The two latest additions to the Bombardier Global family, the Global 5500 and Global 6500 business jets, have received European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification, validating the requirement for the aircraft’s operation in the European Union. This certification comes on the heels of Transport Canada certification and entry-into-service on September 30.

Following a flight test program at Bombardier's test center in Wichita, Kansas, the last two Global, the 5500 and the 6500, were certified from Transport Canada. The Pearl 15 engine, the latest addition to Rolls-Royce's business aviation engine portfolio, which has been custom-designed to power the Global 5500 and Global 6500 aircraft, recently received Transport Canada certification too. The turbojet engine, developed the Rolls-Royce Centre of Excellence for Business Aviation engines in Dahlewitz, Germany, is designed with enhanced aerodynamics, blade cooling and advanced engine health monitoring systems.

Equipped with Bombardier's Vision Flight Deck, the aircraft offer a redesigned cabin. The Global 5500 and Global 6500 business jets are also the first to feature the Nuage seat, an innovation that adds a new dimension to the meeting area, where this lounge chair becomes a bunk, or bench seat for a meal around Table.

These new aircraft build on the success of the Global 5000 and Global 6000 aircraft by offering 500 and 600 nautical miles of additional range, respectively, coupled with an up to 13-per-cent fuel burn advantage. This contributes “to highly favorable operating costs versus smaller competing aircraft with less range”, says the aircraft manufacturer. The Global 5500 aircraft can connect Sao Paolo and Paris, and Moscow and Los Angeles; the Global 6500 aircraft can connect Hong Kong or Singapore and London, and Toluca and Madrid, under certain operating conditions.