A Global 5500 rendering.Bombardier
- Bombardier just delivered the first model of its newest jet, the Global 5500, the most recent addition to the Global line-up.
- Built in Toronto and completed in Wichita, Kansas the Global 5500 boasts a top speed of Mach .90 and range of 5,900 nautical miles, or around 7,000 miles.
- Its main rival is Gulfstream's G500, which it bests in cabin width and range but not speed.
The Global 5500 is the newest aircraft in the popular Bombardier Global line-up of wide-cabin private jets that dates back to the 1990s. The Canadian manufacturer's latest achievement was delivered to its first customer and entered into service on Thursday after being built in Toronto and completed in Wichita, Kansas.
The first delivery was the result of two years of development with Bombardier announcing the launch of the model in May 2018.
It's not the largest Global despite being the newest as the Global 7500 still holds that title but the Global 5500 still boasts an impressive range of 5,900 nautical miles, equivalent to around 7,000 miles, enough to fly between New York and Tokyo or London and Singapore. With a top speed of Mach .90 to match, the Global 5500 is also one of Bombardier's fastest jets.
Sixteen passengers can sit comfortably in the cabin, split between a communal area and a private suite in the back of the plane. The jet is a more open concept design with few dividing walls separating the living spaces, though every plane is customizable to the owner's desire.
Bombardier is claiming that the $46 million jet is the largest and most quiet in its class with the longest range of its competitors.
So let's take a look inside the newest creation from the Canadian aircraft manufacturer.