Global Express Sets New York-Paris Record

Bombardier captains John Race and Borden Schofield, flying Global Express 9010, set a new FAI Class C Group 3 business jet record for the 3,603 statute mile distance from New York to Paris on Thursday, June 14. U.S. NAA official observer Richard Ionata, aboard the aircraft, clocked the distance in six hours, two minutes, 50 seconds.

"It's not only a great honor, but it's significant that we flew the essentially same New York to Paris route as Charles Lindbergh in 1927," Race said. "Compared to Lindbergh's 33 and one-half hour flight, whoever could have dreamt we'd now be able do it in the new millennium in six hours and three minutes," Race added, noting the aircraft reached nearly 600 mph during the flight.

Flight attendant Michele Miller, Stratos magazine associate publisher Mary Anne Holley and this Show News writer also were aboard the aircraft.
The start of the record attempt did not go well, though. A thick fog delayed the departure of the Global Express from Westchester County Airport. Race and Schofield finally were cleared for take off on Runway 16 shortly before 8:53 AM EST, 53 minutes late. Once officially airborne at 12:53:35 GMT, they wasted no time in accelerating to redline airspeed above 10,000 feet MSL, climbing as fast as 527 KTAS (598 mph) to FL 370, the initial cruise altitude-chosen for speed, not fuel economy.

One-half hour after take off and abeam Kennebunkport, ME, Global Express leveled off at FL 370, cruising at .89 Mach-equivalent to 511 KTAS (588 mph) in the near-standard day conditions. One hour into the flight, Race and Schofield climbed the aircraft to FL 450 for the ocean crossing, high above and well south of the North Atlantic bus-liner tracks. Global Express was still speeding along at more than 500 KTAS (576 mph), though two minutes behind schedule because of lower-than-forecast weak summer tailwinds. After two hours, however, the aircraft had made up the lost time.

"We're cruising at nearly nine-tenths the speed of sound. But, you could fly faster over the ground at .80 Mach in the winter because of much stronger tailwinds," Race commented. "We may have to break our own New York to Paris record in January 2002," Race added, firing a shot over the nose of would-be business jet record challengers.

Meanwhile Miller was serving the three passengers a sumptuous breakfast, including fresh berries and yogurt, smoked salmon, buffalo mozzarella and asparagus omelets, toast and beverages, accompanied by Cole Porter's classic sweet jazz tunes.

"This is fantasy travel and I love it!" proclaimed Holley. "I wish I could travel this way all the time. It's much more comfortable, much smoother than an airliner. I thought there would be more turbulence," Holley commented, as Global Express cruised high above a milky undercast that hid numerous thunderstorm cells. "And the food's terrific, the service's to die for," Holley said, directing her compliments to Miller. Lunch was just as wonderful, accompanied by a competent California Chardonnay and a vintage Medoc.

Ionata, a retired United Air Lines captain with a dozen aircraft type ratings and a veteran of 64 FAI record flights, was impressed with Global Express for different reasons.

"Granted Global Express has a $40+ million price tag. But, you get what you pay for. I'm really impressed with Global Express's cockpit layout and systems redundancy," Ionata told Show News. "They're equal to or better than the design features of the most modern airliners. Pilots can spend more time taking care of flying the aircraft rather than being systems operators."

Approaching the Cherbourg Peninsula, Race and Schofield descended the aircraft to increase its true air speed to close to 520 KTAS (598 mph) in a final burst towards the arrival check point above Le Bourget.

Ionata marked the arrival at 18:56:25 GMT on his official FAI record sheet. Race pulled the thrust levers to idle, fully extended the speed brakes and spiraled down to pattern altitude. Global Express slowed to approach speed and then made a glass-smooth touch down on Runway 07 at 21:08 local time. Race and Schofield taxied to center stage at a celebration at Signature Flight Support to join Bombardier's Challenger 604, plus Learjets 31A, 45 and 60, which also set seven other FAI speed records the same day.