MONTREAL – Bombardier Aerospace today confirmed that its Global Express XRS jet set a new speed record on October 26, 2009, flying 4,994 nm (9,249 km) non-stop from Mexico City to Paris in just ten hours. The flight was officially sanctioned by the National Aeronautics Association on November 19, 2009 and by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale on November 30, 2009.
Bombardier’s Global Express XRS business jet departed Toluca Airport (MMTO) with a three-person crew and payload equivalent to eight passengers – a fuel surplus of 780 pounds (354 kg) above reserves and four passengers.
The aircraft cruised at Mach 0.82 (870 km/h) during the first six hours of flight and Mach 0.85 (907 km/h) during the last four hours. The average speed was 924.9 km/hr throughout the flight, with average tailwinds of 55 Knots (102 km/hr). The Global Express XRS jet landed at Le Bourget Airport (LFPG) with fuel reserves in excess of NBAA IFR requirements.
“The aircraft performed superbly on takeoff from Toluca Airport at 21:54 local time and climbed directly to 41,000 ft (12,500 m), then climbed to 43,000 ft (13,100 m) and eventually to 45,000 ft (13,700 m) for the oceanic crossing,” stated Yves Tessier, standards captain, Bombardier Business Aircraft, and pilot-in-command on the flight. “This record flight clearly demonstrates, once again, the Global Express XRS business jet’s superior speed and transatlantic range capabilities, and outstanding performance out of Toluca.”
This new NAA-sanctioned world record for the Global Express XRS jet represents the fastest time ever recorded for a civil flight between Toluca and Paris and joins seventeen speed records currently held by Global Express aircraft, including four transatlantic speed records. On May 3, 1999, a Global Express jet flew London-Los Angeles in 10 hours and 19 minutes, flying 4,758 nm (8,756 km) non-stop. On May 6, 2000 a Global Express aircraft established a speed record between Teterboro and Warsaw, flying 3,707 nm (6,866 km) for a total of seven hours and 30 minutes. On June 16, 2000 the same aircraft linked Hamilton (Bermuda)-London in six hours and 12 minutes, flying a total of 2,988 nm (5,535 km). On June 14, 2001, a Global Express aircraft flew 3,155 nm (5,844 km) non-stop, linking New York-Paris in six hours, six minutes. On November 21-23, 2008, a Global Express jet operated by TAG Aviation beat a speed record around the world over the North and South Poles, maintaining an average speed of 822.8 km/h and flying for a total of 52 hours and 31 minutes. The TAG Transpolar08 mission set world records for the mission as a whole as well as for each of the 10 individual legs of the trip.
“Our Global Express XRS aircraft has once again demonstrated that it is one of the best performing business jets flying today,” said Fabio Rebello, regional vice-president, Latin America, Bombardier Business Aircraft. “The cabin volume and outstanding range capability combination of this aircraft are exceptional. It is ideally suited for the travel requirements of executives in Latin America and Mexico.”
The pioneering Global Express XRS business jet can link Acapulco-Moscow and Toluca-Paris non-stop with eight passengers and three-to-four crew*.
Soon to feature the new Global Vision flight deck, the Global Express XRS will offer the industry’s most advanced avionics suite, paired with superior design aesthetics to create the ultimate flight control environment, providing Global aircraft pilots with an unprecedented level of situational awareness and comfort.
