Ahead of its anticipated entry into service later this year, construction on the first production example of the Bombardier Global 8000 is nearing completion at the airframer’s final assembly center near Toronto. When it enters service, the Global 8000 will be the fastest certified civil aircraft since the Concorde, with a top speed of Mach 0.94. It will also have an 8,000-nm range.

“The first Global 8000 production aircraft is steadily progressing through final assembly, and we are on track to meet our targets for this incredible aircraft—the industry’s fastest and most impressive ultra-long-range business jet,” explained David Murray, the Canadian OEM’s executive v-p of manufacturing, IT, and operational excellence. “Our engineering and production teams continue to display unmatched levels of commitment, innovation, and expertise at all stages of the manufacturing process.”

Meanwhile, the program’s Wichita-based test aircraft (the modified former Global 7500 FTV 5) has been busy of late flying missions to Europe to showcase its performance attributes under real-world operating conditions. With its extended range, the Global 8000 will be able to link city pairs such as Dubai-Houston, Singapore-Los Angeles, and London-Perth.

The large-cabin twinjet will feature four living zones and a separate crew rest area.