Bombardier extended Smart Link Plus to the Global 5500 and 6500.
The aircraft health monitoring system is now factory-installed on every Global 5500 and 6500 leaving the production line. In-service aircraft can book a retrofit at any Bombardier service centre. The announcement on 25 June 2026 covers a service previously offered only on the Global 7500, Global 8000, and earlier Challenger and Global variants.
Smart Link Plus pairs with Rolls-Royce's new Engine Vibration and Health Monitoring Unit on the Pearl 15. The unit transmits engine data automatically during and after each flight. It draws on approximately 10,000 engine performance parameters, according to Rolls-Royce. Anthony Cox, Bombardier's vice-president of customer support, called the joint offering 'a first in business aviation'.
Approximately 450 aircraft across the Bombardier fleet already operate the system, with a 99 per cent renewal rate, according to the OEM. The system feeds Bombardier's predictive-maintenance toolset and supports dispatch and troubleshooting decisions in real time. Andy Robinson, senior vice-president of services at Rolls-Royce business aviation, said the EVHMU 'is the key to unlock comprehensive service capabilities'. Pearl 15 engine data sits alongside existing airframe telemetry.
Software and hardware updates to the Pearl 15 EVHMU and an active service contract are required to activate the upgrade. Rollout begins at Bombardier service centres worldwide. The Pearl 15 powers both the Global 5500 and Global 6500, which entered service in late 2019. Bombardier supports more than 5,200 customer aircraft from 14 service centres globally.
Source: Bombardier press release, 25 June 2026.