The first production Global 8000 aircraft has successfully completed its inaugural flight, Bombardier said on May 20, 2025.
The flight was completed on May 16 from Bombardier's aircraft assembly centre in Mississauga, Ontario. The aircraft executed a series of tests as part of the production flight test procedures during the flight. The company said all flight controls were exercised on the aircraft, and the systems and aircraft performed as expected.
The first production aircraft will soon travel to Bombardier's Laurent Beaudoin completion centre in Montreal where interiors will be completed before its entry into service in the second half of this year.
“This first production flight marks yet another successful milestone for Bombardier's Global 8000 programme and we are very pleased with how the aircraft performed on its maiden journey,” said Bombardier senior vice president, engineering and product development Stephen McCullough. “Having this first production aircraft take to the skies is another important step in this journey that will redefine the business aviation landscape.”
The new Global 8000 jet is the evolution of the Global 7500 jet.
"This first flight is a reflection of the dedication and high skill level of our engineering, production and flight teams to follow through and execute with precision and mastery at all stages of the manufacturing and flight-testing process,” said David Murray, EVP, manufacturing, IT and Bombardier operational excellence system.
The company said the jet's runway performance is “comparable to a light jet”, reaching top speeds of Mach 0.94 and range of 8,000 nautical miles.