Global 7000 msn 70002 / C-GBLB took off from the manufacturers Toronto Downsview facility at 10:53 on Sunday March 5 for its 4 hour, 28 minute first flight.

The aircraft was flown by Bombardier test pilot Captain Jeff Karnes, alongside co-pilot J.R. Marcolesco. Flight engineer Ben Povall was also on board for the flight, which tested the aircraft’s performance at high altitude.

“The successful flight of the first flight test vehicle (FTV1) in November 2016 paved the way to the smooth flight of FTV2 this past weekend,” said Michel Ouellette, senior vice president, Global 7000 and Global 8000 program. “We are focused on meeting the program’s development and certification schedule and, once again, we have demonstrated our ability to deliver results through the hard work and dedication of the highly skilled teams working on the program.”

Bombardier are expecting to transfer the second Global 7000 to its Wichita flight test center in the coming weeks. It will join the first aircraft, which arrived in Wichita in late November.

“We now have a flight test vehicle dedicated to testing the aircraft’s systems. Data from FTV2 will supplement the successful results we have already obtained from test rigs, including the Integrated Systems Test and Certification Rig (ISCTR) and, from the extensive flight testing of FTV1 to date,” said Francois Caza, vice president, product development and chief engineer, Bombardier.

“We are on track with our test program and are very pleased with the progression and performance of our flight test vehicles to date. The dedication and collaboration our teams have shown were critical in achieving this significant milestone”, he added.