Don’t expect supersonic flight any time soon — our new private jet is close enough, says Bombardier CEO
Bombardier executives explain that their new Global 8000 private jet prioritizes high-speed efficiency over supersonic travel. They argue that the engineering costs and certification challenges of breaking the sound barrier are not currently worth the niche market demand.
Why it matters
It reflects the current strategic shift in the aerospace industry toward optimizing existing subsonic technology rather than pursuing the high-risk, high-cost development of supersonic commercial flight.
The Bombardier Global 8000 flying over the Farnborough Airshow. John Keeble/Getty Images Bombardier's Global 8000 is the fastest civil aircraft since Concorde. The world's newest private jet flies just shy of the speed of sound, at Mach 0.95. Bombardier's CEO and chief engineer told Business Insider why they didn't aim to break the sound barrier. The world's newest private jet is breaking speed records, but the manufacturer's CEO and chief engineer say going supersonic isn't worth the time. Bombardier's Global 8000 is the fastest civil aircraft since Concorde and costs at least $78 million to buy. It entered service in December and made its airshow debut at last week's Farnborough Airshow, near London. Farnborough Airport is popular for private jets; it does not operate any commercial flights. The journey there from Los Angeles took 8 hours and 46 minutes, the fastest time ever recorded between the two destinations.
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