Altitudes Arabia #26

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GLOBAL 6000 Going Classic

The new name, “Global 6000”, is elegant and significant. It puts the Bombardier flagship bestseller in line with the rest of the family and hints at its flight range. This is no simple rebranding, however. While such phrases as “advanced avionics”, “exquisitely designed cabin”, and “well-balanced performance” may seem banal, the features they describe in this aircraft are like the final chords of a glorious symphony. It was great without them, but now it is truly a classic masterpiece. BY Ivan Veretennikov

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S

hould you ask aviation specialists how the class of ultra-long range business jets came

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about, many will tell you that the “arms race”, which continues to this day, was started by the original Bombardier Global Express. Back in the day only two models were competing for the hearts and wallets of the most wealthy buyers, both private and corporate: that very Global Express and the Gulfstream V. Today there is enough choice to get confused. Three manufacturers are already making 7 models, while the much-anticipated Gulfstream G650 should soon be delivered to its first customers.

At this same time Bombardier is working on the most ambitious and advanced traditional business jets, the Global 7000 and 8000. That’s ten models to think about, more than there are in the more accessible large-cabin and super-midsize classes (depending on how you choose to categorize them, of course). The Global 6000 must have some tangible advantages to compete successfully.

The good old Global Express was a great aircraft for its time and definitely deserves its praise as the class-defining model. Years fly past, however. Even the modernised Global Express XRS was launched 7 years ago. This is not so much for the overall design – the Hawker 900XP, for example, is a derivative of the original Hawker 125 that celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, and it is a great aeroplane.

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But while the airframe, wing, and engines don’t need to be renovated so often, electronic equipment is developing at the same pace as interior styling fashions are changing – in a word, fast. Bombardier evidently decided that it was time for a big upgrade. And a change of name too.

So the Global 6000 is no simple rebranding. The main changes are in the cockpit: the advanced Vision Flight Deck built around the Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion avionics suite is simply amazing. Even if you are not a pilot and have never intended to have a go at the flight controls, a few minutes in the left seat of the Global 6000 may make your hands itch for the experience. The ergonomics are second to none, while the 4 massive 15” LCDs set up in a T-shape show crucial information so that no details are missed. The flight controls are traditional – no joysticks or fly-by-wire here – but they are very comfortable to operate. And best of all, the head-up display that endows the pilot with superhuman capabilities: the output from the enhanced vision and synthetic vision systems is displayed on the HUD, so that you can see the terrain and runway even in zero visibility, without looking down at the flight displays. If you are sitting in the back, it’s still good to know that your pilots can see in the dark, through rain, snow, or fog.

The main changes center around the cockpit with the super impressive Vision Flight Deck with Head Up Display

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The cabin remains the biggest by volume among traditional business jets, including the upcoming Gulfstream G650

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Asked whether he finds that advanced avionics features that Bombardier is offering are equally important to customers from all over the world, Bob Horner, Bombardier Senior Vice-President, Sales, says: “It's important for our products to be equipped with the latest technology. The Vision Flight Deck not only provides enhanced pilot feedback with state-of-the-art equipment, but blends this with a refined and optimized work space. In addition to ensuring the passenger cabin meets the exacting requirements of our customers it is also reflected in the cockpit. All of our customers are extremely sophisticated in their requirements and geographical location is not a determining factor for customer demand.”

Nevertheless, not many owners of this beautiful machine, priced at almost $60 million, will spend all their time in the cockpit. And they cannot be blamed! The spacious passenger cabin of the Global 6000, remaining the biggest by volume among all traditional business jets (the upcoming G650 included) is set to surprise. And if you have been in a Global Express before, get ready for an even bigger surprise. It’s like seeing an old friend after a while and finding him looking and doing much better. Bombardier have gone through their catalogues of options and finishes and come up with many spectacular changes and additions. Great veneers were always a must on an expensive business jet, but they are now combined with modern fabric patterns and chair and upholstery leathers that refresh the look and feel of the cabin. High-speed Internet was added to keep the travelling executive online and in touch, while the amount of natural light from the windows has been further increased. The demonstrator that was around at EBACE and Farnborough Airshow boasted features fit for kings. Stand-up shower? Check. Comfy sofa and a large TV in the corner? Available. Wonderfully designed seats with the smoothest movements ever? Here they are! Only the “carbon” finish, used quite lavishly throughout the cabin, could become a subject of debate, but it is not compulsory to have it on board. Leave it out if you are not impressed.

If you were to compare the cabin comfort of the Global 6000 to a business liner – even the Embraer Lineage, which comes a bit cheaper – you would find it smaller, but still big enough to wonder if you

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need more. When you shut yourself off in the rear compartment, convert the sofa into a bed, and turn on the TV, you feel at home. The bulkhead is thick enough to muffle the voices of those up front, and the humming sound of the engines is relaxing rather than irritating. Another important feature is an optional lavatory in the forward cabin – smaller aircraft don’t have it, and very soon your private suite turns into a passageway. On the one hand, you wouldn’t call the Global 6000 a flying palace.

On the other, a 2.5 x 1.9 metre cross-section offers passengers plenty of personal space, and the cabin is long enough to have three distinct zones. Traditional jets are always about the balance of function and luxury, and this aircraft has it just right.

When it comes to performance, the Global 6000 leaves airliners far behind. For example, its maximum takeoff weight is just within the limits of the popular New York Teterboro airport, meaning it can depart with full fuel and reach any city in South America or Europe nonstop. It can leave behind the Brazilian heat of Sao Paulo and take its passengers to London, or depart from freezing-cold Novosibirsk and reach New York or Tokyo. The Rolls-Royce BR710A2-20 turbofans fitted on this aircraft have full authority digital engine control (FADEC) and generate enough thrust to propel this (almost) 45 ton business jet to a maximum altitude of 15545 metres at over 1 kilometre per minute. The long, visibly swept wing with winglets is very efficient and boosts both rate of climb and long range performance. It takes just a few minutes before you can unbuckle your seatbelts and enjoy a drink offered by the flight attendant. With a much higher operating ceiling than business liners and most traditional business jets, the Global 6000 flies well above congested aerospace, making the flight safer, faster and more efficient.

Despite having higher (according to Conklin & de Decker) variable costs per hour than its direct competitors from Dassault and Gulfstream, the Global Express has been immensely popular in all of its modifications, and orders for the Global 6000 have been coming from every corner of the world. In Brazil, Russia and China, for example, its incredible flight range is a must for many, with typical flights

Stand up shower?

Check. Comfy sofa and a large TV in the corner? Available

Customers in the Middle East choose it for longer flights to the United States or Asia. Refuelling takes half an hour

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Global 6000 PERFORMANCE exceeding 8—10 hours, while the spacious cabin and refined interior options are proving a winning combination. Customers in the Middle East choose it for longer flights to the United States or Asia.

In Europe and the USA the flying patterns are more diverse and the trend is to be “green” and save money, but even there buyers and charter customers would go for a modern, spacious, and advanced long-range business jet to avoid extra fuel stops and the close atmosphere of smaller aircraft. By the way, when it comes to refuelling – and the Global 6000 can reach virtually any location on our planet with just one stop – it takes just half an hour to fill it up.

The owner of a Global 6000 will also have access to one of the most advanced and futuristic cockpits available, and even if you never intend to fly yourself it is still a wonderful sight – aeons away, seemingly, from the chaotic mixture of dials and switches seen on many passenger airliners and older business aircraft operating today. The new interior options and materials, as well as redesigned chairs and some brilliant touches, such as the corner TV and stand-up shower, are just like these chords in a classic masterpiece, sounding together triumphantly and crowning it with a glorious finish. “I am Global” say Bombardier adverts featuring famous Russian conductor Valery Gergiev. And taking into account his busy schedule, he probably knows a thing or two about travelling in style. And, given his ❚ occupation, he can surely recognise the little things that join to form a real masterpiece.

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Range in distance 6,000 nm / 11,112 km Range in hours 12 hrs Speed 590 mph / 950 kph

SPECIFICATIONS Interior seating length 27.33 ft / 8.33 m Overall cabin length 48.35 ft / 14.70 m Cabin height 6.25 ft / 1.90 m Cabin width 8.17 ft / 2.49 m Baggage volume 195.00 ft3 / 5.52 m3 Passenger capacity Up to 19

COMMON CITY PAIRS London / Tokyo Shanghai / Rome Sao Paulo / Paris Moscow / Los Angeles