Bombardier’s Global 5000 Jet Handed Over for Operation with the German Ministry of Defence
Today, the first of four high-speed Global 5000 jets was handed over to the German Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) Special Mission Wing to be operated for VIP transport and Medical Evacuation (MedEvac) flights. The special ceremony in Berlin, Germany, was attended by government officials and executives from Bombardier, German Operating Aircraft Leasing GmbH & CO.KG (GOAL), Rolls-Royce Germany, Lufthansa Bombardier Aviation Services and Lufthansa Technik.
The Global 5000 jets were selected by the Federal Office for Defence Technology and Procurement in Germany (BWB) as part of a broader agreement regarding the modernization of the MoD’s Special Mission Wing. Lufthansa Technik AG of Hamburg, Germany, is the prime contractor for the overall agreement, which also includes the purchase of Airbus aircraft and technical support for all new aircraft types. The new Global 5000 aircraft will replace the MoD’s existing fleet of Challenger 601 aircraft.
“Bombardier has a long standing relationship with the German Ministry of Defence, a Challenger aircraft operator for more than 20 years. We are delighted that they have once again selected Bombardier aircraft for their Special Mission Wing and to fly German government and parliamentary officials,” said Michel Bourgeois, President, Specialized and Amphibious Aircraft & Military Aviation Training, Bombardier Aerospace. “The Global 5000 jet was chosen by the German government as the best suited aircraft to meet the BWB tender’s 12-seat jet requirement because of its many attributes, including its intercontinental range and ability to reconfigure the interior to MedEvac capabilities when required.”
Bombardier’s Global Completion Centre in Montréal, Canada, is responsible for completing the four Global 5000 aircraft, and Lufthansa Bombardier Aviation Services in Berlin, Germany, has been contracted by the prime contractor, Lufthansa Technik, to provide technical support for the jets.
GOAL, a joint venture of Deutsche Lufthansa AG and KG Allgemeine Leasing, is acting as subcontractor for Lufthansa Technik AG with respect to the acquisition of the four Global 5000 aircraft.
Global 5000 jet: The super large Global 5000 jet combines superior transatlantic speed with the largest cabin in its market segment. It features high-speed Internet connectivity, unmatched entertainment options, a heads-up flight display system and one of the largest field-of-view of any business aircraft. The aircraft can connect Berlin to Washington non-stop with 10 passengers and three crew*.
The MoD’s Global 5000 jets feature a 12- to 13-passenger seating configuration, and the MedEvac cabin re-configuration possibilities will include the option to carry an intensive care patient transport unit.
Fastest time ever recorded for a civil flight between Berlin and Washington, DC
A Global 5000 jet set a new speed record on October 21, 2007, flying 3,652 nautical miles (6,765 km) non-stop from Berlin to Washington, DC, in just eight hours, 17 minutes*. This fourth National Aeronautic Association-sanctioned world record performance for the Global 5000 jet represents the fastest time ever recorded for a civil flight between Berlin and Washington, DC.
In addition, two of the following three records were route/distance-proving flights. On July 16, 2004, a Global 5000 aircraft flew 4,816 nautical miles (8,919 km) non-stop linking San Francisco-London in nine hours, 34 minutes*, while on October 12, 2004, the same aircraft flew 4,597 nautical miles (8,513 km) non-stop against fierce headwinds, linking Dublin-Las Vegas in nine hours, 55 minutes*. Both of these records were performed at a speed of Mach 0.85 (562 mph; 904 km/h). The third was a transatlantic speed record. On June 11, 2005, a Global 5000 jet flew 3,510 nautical miles (6,500 km) non-stop, linking Chicago-Paris in just seven hours, 15 minutes*.
The benefit of the aircraft’s category-leading speed is most evident on non-stop intercontinental flights. Compared to other jets in its class, it trims up to a full hour from long distance routes such as Moscow-New York in nine hours, 29 minutes, Johannesburg-Geneva in 10 hours, Jeddah-Jakarta in nine hours, 53 minutes and São Paulo-Madrid in nine hours, 20 minutes*.
About Bombardier
A world-leading manufacturer of innovative transportation solutions, from commercial aircraft and business jets to rail transportation equipment, systems and services, Bombardier Inc. is a global corporation headquartered in Canada. Its revenues for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2011, were $17.7 billion, and its shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD). Bombardier is listed as an index component to the Dow Jones Sustainability World and North America indexes. News and information are available at www.bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier.
*Under certain operating conditions.
Bombardier, Challenger, Challenger 601, Global and Global 5000 are trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.
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