Bombardier Aerospace began studies in 1991 and the aircraft was officially launched in 1993. The first flight occurred on October 13, 1996. The Global Express shares the Canadair / Bombardier Regional Jet's fuselage cross section and is similar in length, but despite the size similarities the two aircraft are very different due to the nature of their roles. The Global Express features an advanced all new supercritical wing with a 35° sweep and winglets, plus a new T-tail. The aircraft is powered by two BMW RollsRoyce BR-710 turbofans with FADEC. The advanced flightdeck features a six screen Honeywell Primus 2000 XP EFIS suite and is offered with optional heads-up displays.

The Global Express was announced on October 28, 1991 at the NBAA convention. Full-scale cabin mockup was exhibited at the NBAA convention in September 1992. Conceptual design started early 1993 and the programme was officially launched on December 20, 1993. The aircraft high-speed configuration was frozen in June 1994 and the low-speed configuration was established in August 1994.

The Global Express can fly intercontinental ranges without refueling (e.g. New York–Tokyo) or between most two points in the world with only one stop. In this class the Global Express competes with the Airbus Corporate Jet, Boeing Business Jet, Dassault Falcon 7X and Gulfstream G550.

Bombardier subsidiaries have three specific roles in the project: Canadair is the design leader and manufactures the nose; Short Brothers, Belfast is responsible for the design and manufacture of the engine nacelles, horizontal stabiliser and forward fuselage; and de Havilland Canada builds the rear fuselage and vertical tail and carries out final assembly. The major external supplier is Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries which builds the wing and centre fuselage sections.

Global Express XRS

The Global Express XRS (rebranded as Global 6000) is an improved version of the original aircraft, (announced on October 6, 2003 during the NBAA Convention at Orlando (Florida)) offering higher cruise speed, increased range, improved cabin layout and lighting. It is reported that the letters have no significance, but were chosen by focus groups simply to improve the brand image. The range increase is achieved by addition of a 1,486 lb (674 kg) fuel tank at the wing root. The Global Express XRS entered service in early 2006. The unit price is estimated to be $45.5 million (US). Bombardier claims it takes 15 minutes less to fuel the XRS than the original model thanks to improved computer systems and mechanical refinements.

Global 5000

The Global 5000 (model designation BD-700-1A11) is a derivative based on Global Express, with 0.813 m (32 in) reduction in forward fuselage length, and 1,200 nm reduction in maximum range. Seating capacity is up to 19 passengers. The aircraft was announced on October 25, 2001 with the official launch on 5 February 2002, after a positive market assessment with letters of intent for 15 aircraft.

The aircraft is manufactured by Bombardier Aerospace in Toronto, Ontario, and flown "green" to Montreal, Quebec, Savannah, GA, or Cahokia,IL for final completion.

The Global 5000 is built on the same production line as the Global Express XRS, and the two types' serial numbers are intermingled.

The first Global 5000 aircraft (s/n 9127) flew on March 7, 2003. The flight was dedicated to testing basic system functionality and assessing the aircraft's handling and flying qualities. The aircraft completed its preliminary testing at Bombardier's Downsview facility, before it moved to Bombardier's Wichita facility to begin the flight test program. The Global 5000 made its first appearance at the Paris Air Show in June 2003.

The Global 5000 can fly close to 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km) nonstop at Mach 0.80. The average trip lengths for most operators is 2.5 hours where the aircraft will cruise between Mach 0.85 and Mach 0.89, making it one of the fastest long range jets available today.

Typical configuration features 18 passenger seats including fully berthable seats and an aft lounge/bedroom. The aircraft has a full galley and two lavatories. The crew rest area was removed, but is being considered on newer versions.

Originally, the maximum takeoff weight was 89,700 lb (40,700 kg). With typical equipment and passenger accoutrements, the empty weight was 52,000–55,000 pounds (22,600–25,000 kg). In April 2008, Bombardier announced that the certified gross weight had been increased to 92,500 lb (41954 kg), which permitted an increased fuel load—projected maximum range increased to 5,200 nm (9637 km).

The maximum certified altitude is 51,000 ft (16,000 m) The typical approach speed is 108 knots (200 km/h) requiring approximately 2,600 feet (790 m) of runway for landing.

Global 5000 changes compared to the Global Express are:

• Fuselage shortened by 0.813 m (32 in).
• Removal of the fuel tank in the tail and limiting fuel in the wings.
• Reduction in MTOW by 5,500 pounds (2,500 kg).
• Reduction in maximum range by 1,200 nm.
• Rearrangement of some avionics to gain usable cabin length.
• Allowance for interior completions (3200 kg).

Source: Wikipedia

Specifications