Long haul: Bombardier aircraft breaks record for furthest ever flight in a business jet
Business jets are more frequently associated with luxurious furnishings, gourmet cuisine and eye-watering price tags than intrepid attempts to push the limits of travel.
But passengers on one Canadian-built aeroplane were popping the champagne corks yesterday because of just that, after setting a new world record for the longest ever flight by a business jet.
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The jet, built by Bombardier, flew 8,152 nautical miles in one journey making its way from Singapore to Tucson, Arizona in one leap, lasting 16 hours and seven minutes.
Bombardier Global 7500 Aircraft Completes the World’s Longest Range Business Jet Flight in History. https://t.co/Gb6Rq53TVE pic.twitter.com/oxpfly5ZtN
— Bombardier Jets (@bombardierjets) March 4, 2019
The plane departed from Singapore Changi Airport at 7:12 a.m. local time and arrived at Tucson International Airport at 8:19 a.m. local time, also breaking the record for the fastest flight between the two cities.
Bombardier’s most advanced business jet model also hit a top speed of mach 0.925, nearly breaking the sound barrier of mach one.
“The Global 7500 aircraft was built to break all the records,” said David Coleal, president of Bombardier’s division.
“It achieved the industry’s longest mission ever in business aviation after only two months in service. We’ve demonstrated its unequaled long-range and high speed capabilities, but also its ability to break records confidently with healthy fuel reserves remaining, once again, confirming its unsurpassed performance to customers.”
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Though breaking the record for a business jet, the flight was still 133 nautical miles shy of the longest flight by a commercial aircraft.
That honour is held by a route operated by Singapore Airlines, between Singapore and Newark, New Jersey, stretching 8,285 nautical miles (15,344km) in an Airbus A350 model.