Monday, 20 July 2026
Global 8000 sets Los Angeles to Farnborough speed record
Bombardier's Global 8000 has set a Los Angeles to Farnborough speed record.
The aircraft completed the city pair in 8 hours and 46 minutes. The manufacturer announced the record on 20 July 2026, the opening day of the Farnborough International Airshow. The sortie is 2.2 per cent faster than the previous city-pair record. The crew reached Mach 0.93 at the peak of the run and overcame unfavourable tailwinds.
The Global 8000 is Bombardier's flagship ultra-long-range platform. It carries a top speed of Mach 0.95 and a range of 8,000 nautical miles. Cabin altitude at 41,000 feet is 2,691 feet. The type entered service in late 2025. It is certified on the distinct BD-700-2A13 type certificate, separate from the Global 7500 (BD-700-2A12).
The aircraft is scheduled to make its first-ever airshow aerial display at Farnborough this week. Bombardier confirmed the show plan on 8 July 2026 and flew the transatlantic sortie to reach the site. Stephen McCullough, executive vice-president of engineering, product development and Bombardier Defense, said the record 'illustrates the truly special attributes of this incredible aircraft'.
Two city-pair records now stand for the type since entry into service. Montreal to Nice on 5 June 2026, at just over six hours at Mach 0.95, was the first. Bombardier positions the aircraft against the Gulfstream G800 and the in-development Dassault Falcon 10X at the top of the market.
Prospective ultra-long-range buyers will use the Farnborough aerial display as a first close look at the airframe. Order-book figures for the Global 8000 have not been disclosed at time of writing.
Source: Bombardier press release, 20 July 2026; Aviation International News.
Also today
Bombardier Global seat-frame retrofit becomes mandatory today
FAA Airworthiness Directive 2026-11976 on Bombardier BD-700 seat frames is effective today. The rule applies to the BD-700-1A10, BD-700-1A11 and BD-700-2A12 airplanes. That set covers the Global Express family, Global 5000, 6000, 5500, 6500 and 7500. Certain lounge and crew rest seat frame assemblies were built without Loctite on non-locking fastener joints. The FAA required a modification of the fastener joints. Approximately 42 US-registered airplanes were in scope at publication. The underlying rule was published in the Federal Register on 15 June 2026 and adopts Transport Canada AD CF-2025-41. The Global 8000, on the distinct BD-700-2A13 type certificate, is not in scope.
Source: Federal Register document 2026-11976; Transport Canada AD CF-2025-41.
EBAA warns EU ETS revision risks unequal treatment
The European Business Aviation Association has criticised the European Commission's proposed ETS revision. The Commission published its Emissions Trading System revision on 17 July 2026. Business flights would be excluded from allowances designed to offset sustainable aviation fuel price premiums. Flight-frequency exemptions would be removed and replaced by a single annual emissions threshold. Geographical coverage could extend to all incoming and departing flights without distance limits from 2029. Free ETS allowances for business aviation ended fully on 1 January 2026. Róman Kok, EBAA director of public affairs and communications, said the sector cannot accept 'discriminatory obligations while being deliberately excluded from principal support mechanisms'.
Source: EBAA statement, 17 July 2026; European Commission COM(2026) 616.
