: the speed record of mach 0.925, which the aircraft kept up for more than two hours between LA and New York, and completing the coast-to-coast flight in just three hours and fifty four minutes. Just a few days later, the same plane flew from New York to Luton, England in just five hours and twenty six minutes, comfortably breaking the record for this journey in spite of some unfavourable winds.

The ability to travel between these destinations sets the craft apart from many others in this category, and removes the need for refuelling. As such, it’s nearly a fifth faster than the next fastest jet over these distances, and perfect for those looking to carry out impromptu intercontinental journeys.

The aircraft has been in service since December 2018. In spite of its performance, it isn’t designed purely for speed. The cabin is divided into four distinct zones for passengers, alongside a dedicated space for crew. These zones can be personalised any way that the owner wishes, but as standard they can accommodate shows, full-sized beds and a six-seat conference table. Vistajet will be the first company to offer these private jets commercially with the first jet arriving in January 2020.

The plane is equipped with the company’s Nuage seats. They’re found across the company’s business class planes, and are named after the French word for cloud. This is the largest revamp of the company’s seating for three decades, and the new offerings feature a range of design elements that set the chair apart, including intelligent tilt, recline and swivel and touch controls for cabin temperature, sound and lighting. The base of the chair even floats independently of the cabin floor, ensuring total cloud-like separation from the rest of the environment.

The lighting system inside the craft deserves some mention – it’s been created to minimise the effect of jet lag by dimming and raising the lighting according to the circadian rhythms of passengers.

Part of the reason for the craft’s performance is the design of the wings, which are built to minimise drag and maximise flexibility. In January 2019, Bombardier announced its intention to acquire the company responsible for manufacturing the wings, Triumph. The move saw Triumph’s Red Oak plant in Texas integrated into Bombardier, along with all of the staff members.

Recent Issues