Bombardier earlier this month said the first example of its newest bizjet, the Global Express XRS, was placed into service. The proud new owner is European customer Transneft, an oil transportation management company. Bombardier launched the Global Express XRS in October 2003, with an expected delivery date of early 2006; the company obviously beat that schedule. The type's first flight occurred earlier this year, on Jan. 16. The XRS's claim to fame is range: At a cruise speed of Mach 0.88, the aircraft can fly Frankfurt-Beijing in 08:41 and Moscow-Tokyo in 08:22, according to Bombardier. "The aircraft's superior range and comfort are key to meet our regional and intercontinental mission requirements," said Sergei Grigoriev, vice-president of OJSC AK Transneft.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/news/bombardiers-global-express-xrs-enters-service