Mach 0.95: New Business Jet Becomes Fastest Civilian Aircraft Since Concorde

The Bombardier Global 8000 just received FAA certification, officially making it the fastest civilian aircraft to enter service since the Concorde retired in 2003.

With a top speed of Mach 0.95 (729 mph), the ultra-long-range business jet can fly 8,000 nautical miles nonstop while cruising faster than any other civil aircraft in the sky.

Performance Specifications

The Global 8000 sets new benchmarks across every performance metric:

• Top Speed: Mach 0.95 (729 mph)
• High-Speed Cruise: Mach 0.92 transcontinental capability
• Range: 8,000 nautical miles
• Maximum Altitude: 51,000 feet
• Initial Cruise Altitude: 43,000 feet
• Engines: Twin General Electric Passport engines (18,920 lbf thrust each)

That range means nonstop flights from New York to Hong Kong or Singapore to San Francisco.

Industry-Leading Cabin Altitude

Beyond raw speed, the Global 8000 offers the lowest cabin altitude in business aviation production. At 41,000 feet cruise altitude, passengers experience cabin pressure equivalent to just 2,691 feet elevation.

This significantly reduces fatigue on long flights, allowing passengers to arrive feeling refreshed and ready to work.

Four-Zone Cabin Layout

The cabin accommodates up to 19 passengers across four distinct living spaces:

• Club Suite: Traditional business seating configuration
• Conference Suite: Meeting and work space
• Entertainment Suite: Relaxation and media area
• Principal Suite: Private bedroom with en-suite facilities

Advanced Flight Deck

The flight deck features Bombardier’s latest avionics suite with enhanced vision systems and head-up displays for improved situational awareness.

Dimensions

• Wingspan: 104 feet
• Length: 111 feet
• Height: 27 feet

First Delivery and Pricing

Canadian entrepreneur Patrick Dovigi took delivery of the first production Global 8000 on December 8. He’s upgrading from a Global 7500.

The Global 8000 carries a list price of $78 million. Current Global 7500 operators can upgrade their aircraft to Global 8000 specifications through a service bulletin.

The FAA approval follows Transport Canada certification granted in November, with European EASA approval still pending.

All images courtesy of Bombardier.