Bombardier Experience Magazine 32

EXPERIENCE Bombardier Business Aircraft Magazine • Issue 32 • 2019

Masterworks

Around the World with the Global 7500 Jet Timeless Tokyo • Art Above the Fold and More

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| Contents |

30

TRAVEL

Timeless Tokyo

From sumo culture to geisha glamour, a journey into Japan’s exclusive traditions.

By Rob Goss

44

Wild at Art Beijing’s art scene is brimming with artists who have something to say.

By Bernadette Morra

50

WINGSPAN

Tried, Tested & True

Bombardier’s flight test team has mastered the art of guiding new aircraft through the rigors of certification.

By Michael Stephen Johnson

9

IN EVERY ISSUE

Insight

10 Contributors 11 Radar 18

City Guide

53

Bombardier Worldwide

54 Fleet 55

36 AIRCRAFT

Challenging the Status Quo

56 News

28

The number one best-selling business jet just got better.

By Christopher DiRaddo

27

Forward Thinking The continuing legacy of Learjet aircraft.

By Christopher DiRaddo

8

EXPERIENCE

Family Man

Process engineer Zafar Sheikh may spend most of his waking hours expanding his company, but his five children remain at the center of his life—thanks in part to his Challenger 650 jet.

By Isa Tousignant

24 Globetrotter Bombardier’s Global 7500 aircraft is on a world tour to showcase its industry-defining range, size and performance.

By Michael Stephen Johnson

PROFILE

36

CRAFTSMANSHIP

Kings of the Road

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars takes us under the hood of their Goodwood facility, offering an exclusive look at modern coachbuilding.

By Guy Bird

13 —

On the Cover

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF ROLLS-ROYCE MOTOR CARS • MELIKA DEZ (MISS CLOUDY)

20

Sales Team

| Insight |

W

hat creates a masterwork? Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling. Einstein’s theory of relativity. Coppola’s The Godfather. From the greatest works of art, to the world’s most notable achievements in science, all share a unique blend of both unsurpassed skill and creativity, redefining the capabilities of humankind.

The exceptional people behind every Bombardier business jet know that true mastery is measured by an insatiable quest for perfection. Our DNA pushes us to raise the bar for each of our products. Our vast product portfolio was conceived for the industry’s smoothest ride, thanks to our precisionengineered wing technology and the incomparable team who dreamed to do it to the highest standards. In this special issue, we journey through our extraordinary product families, each aircraft a work of art in its own right.

We spotlight the iconic Learjet 75 aircraft, the light jet with large jet features; the Challenger 350 jet, the most successful business jet platform of the last decade; and the remarkable Global 7500 aircraft, the largest, longest-range, and most luxurious business jet ever.

In this special issue of Experience magazine, we are honored to profile Zafar Sheikh, founder and chairman of SPEC, a leading multi-tiered company in the engineering, procurement and construction sector. Under his masterful leadership, SPEC has continued to grow rapidly since its establishment 19 years ago, and with his Challenger 650 aircraft, Sheikh keeps pace with his expansive organization, all while keeping his family at the center of his world.

We meet our extraordinary flight test pilots, our team of aeronautical artisans. With military precision, passion and ingenuity, they guide all new aircraft through the rigors of certification. And at the heart of their efforts is an unparalleled commitment to innovation and safety—they craft the rulebooks.

True mastery occurs in many forms. In this issue, we take you behind the scenes at the iconic headquarters of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, which has set the standard in luxury coachbuilding since 1904, and we look at the exquisite origami art of Miss Cloudy, whose work graces our cover. We travel the globe, touring some of the best masterworks the world has to offer, from the modernism of Palm Springs, California; to the tradition and splendor of sumo tournaments in Tokyo; to a personalized tour of Beijing’s contemporary art scene.

This 32nd issue of Experience magazine is a celebration of mastery. From Learjet, to Challenger, to Global jets, Bombardier Business Aircraft offers flying masterpieces for every mission, opening endless possibilities, and making your world smaller and more accessible than ever before. 

THIS 32ND ISSUE OF EXPERIENCE MAGAZINE IS A CELEBRATION OF MASTERY.

Peter Likoray

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT WORLDWIDE SALES & MARKETING BOMBARDIER BUSINESS AIRCRAFT

Visit Experience magazine online at businessaircraft.bombardier.com/en/experience or at issuu.com • Bombardier, Learjet, Learjet 70, Learjet 75, Challenger, Challenger 300, Challenger 350, Challenger 650, Global,

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Global 5000, Global 5500, Global 6000, Global 6500, Global 7500, Global 8000 and Bombardier Vision are trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.

• All performance data are preliminary estimates and are based on certain operating conditions.

• The Global 8000 aircraft is in the development phase. All data and specifications are estimates, subject to changes in family strategy, branding, capacity and performance during the development, manufacture and certification process.

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Anna Cristofaro

SENIOR ADVISOR, PUBLIC RELATIONS & SUSTAINABILITY

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EXPERIENCE

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| Contributors |

Bernadette Morra

ISSUE 32

Wild at Art / page 44

experiencemagazine@bookmarkcontent.com

Bernadette Morra has been covering the Canadian and international fashion scenes for more than 30 years. Currently a freelance style and travel writer, Morra was editor-in-chief of Fashion, Canada’s premiere style and beauty magazine, from 2009 to 2016. Over the span of her career, she has interviewed many of the world’s top designers, models and celebrities, including Karl Lagerfeld, Gianni Versace, Stella McCartney, Audrey Hepburn and Isabella Rossellini, to name a few.

EDITORIAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Elio Iannacci

MANAGING EDITOR

Christopher DiRaddo SENIOR EDITOR

Kelly Stock

ASSISTANT EDITOR

Katrina Brindle

Peter Guenzel

Kings of the Road / page 36

COPY EDITOR

Jonathan Furze

Based in London since 1996, Peter Guenzel works for a wide variety of editorial and advertising clients, including Esquire, GQ, Monocle, Wired and Sotheby’s. Inf luenced largely by the landscape photography of Richard Misrach and Paul Graham, his work ranges from architectural shots to portraits, furniture and, of course, cars. Guenzel hopes to next point his camera lens toward the destinations of Patagonia and Yosemite National Park.

FACT CHECKER

Tara Dupuis

ART ART DIRECTOR

Anna Minzhulina PRODUCTION DIRECTOR OF PROJECT DELIVERY

Alain Briard

Rob Goss

SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER

Jennifer Fagan

Based in eastern Tokyo with his wife, son and stubborn shiba, British writer Rob Goss has authored seven books, including the 2018 NATJA Gold Award-winning Japan Traveler’s Companion, Japanese Inns & Hot Springs (2017) and Travel Pack Kyoto & Nara (2016). Beyond books, Rob has written about Japan’s people, culture and most fascinating places for clients that range from major international publications like National Geographic Traveler and Time magazine to globally recognized brands such as Lexus, Omega and Toyota.

Kacy Meinecke

Tried, Tested & True / page 50

Kacy Meinecke began her career studying art education at Friends University, eventually transferring into studio art with an emphasis in photography at Wichita State University. After years as a professional photographer, she has nearly seen it all, but was still completely in awe of Bombardier’s test pilots, saying it was “like being in the presence of celebrities.” Meinecke’s work has appeared locally in Splurge! and VIP Wichita, nationwide in Veneno Magazine, and internationally in The Guardian.

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EXPERIENCE

VICE-PRESIDENT, CONTENT & CREATIVE STRATEGY

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© Copyright 2019 by Bookmark Content and Communications, a Spafax Group Company. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission of the publisher is prohibited. Experience magazine is published twice per year by Bookmark Content and Communications, a Spafax Group Company. Points of view expressed do not necessarily represent those of Bombardier Business Aircraft.

The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject all advertising matter. The publisher assumes no responsibility for the return or safety of unsolicited art, photographs or manuscripts. Printed in Canada.

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CONTRIBUTORS

Vanessa Basille, Guy Bird Donny Colantonio, Melika Dez Rob Goss, Peter Guenzel Anne‑Laure Jean Michael Stephen Johnson Christopher Korchin Pauline Loctin, Kacy Meinecke Katie Moore, Bernadette Morra Mahmoud Sanousi Mostafa Matjaž Tančič, Xavier Tera Isa Tousignant, Doug Wallace

Steve O’Connor steve.oconnor@spafax.com EUROPE, SPAFAX HEAD OF GLOBAL LUXURY & DIRECTOR OF EUROPE

Tullia Vitturi tullia.vitturi@spafax.com

Joanna Forbes joanna.forbes@bookmarkcontent.com

PHOTOS: RADFORD STUDIO (MORRA) • ANSGAR SOLLMANN (GUENZEL) • ROB GOSS • KACY MEINECKE

Timeless Tokyo / page 30

| Radar |

R ADAR Goods • Design • Inspiration

Designer Sound 

PHOTO: CYNTHIA VAN ELK

www.oswaldsmillaudio.com

Oswalds Mill Audio (OMA) works under a simple ideology: Music is an event, not a soundtrack. Offering a welcome alternative to today’s trend of compressed music formats, OMA’s bespoke methods harken back to the golden age of sound when the quality of audio systems was the paramount factor in the listening experience. This means the acoustic DNA of OMA is unique in the audio industry, pairing Savile Row-style craftsmanship with the finest

materials, such as Pennsylvania hardwoods (also used by Martin Guitars), slate sourced from Pennsylvania’s last quarry, as well as cast aluminum, bronze and hypoeutectic gray iron, chosen for its vibration- and resonancedamping qualities. OMA’s technicians can also evaluate existing environments or guide the acoustic design for any new constructions or renovations, ensuring that the speaker system is tailor-made for the room it’s in. 

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Master Pieces  www.meissen.com

Porcelain manufacturer Meissen hasn’t changed its process much since the company was founded in 1710. Each product begins in the manufactory’s own mine near the city of Meissen, Germany, where the purest kaolin is sourced and blended with native feldspar and quartz—a process that to this day is still done by hand. The porcelain mass is then shaped using some of the world’s oldest molds from Meissen’s comprehensive archive, incorporating elements from the Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo periods in their design. Meissen’s inspiration for their pieces pulls from a vast array of cultures, traditions and eras. A wonderful example is the B-Form collection, first created between 1844 and 1855. Iconic for its royal blue tones and elaborate reliefs in 23-karat gold coating, this is the table service that first introduced coffee culture to the 19th century European bourgeoisie. 

 About Time

www.bravurwatches.com

Swedish style meets Swiss precision in Bravur, an independent Stockholm-based watchmaker founded by industrial designers Magnus Äppelryd and Johan Sahlin. Each numbered piece is built to order, designed with a pared-down aesthetic that is both stylish and functional. World travelers will be interested in the Geography series GMT, which offers a sophisticated and uncluttered way to keep track of an additional time zone. Looking for more cities? Flip the timepiece over to its transparent sapphire display for a world time scale and watch the Swiss made, 25 jewel automatic movement in action. 

Interior Lives  Frequently collaborating with powerhouse design firms like Yabu Pushelberg, Rockwell Group and tonychi, Moss & Lam’s team of 25 artists and designers are creating some of the world’s most ambitious custom interiors and homewares. The brand’s 14,000-square-foot studio is filled with wall-to-wall canvases and large-scale sculptures, housing pieces destined for notable clients all over the world (the China Center New York recently commissioned gradient plaster wallcoverings in striking reds and oranges for its 89th-floor offices in the new One World Trade Center, choosing a meticulously designed palette that is a vibrant reference to traditional Chinese lacquerware). The studio also offers a permanent collection of items for the home, ranging from scagliola tables to soothing wall surfaces made of hand-painted canvas (so no unsightly seams for up to 100 feet). And although they work on incredibly opulent spaces, from Four Seasons hotels to Louis Vuitton stores, for Moss & Lam co-founder Deborah Moss, the idea of luxury is something more personal. “For me it’s about the quality of what you have. It doesn’t have to be the most expensive. It’s about living with things you cherish, regardless of their value to others.”  12

EXPERIENCE

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF MEISSEN • BRAVUR • MOSS & LAM

www.mossandlam.com

| Radar |

Bending the Rules  www.misscloudy.com

Known for creating structural origami art under the pseudonym Miss Cloudy, paper artist Pauline Loctin teamed up with photographer Melika Dez for the Pli.é Project, a photo series featuring classically-trained dancers from internationally renowned companies wearing the artist’s original, hand-folded designs. Taken in the four major cities of Montreal, New York, Paris and Rome, the Pli.é Project perfectly illustrates Loctin’s passion for elevating the ordinary. “Working with such a well-known material as paper, leaves no one expecting what one piece of paper can do. And that is magic to me.”

With a love of color, patterns and shadows, Loctin’s creations are both precise and playful, two elements that are also embodied in her collection of handmade children’s mobiles (available through her website). While Loctin’s work can be small, detail oriented and whimsical, it can also be massively breathtaking, much like the 85-foot tall mural she designed for the entrance of Toronto’s Contemporary Art Fair this past February. Her work is also featured on this issue’s cover, offering an artistic rendering of the beauty that can be found in bending expectations and never settling for the ordinary—ideals that are integral to Bombardier’s DNA. Loctin is currently preparing for the second iteration of the Pli.é Project, which will have her working with dancers in Havana, London, Rio and Tokyo. 

 A Perfume of One’s Own

PHOTOS: MELIKA DEZ (MISS CLOUDY) • COURTESY OF PERFUMER H

www.perfumerh.com

British perfume maker Lyn Harris, also known as Perfumer H, has taken the concept of “signature scent” one step further. At her laboratory on Crawford Street in London’s Marylebone district, customers can collaborate with her to create bespoke fragrances from scratch that are personalized to one’s tastes (a process that can take up to six months). Those with not as much time can opt for one of her seasonal ready-to-wear scents or purchase one from her select archive of Laboratory Editions. Each creation is housed in a handblown glass bottle by artist Michael Ruh that can be customized with hand-engraved initials. 

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 Gin Palace www.atlasbar.sg

Tucked into the ground floor of Parkview Square, an office tower in Singapore’s central Bugis neighborhood, Atlas is a cavernous Art Deco-style cocktail bar reminiscent of ballrooms from the Jazz Age (with a bit of Gotham City mixed in). With tufted velvet chairs, ornate gilt railings and gorgeous illuminated ceiling murals, this warm lounge offers modern twists on timeless classics as well as an impressive collection of vintage gins—the spirit of the Gilded Age—that includes one from each decade from 1910 onwards. In fact, more than 1,000 different bottles of gin make up the soaring “library” above the bar. 

 Mission Submersible With a hull and interior worthy of the best James Bond films, Aston Martin and Triton Submarines have revealed their collaboration known as Project Neptune, a strictly limited edition state-of-the-art submersible.

With 360º visibility, the ability to dive to depths of 500 meters and a sprint speed of 5 knots (four times the acceleration of Triton’s flagship 3300/3 model), Project Neptune perfectly encapsulates the respective expertise of each brand’s design team. Fabrication is extremely limited and can only be acquired through contacting one’s preferred Aston Martin or Triton representative.  14

EXPERIENCE

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF ATLAS • ASTON MARTIN

www.astonmartin.com

COME HOME TO

Minutes from Kona International Airport

MEMORIES TO LAST A LIFETIME The world’s premier residential resort awaits on the island of Hawai‘i . . .

808.325.8500

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HualalaiRealty.com

Access to and use of private amenities at Hualālai Resort is available only to Hualālai Members. Hualālai Membership is not included with a purchase of a property. See Membership plan and other governing documents for terms, conditions and costs. Obtain the Property Report or its equivalent required by Federal and State law and read it before signing anything.

No federal or state agency has judged the merits or value, if any, of the property/properties shown here. Warning: The California Department of Real Estate has not inspected, examined, or qualified this offering. All residential sales offered by Hualālai Residential LLC dba Hualālai Realty. © 2019 Hualālai Realty.

 Mugler’s Muses www.mbam.qc.ca/en

Few fashion designers have shaken the status quo in the way Thierry Mugler has. During his runway reign in the 80s, 90s and early 2000s, the French couturier created a much-needed seismic shift in style. His sartorial mission was to dispense with overdone opulence and, instead, prioritize art and innovation.

To celebrate his work, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) is presenting Thierry Mugler: Couturissime, an exhibition of 150 of his outfits, many of which reveal his ambitions. Reflecting on his favored materials, which are prominently featured at the MMFA until September 8, Mugler feels his unconventional preferences are what sets him apart: “Aside from incredible human beings and nature, fake fur, latex, rubber, vinyl, metal and plexiglass are my main muses.” A far cry from his shoulder pad-obsessed, grunge-manic and gown-beguiled contemporaries, Mugler’s sleek, hyper-modern clothing aims to avoid defining an era—or being defined by one. “I am proud to say that I never created anything for a quote unquote market or to be in any zeitgeist,” Mugler insists. “I create for people, real women or men. I propose to them an everyday mise en scène, a show, a picture or a fragrance that will make their lives hopefully a bit lighter.”

For notable fans such as Beyoncé, Lady Gaga and the late George Michael (whose video, “Too Funky,” famously featured Mugler’s collections on a bevy of supermodels), Mugler’s designs were catalysts for their very public career highs. Looking back at the breadth of his output, which has influenced a new decade of fashion (most recently with Grammy Award-winner Cardi B), Mugler is proud of the impact his garments have made. “Creating an aesthetic that challenges the norm is, above all things, a true accomplishment.” 

Pop Goes the World  It takes about 20 years to create a bottle of Krug Grande Cuvée (including at least seven in the dimly lit cellars of Reims). Every year, for more than 167 years, the famous Champagne house has created its prestige bottle from scratch. Distinguished by its deep golden color and elegant bubbles, the Grande Cuvée is the result of a unique process of blending at least 150 reserve wines, each harvested from a single plot of land, across numerous vineyards and spanning at least 12 vintages. This assemblage fulfills the dream of founder Joseph Krug to create the fullest expression of Champagne in any given year (regardless of climate variations). In a glass, you might taste notes of toasted bread, hazelnut, nougat, barley sugar and jellied fruits—an orchestra of flavors to delight the palate. It’s no wonder then that the house now also works with musicians to create dedicated playlists for each of its new bottles (accessible through the Krug ID code on the back label), believing that music can change the way your brain appreciates the taste.  16

EXPERIENCE

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF THE MONTREAL MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS • KRUG

www.krug.com

One of life’s privileges.

By Elio Iannacci

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T

STAY

Frank Sinatra, who often flew into Palm Springs on his Learjet 23 aircraft, called the Colony Palms Hotel his home away from home for good reason. He and stars such as Clark Gable and Marlene Dietrich would often take refuge in the Spanish-style palace for weeks, enjoying its well-appointed leafy grounds and quiet nooks. Although it has gone through a few iterations since, the property has kept its majesty intact. Its restaurant—the Purple Palm, helmed by acclaimed chef Nick Tall—remains one of the best places to eat in the city, boasting a menu that includes Osaka-style crab fritters and pinot noir floats.

Unlike many of the frenetic boutique hotels nearby, the Colony Palms Hotel’s 57 rooms remain the epicenter of calm. Aside from offering guests a remarkable poolside view of the San Jacinto mountains, the hotel’s soothing Moroccaninspired decor scheme is something to note. And the interiors of its spacious Casitas feel like the perfect fusion of SoCal and Marrakech.

PHOTO: MARTYN GODDARD

Post Modern Palm Springs

he city of Palm Springs has seen more comebacks than the Hollywood stars that made the city famous. During the 30s, 40s and 50s, the relatively small desert enclave began building its reputation by luring bold-faced names fixated on having privacy, humidity-free heat, arid vistas and lavish parties. Yet Palm Springs—with all of its golden age charm— is not an archive. Over the past two decades, the city has refashioned itself as a magnet for art lovers, design devotees and cuisine enthusiasts. Here are some desert hot spots.

| City Guide |

DINE

PHOTOS: AUDREY MA (WORKSHOP KITCHEN) • LISA ROMEREIN (TRINA TURK & MR TURK) LANCE GERBER (PALM SPRINGS ART MUSEUM) • SEAN PAUL PRESLEY (INTEGRATRON)

The chic, minimalist cement decor and cocktail menu at Workshop Kitchen + Bar should be enough incentive to visit the justifiably hailed restaurant. Signature drinks such as the Ancho Libre (made with ancho chile liqueur, angostura bitters and orange oils) and the California Dreamin’ (vodka mixed with grand poppy liqueur and lemon juice) continue to bring in mixology fans by the mile. For the discerning foodies who book tables at this James Beard-awarded haunt, however, the main draw is the cuisine: small plates ranging from octopus carpaccio to house-cured gravlax tartine and main dishes such as duck leg confit and wood-grilled hanger steak.

DO

A quick trip to the Palm Springs Art Museum will give you the angle you need to truly appreciate the desert city’s designs. The museum’s impressive permanent collection houses an archive of legendary architect Albert Frey—a must since his photographs give visitors a much-needed “then and now” view of Palm Springs. Some of the gallery spaces rival a few metropolitan museums, as they include groundbreaking works from artists ranging from Picasso to Warhol. Time your visit for Modernism Week, held in February, when you can also tour one of Frey’s most stunning residences.

SHOP

No other boutique in town combines the old and new worlds of Palm Springs quite like Trina Turk and Mr Turk (above). Housed in a 1960s era, glass-walled building designed by architect Albert Frey, this fashion designer’s headquarters, which contains men’s and women’s collections that are wildly informed by Pucci and kaleidoscopic motifs, is worth the window-shop alone. For a more subdued palette, Elizabeth & Prince—also located on North Palm Canyon Drive—is the best bet for those who prefer clean lines over bold patterns (the shop carries top notch minimal designs from Heidi Merrick and Thaddeus O’Neil).

UNPLUG

A surprising wellness secret in the area is the Integratron—a massive structure designed in the shape of a cupola, located in the heart of the Mojave Desert. This striking 38-foot-high, 55-footwide dome, which boasts an acoustically superior interior, has visitors booking months in advance so they can benefit from the hypnotic and regenerative sound baths held here. Travelers who are willing to make the trek outside city limits are treated to a 60-minute sonic spa, in which an aural practitioner plays a sequence of quartz crystal bowls in the multiwave sound chamber. 

TRAVELING TO CALIFORNIA? A Mobile Response Team vehicle is stationed in Van Nuys, California, providing resolution of AOG/unscheduled maintenance events for Bombardier buisness aircraft, operating 24/7 +1 866 538 1247.

EXPERIENCE

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Challenging

Status the

Quo

The number one best-selling business jet just got better.

By Christopher DiRaddo

W

ith floor-to-ceiling windows, the spec room in the Bombardier Challenger Aircraft Delivery Center is filled with an abundance of natural light. “At an altitude of 45,000 feet, you are at your best lighting,” says Karen Lovegrove, senior customer account manager of Bombardier’s Challenger Customer Facing Team. “We have to replicate that as best as possible.”

The spec room is where Bombardier customers choose the fittings for their Challenger 350 aircraft. The most successful business jet platform of the last decade may come equipped with more baseline features than the competition, but there are still many personal embellishments to choose from: exotic wood veneers, custom handmade carpets, luxurious seat coverings and intricate glass and silverware, to name but a few.

“Sometimes,” Lovegrove adds, “if it’s a particularly beautiful day, we’ll take our samples and examine them outside.”

With thousands of fabric swatches lining the walls of this room, you’d be forgiven for not noticing the ceiling. But above this spot where dreams are assembled, you can witness the results of those dreams up close: Dozens of pockmarks pepper the ceiling where Champagne corks have been popped and sometimes lodged, the new owner’s signature claiming the indentation.

“The purchase of a Challenger 350 jet is often a milestone for a company, continued success to be celebrated,” she says. “It’s a dream come true.”

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| Aircraft |

EXPERIENCE

Most Delivered Business Jet

The Challenger 350 aircraft strikes the perfect balance between spirited performance, large cabin comfort and class-leading value.

With the lowest direct operating costs in its category, it’s also the number one choice among Fortune 500 companies. Just last year, Bombardier delivered 60 Challenger 350 aircraft, outpacing competitors and leading the industry for the second year in a row (capturing 58 percent of the super-midsize segment). No other jet in its class goes full range, with both fuel tanks and seats full. This means the Challenger 350 jet can easily transport nine people from New York to London—or anywhere else within its impressive 3,200 nautical mile (5,926 kilometer) range. And with its optimally balanced wings, engines and landing gear, the aircraft provides a signature smooth ride from takeoff to landing.

New on Board

Bombardier recently introduced several enhancements to the Challenger 350 jet. The aircraft can now be equipped with a lightweight Head-up Display (HUD), which allows pilots to fly eyes forward in all phases of flight, including during landing and takeoff. And with the new Enhanced Vision System (EVS), a pilot’s situational awareness is further heightened by an infrared camera that transmits live imagery (surrounding terrain, potential obstacles) directly to the HUD, ensuring runway visibility in adverse weather conditions.

Last summer the Challenger 350 jet achieved steep-approach certification, making the aircraft capable of landing at some of the world’s most challenging airports (like Aspen or London City). And 22

EXPERIENCE

with improved rudder authority and superior braking performance, you can now fly up to 1,500 nautical miles (2,778 kilometers) farther out of short runways, such as Santa Monica. On board, the aircraft now has the fastest and most reliable air-to-ground internet coverage with 4G ATG. And with a superior sound suppressing design, noise can be kept to a minimum due to the presence of baseline pocket doors and a standard cockpit closeout curtain.

Cabin Interiors

The Challenger 350 jet continues to offer the perfect blend of aesthetics and ergonomics. The meticulously crafted interiors are carefully designed with an unrivaled attention to detail, something you won’t find on other super-midsize aircrafts. With a fully flat floor, the widest purpose-built cabin in its class permits more aisle space and unrestricted access to baggage. And tall windows allow for an abundance of natural light to flood the cabin and showcase the worldclass design.

In terms of comfort, the Challenger 350 aircraft delivers on its promise with seats that feature 180° tracking, recline and berthing capabilities. Everything has been thought of, from the clever foldout tables that align flush with the side ledge when deployed to the deep cup holders that securely hold your drink. Passengers have easy access to cabin controls, real-time flight info, and video playback with eight perfectly positioned touch screens. You can also use your own personal devices to control the Cabin Management System and seamlessly switch from entertainment to information. 

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World Champion Bombardier’s Global 7500 aircraft is on a world tour to showcase its industry-defining range, size and performance.

By Michael Stephen Johnson

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ILLUSTRATION: MAHMOUD SANOUSI MOSTAFA

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t’s Super Bowl Sunday, and an air of anticipation hangs over Atlanta like a Georgia heat wave. Football fans are pouring into the downtown core from all over. Just north of the city, business aircraft operators descend in droves on DeKalb-Peachtree Airport (PDK). They may have flown in to experience one of the biggest sporting spectacles on earth, but not before paying a visit to the demonstrator of Bombardier’s newly certified Global 7500 aircraft.

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“THIS YEAR, OUR JETS WILL BE ON DISPLAY AT MORE LOCATIONS THAN EVER. OUR GLOBAL 7500 JET, AS WELL AS OUR ENTIRE FLEET, IS TAKING TO THE SKIES TO BRING THE AIRSHOW EXPERIENCE CLOSER TO CUSTOMERS.” — Peter Likoray

Super Bowl LIII is just one of many stops Bombardier is making on its 2019 world tour. “This year, our jets will be on display at more locations than ever,” says Bombardier Business Aircraft senior vice president of worldwide sales and marketing Peter Likoray. The Global 7500 world tour offers a unique opportunity for customers to get a firsthand look at the world’s largest and longest-range purpose-built business jet in their own cities. “Our Global 7500 jet, as well as our entire fleet, is taking to the skies to bring the airshow experience closer to customers.”

Going the Distance

With an unmatched range of 7,700 nautical miles (14,260 kilometers), and an astounding takeoff distance of 5,800 feet (1,768 meters), the Global 7500 jet has the ability to get you to your destination faster while also granting access to some of the world’s most challenging airports. To put that in perspective, under the right conditions the aircraft has both the long-haul and steep approach capability to connect 10 passengers nonstop from Los Angeles to London City (an airport with one of the world’s shortest runways).

Since its entry-into-service in December, the Global 7500 aircraft has also achieved two record flights: breaking the business jet speed record from Los Angeles to New York, and then setting the business jet speed record from New York to London (reaching Mach 0.925 on both flights).

Room with a View

It’s easy to forget how much bigger the Global 7500 aircraft is compared to every other large business jet on the market, but once you board the aircraft and experience the cabin interior, it’s impossible not to think about its size. It’s the only aircraft in business aviation with four true living spaces, a dedicated crew suite and a full-sized kitchen. It’s the brightest cabin on the block, too: Bigger and more evenly distributed windows provide the most natural light in business aviation, not to mention a window seat for every passenger.

Combined with award-winning bespoke interiors courtesy of

Bombardier’s state-of-the-art Laurent Beaudoin Completion Centre, whose craftsmanship and creativity offer virtually limitless potential for personalized suite configurations, floor plans and furnishing, the cabin is as luxurious as it is roomy.

Suite Life

The Global 7500 aircraft also offers a range of suites that allow business and pleasure to converge seamlessly. First, the aircraft kitchen is as inviting a space as any on board, designed in collaboration with some of the world’s top cabin crews to be more than just a place to prepare in-flight meals. Hidden behind the kitchen’s ergonomic layout are a full range of amenities and storage options that allow not only the cabin crew to be more ambitious in their meal-planning but also the passengers to be more indulgent when choosing where, when and what they want to eat.

Next, the bright and inviting Club Suite is a sanctuary whose innovative features are optimized for productivity. Its new Nuage seat is a crown jewel in Bombardier’s latest line of in-flight innovations, and represents a genuine paradigm shift in business aircraft design and function. It’s the only seat in business aviation featuring a patented floating base, a tilting headrest and a tilt-link system that marks the industry’s first-ever deep recline.

As for the Conference Suite, it can comfortably seat six passengers for business meetings or, better still, an unparalleled in-flight fine dining experience. And the Entertainment Suite—equipped with a three-place berthable divan and a large-screen high-definition TV, complete with an immersive audio system—is the perfect place to unwind during long hauls.

Finally, the Master Suite is your home away from home, a portrait of personal comfort with customizable features like a permanent bed and stand-up shower in the en suite. And all throughout the Global 7500 aircraft, the nice Touch cabin management system (CMS) allows you to effortlessly adjust temperature, lighting and entertainment settings through the touch and turn of the OLED display dial, an industry first. 

THE GLOBAL 7500 AIRCRAFT demonstrator has embarked on its 2019 world tour to showcase its longest range, largest cabin and smoothest ride. For the latest information on the tour, including destinations, contact your Bombardier Business Aircraft Sales Director (see page 55).

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| Aircraft |

FORWARD THINKING The continuing legacy of Learjet aircraft

By Christopher DiRaddo

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ore than 50 years ago, William Powell Lear had a vision for the future. In it, private jets were the preferred mode of all business travel—a smaller, faster and cost-efficient option for leaders of industry.

In 1963, the world saw the results of that vision up close when the first Learjet aircraft took to the sky. The jet would become known as the aircraft that invented private flight— and the jet set—answering the demands of an increasingly global society to create a convenient and more comfortable way to travel. To date, more than 3,000 Learjet aircraft have been manufactured, proving its status as a timeless classic with no sign of going out of style.

Today’s Learjet 70 and Learjet 75 aircraft continue to set the standard by bringing large jet features to the light jet class. Offering the smoothest ride in their category, these jets fly farther with more passengers than their competitors without compromising fuel efficiency. Equipped with a premium cabin and advanced cockpit technologies (a significant update to the Garmin G5000 avionics suite is forthcoming, permitting access to some of the most favorable flight paths), the Learjet 70 and Learjet 75 aircraft continue to be an enduring symbol of the future. 

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Family Man Process engineer Zafar Sheikh may spend most of his waking hours expanding his company, but his five children remain at the center of his life—thanks in part to his Challenger 650 jet.

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leaming from the back of the Bombardier hangar in Montreal, Zafar Sheikh’s shiny new Challenger 650 aircraft shows off its gold SPEC logo. A private jet habitué (this is his fifth), Sheikh has come to fetch his company aircraft in person and can barely wait for its maiden voyage—tomorrow he and his wife will be flying to Bucharest to pick up their

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five kids, to then jet off to Dubai all together for the weekend. “Then Tuesday I go to Pakistan for two days, and the following week I go to São Tomé, in Africa,” says Sheikh.

This aircraft will get a lot of use. Sheikh lives a truly international life. Born in Pakistan, he moved to the United States at 17 to study mechanical engineering in Kansas. Barely graduated, he was leading his first project in war-torn Bosnia.

“I volunteered to go where nobody was

PHOTOS: DONNY COLANTONIO • COURTESY OF ZAFAR SHEIKH

By Isa Tousignant

OPPOSITE PAGE: Chairman of SPEC Group, Zafar Sheikh; Sheikh, his wife and three of their children in their home in Lahore, Pakistan.

presence, but for the Sheikhs that has never represented a sacrifice where family life is concerned. Sheikh’s wife is also an engineer and accompanies him on most trips. Only school keeps the children in one place most of the time; otherwise they’re on board, exploring new destinations every weekend, all summer and throughout even the shortest holidays. “I was asking my daughter where she would want to live, and she says she doesn’t think she could live in one country. They’ve gotten so used to their international life.”

Family dynamics were a big part of how Sheikh chose to personalize his Challenger 650 jet. He opted for wider seats with lots of legroom in the front of the compartment (his wife and he always sit facing each other) and a smaller bathroom to add an extra feeling of space in the cabin. He dispensed with the storage boxes to allow for fully reclinable seats—his preferred activity in the air is either conversation or sleep. “I don’t read; I’m a numbers guy.

Anything over three lines, you’ve lost me!”

On about a quarter of Sheikh’s flights, his entourage becomes business colleagues. When that happens, it’s conference seating to ensure the strategies for the day are set before landing. And every now and again, he’ll be accompanied by the head of a bank or an oil company.

“That’s the only time I feel I need to offer the VIP services on board, with a hostess.

Otherwise, everyone serves themselves.”

It’s ironic that someone who spends so much of his life in the air has his feet so firmly planted on the ground. Sheikh’s business decisions are led by a passion to build, to make things out of nothing in countries other entrepreneurs might ignore. “It’s about achievement,” he says. “I always tell my kids, it doesn’t matter how much money you have. You don’t need much to live.” 

| Profile |

willing to go—only an army plane would take me there. I got to successfully complete a huge project at the age of 24.”

That experience gave him the confidence to launch his own business. SPEC began 19 years ago in Houston, Texas, but now comprises manufacturing facilities everywhere from Nigeria to Iraq to Kurdistan to Pakistan, and turnkey projects spanning the globe from China to Bangladesh. In short, SPEC is a multitiered company in the engineering, procurement and construction sector that started as a manufacturer of equipment for the oil and gas industry—but quickly became much more. Sheikh’s latest project, for example, is the construction of his own $1.5 billion refinery in São Tomé. The company has a staff of thousands, including 2,000 permanent engineers. By his own admission, Sheikh thinks about little else, and reinvests most of his profits into SPEC’s seemingly endless expansion.

“I’m not really a businessman,” he says, despite all of this. “I’m more of an engineer.” Sheikh built his company on his technical knowledge and remains active on every job site. He’s constantly on the move. “That’s what the Challenger aircraft enables,” he says. “With its nine-hour range, it allows me to go from Europe to Pakistan in a single shot. I go to areas that are very remote; for example, I did a project in Guinea, in Africa, where there’s no direct flight, and only a couple of flights a week.

I’d have to wait three days at the job site before I could come back if I flew commercial. With our own plane, we can go in the morning, work, and be home by evening.”

The kind of growth SPEC has known requires peerless dedication and constant

 HOME BASE “My home base is my plane.

I have houses in Bucharest, Lahore, Islamabad, Houston, Tuscany and Dubai.”

 OCCUPATION Chairman of SPEC Group

 ANNUAL FLIGHT TIME “With my previous jet I was flying 450 hours a year. But with a new plant in Africa, I’m expecting 500 to 600 hours a year from now on.”

 HAPPY PLACE “The family vineyard in Tuscany.”

 TRAVEL ESSENTIALS “I keep my passport in my briefcase, because I leave within 20 minutes’ notice. Most of the time I leave without clothes. I keep a full wardrobe in each of my houses.”

 LEISURE TRAVEL HACK “On all our U.S. business flights we pick new islands for a stopover: Iceland, Bermuda, Santa Maria. And my wife is Mexican, so we do Europe through the Mexico route, and we stop in the Caribbean. On Facebook it looks like we’re always on vacation.”

PERSONAL MANTRA

“Don’t stress out. And learn to manage time. When a problem arises, you’re going to think about it, but only do so for this half hour in this day. Don’t let it take over everything else.”

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TIMELESS

TOKYO FROM SUMO CULTURE TO GEISHA GLAMOUR, A JOURNEY INTO JAPAN’S EXCLUSIVE TRADITIONS.

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hum of anticipation descends upon Tokyo’s Kokugikan arena as two wrestlers crouch to face each other, bare skinned but for their silk mawashi loincloths, their hair pulled tight into heavily oiled topknots. With a tap of his fists onto the sandy top of the dohyo (ring), the larger of the two—easily 300 pounds—is the first to make a move.

Then all hell breaks loose.

F rom just under three feet apart, the two rikishi (wrestlers) launch at each other, and a split second later a deep thud reverberates around the cavernous arena, eliciting gasps from the 10,000 spectators, before the two men trade a flurry of slaps to gain control of the fight.

With slaps turning to grappling, the two rikishi search for enough purchase to perform a throw or a lift—anything to get the other on the floor or careening off the dohyo’s elevated platform. Then, not more than 20 seconds after it began, it’s over. With a hard tug on a mawashi, the smaller man twists the other off balance and charges him backwards toward the edge of the ring, where he teeters for a second before tumbling down into an exclusive ringside box. The crowd erupts. Both victor and vanquished look exhausted.

Sumo matches don’t last long, but the pomp and ceremony that precede them do, gradually building in intensity like a kettle on a slow boil. There are parades of fighters around the dohyo before each round of bouts, starting with the lowest-ranked rikishi early in the 30

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day and ending in early evening with the finest in the sport: household names in Japan like Hakuho and Kakuryu. There are processions of banner carriers, too, who look as if they could be standing out in front of a samurai army, though the embroidered banners they hold aloft to the crowd are actually advertising for brands as diverse as department stores and construction companies.

And before each fight, there’s the posturing of the two fighters, intimidatory shows of strength in which they stamp their feet on the ground, slap their own ample bellies, and toss salt across the dohyo to purify the space.

A ll that ritual makes sense when you think of sumo’s roots in Shinto, Japan’s indigenous religion, where the fighting was initially a component of religious rites: a way to entertain the gods in the hope of gaining their favor for a good harvest. From there, sumo grew to be the entertainment of the Edo-era (1603–1868) working class, performed for a paying public as a way to raise funds for shrine and temple construction projects and then establishing itself as a recognized sport. Nowadays, not only Japanese, but wrestlers from Mongolia, eastern Europe and Hawaii occupy sumo’s professional ranks, who take part in six 15-day grand sumo tournaments annually.

Even the standard seats for these sell out quickly, but the ringside boxes, where spectators sit on floor mats close enough to the dohyo to feel every slap and strain, are especially hard to come by—soon snapped up for corporate hospitality and VIPs.

PHOTO: COURTESY OF AMAN TOKYO

By Rob Goss

PHOTO: XXXXXX

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PHOTO: XXXXXX

| Travel |

SUMO MATCHES DON’T LAST LONG, BUT THE POMP AND CEREMONY THAT PRECEDE THEM DO.

PHOTOS: XAVIER TERA

Three of these tournaments—in January, May and September— play out at the Kokugikan in the Ryogoku neighborhood on what was Edo’s (as Tokyo was formerly known) merchant- and working-class east side. This is sumo central, the part of town in and around which many of the leading sumo beya (training stables) are located, where dozens of wrestlers live and train communally. Take a stroll here and you might see younger sumos running chores, out and about on Japan’s ubiquitous mamachari (“mom chariot”) shopping bicycles, perhaps picking up the ingredients for the hotpots the sumos cook and eat together in their living quarters.

Called chankonabe, this sumo staple cooked in a large metal or earthenware pot is packed with cabbage and other vegetables, seafood, chicken and tofu, all of which is simmered in a fishy or meaty broth and then served alongside bowls of rice, delivering everything a sumo needs to stay big and healthy. Though it’s not only for rikishi: You can take the sumo experience beyond a tournament with dinner

OPPOSITE PAGE: Sumo wrestlers square off.

THIS PAGE: Sakizuke, a selection of seasonal bite-sized morsels which starts the kaiseki experience; Wrestlers begin to fight.

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at a chankonabe restaurant in Ryogoku, many of which have a connection to sumo, whether that’s ex-sumos as chefs and owners or, in the case of a high-end option like Kappo Yoshiba, being housed in a historic cypress-wood building that was once a sumo training stable.

(Speaking of which, when the grand tournaments aren’t on, you can go deeper still, as some sumo beya in Tokyo will open their morning training sessions to small, guided groups of visitors.)

Deep into Old Tokyo

The Aman Tokyo is one of a small number of ultra-high-end hotels that can arrange exclusive sumo stable visits for its guests. It also offers guest-only journeys deep into other traditional aspects of Japanese culture that the typical traveler won’t get to experience.

This includes one of the most iconic of all things Japanese, and perhaps the most misunderstood: geisha.

The journey takes privileged guests to the Akasaka neighborhood—one of six remaining hanamachi (“flower town”) areas in Tokyo where geisha still operate—and into Tsurunaka, perhaps the most exclusive of the capital’s remaining ryotei, highly private and highly priced traditional restaurants only accessible by referral, for an evening of fine dining, conversation and traditional entertainment.

Much like a day at the sumo, an evening at Tsurunaka is a succession of timeless elements: the bowed greeting of the kimono-clad owner after you have gone beyond the paper lantern that discreetly marks the ryotei’s entrance; the tatami-mat flooring and low tables THIS PAGE: A chef at the Aman Tokyo prepares sashimi; The yakimono course at Tsurunaka consists of a piece of buri served with grated daikon.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Refreshments served at the Aman Tokyo spa.

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| Travel |

MUCH LIKE A DAY AT THE SUMO, AN EVENING AT TSURUNAK A IS A SUCCESSION OF TIMELESS ELEMENTS.

Aman Tokyo

PHOTOS: XAVIER TERA • COURTESY OF AMAN HOTEL

www.aman.com

of the private dining rooms, which over generations have seen politicians and VIPs meeting away from the glare of media and public scrutiny; and, of course, the geisha.

In the company of two of Akasaka’s remaining 23 geisha—a far cry from the 600 who operated in this part of Tokyo just before World War II—the evening progresses with an artistically arranged ninecourse dinner. The courses change daily depending on the availability of seasonal ingredients, but firmly follow the centuries-honed traditions of Japan’s haute cuisine, kaiseki-ryori—a succession of small culinary works of art arranged on the finest lacquerware and ceramics. Then there are the songs and games, beginning with one geisha performing slow dances with the poise and balance you see in a martial artist, while the other provides a twangy pacing and rhythm on a three-stringed shamisen (similar to a banjo).

A n evening here is an opportunity to be immersed in a part of Japanese culture most non-Japanese cannot access; unless you go via the Aman Tokyo, ryotei like Tsurunaka require an introduction from a regular. Perhaps it’s a chance to reappraise the Western view of geisha, too. As Ichiharu, who frequently performs for men, women, couples and families at Tsurunaka, explains, a geisha isn’t a companion in the modern-day usage of that word, she is a traditional entertainer trained in classical Japanese dance and instrumentation, a master of parlor games and etiquette, and a practitioner of the art of omotenashi, a term often translated as intuitive hospitality. In Ichiharu’s words, being a geisha is a way of life, and although she and her fellow geisha would be too modest to say it themselves, it’s a highly respected role—providing an experience that at Tsurunaka today is, like a day at the sumo, simply unforgettable. 

Aman’s first urban hotel when it opened in 2014, the Aman Tokyo is perched high above the centrally located Otemachi district, with views over the Imperial Palace gardens and—on clear days—across the urban sprawl as far as Mount Fuji.

Inside, it’s one of the most striking of the capital’s luxury retreats, designers Kerry Hill Architects having blended traditional Japanese sensibilities and contemporary minimalism in the 84 rooms and suites, utilizing camphor wood, stone and washi paper to create something that is as quintessentially Japanese as a ryokan inn, yet instantly familiar to anyone who has stayed at an Aman elsewhere. 

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Kingsof theRoad ROLLS-ROYCE MOTOR CARS TAKES US UNDER THE HOOD OF THEIR GOODWOOD FACILITY.

By Guy Bird

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| Craftsmanship |

EXPERIENCE

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estled in the lush countryside near England’s southern coastline, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars’ architectural award-winning headquarters are a long way—in every sense—from a regular car factory.

Located two hours from London, on a 42-acre site on the outskirts of Chichester in West Sussex, the Goodwood plant is a marvel of modernist design, with its glass and steel-columned walls topped with the largest plant-covered ‘living roof’ in the United Kingdom (at about eight acres). Built alongside a large central lake to aid drainage and attract birds, and surrounded by more than 400,000 plants and trees, this thoughtful facility blends effortlessly with the English countryside while also reducing the company’s environmental footprint.

Opened in 2003 and expanded since, the Goodwood plant houses the design and assembly of all current models of the famous marque. It’s a nameplate that can trace its history back to the early days of motoring in 1904, when engineering genius Henry Royce joined forces with aristocratic entrepreneur Charles Rolls. Their breakthrough Silver Ghost model launched in 1906 was declared the “best car in the world” by Autocar magazine on account of its unrivaled power, quality, refinement and reliability. This superlative has pretty much stuck ever since and the brand has become a byword for the best in any field, as in “the Rolls-Royce of…” Today, the business is still about the pursuit of perfection, selling only 4,107 cars in 2018, the highest annual total in the marque’s 115-year history, and employing 2000-plus staff. But unlike other luxury companies, its headquarters are also a place where customers can discuss their specifications and experience the brand’s craftsmanship firsthand.

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“What makes us different is how the creative process begins,” explains Alex Innes, Rolls-Royce’s head of coachbuild design, within the refined atmosphere of the atelier rooms. Here, swatches of leather, spools of fine thread and examples of exotic wood marquetry are tastefully displayed behind comfortable sofas and meeting tables. “It’s important to understand the definition of bespoke,” Innes continues. “It’s an overused word, but we’re acutely aware of its origin. In Savile Row, when cloth was cut for a specific customer and put to one side, it was ‘to be spoken for.’ That same philosophy serves us today in tailoring these magnificent cars. It starts with the customer.”

Given that almost all Rolls-Royces have some bespoke elements, this is no idle boast. “We don’t offer predetermined options,” Innes qualifies. “It really is a blank sheet of paper and we demonstrate that by putting the client in front of the design team, not a salesperson. It brings the process in line with commissioning a super-yacht or building a dream house.”

Rolls-Royce offers five model lines—the Dawn, the Ghost, the Wraith, the Phantom and most recently the Cullinan luxury SUV—but in 2017 the brand also unveiled a one-off model made for just one customer, the Sweptail.

“We think it is the only demonstration of contemporary coachbuilding at that level in the modern age,” says Innes

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF ROLLS-ROYCE MOTOR CARS (OPPOSITE PAGE & PREVIOUS)

THIS PAGE: Designed by Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, the Goodwood manufacturing facility is located on 42 acres of green space.

OPPOSITE PAGE: The unmistakable curves of the one and only Sweptail.

| Craftsmanship |

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“THE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR CLIENTS EXTENDS TO EVERYONE WORKING ON THEIR CARS.” —

PHOTO: XXXXXX

Alex Innes

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| Craftsmanship |

PHOTOS: PETER GUENZEL

OPPOSITE PAGE: Upwards of 1,900 holes are hand-drilled into the car’s leather fabric ceiling to create the Starlight Headliner.

THIS PAGE: A Rolls-Royce Motor Cars vehicle on the assembly line.

of the four-year project. “Before, the client had done relatively modest commissions by comparison,” Innes recalls. “But we created trust through small steps and then he said he wanted something special and was prepared to be patient. We took inspiration from the golden age of coachbuilding (the 1920s and 30s), beautifully proportioned cars with dramatic rooflines.”

The result is a two-door, two-seater boasting original bodywork that sweeps back to a boat-like tail—thus the name. The Sweptail’s interior is just as impressive, with a light-filled cabin offering storage for bespoke briefcases, a Champagne chiller and an ornate wooden rear ‘hat shelf.’ Chatting with Innes, his enthusiasm, verging on disbelief, at the project’s ambition is tangible: “People often ask what is the most remarkable part about the Sweptail, and I answer, ‘the fact that it exists!’ It was a unique set of circumstances.”

Even if you don’t want to top what Rolls-Royce’s CEO Torsten MüllerÖtvös concedes was probably “the most expensive car ever built,” all customers get a great service by having the designers, craftspeople and engineers under one roof. “The personal relationship with our clients extends to everyone working on their cars,” Innes clarifies. “We can go to the woodshop and deliberate on how we solve something with the people there. It’s all on one site and we’re afforded a direct exchange which is obvious in the quality of what we’re able to achieve.”

The woodshop has a humidity room that keeps its various veneers at 77°F (25°C) to make them malleable enough for shaping. Only the most ‘characterful’ veneers are selected—“40 percent are rejected as not interesting enough,” admits bespoke craftsperson John McWilliam—and the 0.02 inch (0.5 mm) thick slices can be sanded thinner so that lights can be set behind them and glow through. But despite the evident artistry, McWilliam, who has

a mechanical engineering background, is equally keen to stress these materials’ functional prowess. “It’s an engineered product, not just a piece of wood,” he points out. “The airbag [behind it] still needs to perform.”

In another part of the facility Brian Staite, general manager of the leathershop, chooses hides. In all, 473 individual parts are cut for the extended-wheelbase Phantom and only certain sections are deemed appropriate. “For an armrest, flexible leather from the belly is used,” says Staite, “but for the seat we’ll use stronger leather from the backbone area.” Flaws are marked up and avoided to unbelievable levels of precision. To illustrate the point, Staite shows a piece of hide with no obvious topside issues. Turning it over, he reveals a slight indentation on its underside, which could affect surface smoothness once stretched over a hard part; the piece is therefore rejected. Despite this, Rolls-Royce is no fan of waste, sending leather off-cuts to the fashion and footwear industries and donating unused veneers to a local charity for furniture and other fund-raising products.

Robots are used in the paint plant, spraying some models with 22 coats, color-matched to any reference a client desires (samples so far have included a favorite shade of lipstick and the fur of an owner’s beloved red setter dog; Rolls-Royce’s color database now has 44,000 variants).

But walking along the clean assembly line—punctuated EXPERIENCE

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“WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT IS HOW THE CREATIVE PROCESS BEGINS...

IT STARTS WITH THE CUSTOMER.” —

THIS PAGE: Rolls-Royce’s embroidery specialists intricately customize each interior.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Head of coachbuild design, Alex Innes.

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by specially commissioned artworks for extra ambience— there’s a distinct absence of the sort of dirt, noise and clatter found in mainstream factories. All individual parts, from small switches to huge engines, are put together by humans in a process that takes about two days for each car. On a side avenue to the assembly line, a young woman painstakingly threads fiber optic lights through up to 1,900 holes hand-drilled in the car’s ceiling material to create each Starlight Headliner feature. Customers can choose their favorite constellation view and on the Wraith Luminary edition even specify a ‘shooting star’ effect, which originally came from a customer idea and can take 15 hours to complete.

A s the tour of Rolls-Royce’s headquarters nears its end, the conversation with Innes turns to the future.

“Where other brands have to transform themselves to rationalize electrification, for Rolls-Royce the synergy is already there,” he says enthusiastically. “It’s silent motoring, with a huge amount of torque available at low revs, largely urban driving and more often than not, returning to the point of departure, so for charging it’s perfect.”

But although the brand garnered feedback from an electric prototype as far back as 2011 and showed the fully autonomous and electric 103EX Vision Next 100 concept in 2016, Innes concedes that as there is still an element of compromise with electric technology today, a Rolls-Royce EV might be a little way off. “Compromise is not a word associated with Rolls-Royce, particularly from the customer side,” he says calmly and with a smile.

“When there is a technology and method we can credibly bring to market that will offer absolutely no compromise over a pre-existing combustion-engined car, I would suggest that would be the appropriate point. We are of course preparing ourselves.” 

PHOTOS: PETER GUENZEL

Alex Innes

PHOTO: XXXXXX

| Craftsmanship |

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By Bernadette Morra

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PHOTO: MATJAŽ TANČIČ

Wild at Art

PHOTO: XXXXXX

T

hree white-coated greeters man the doors of the Peninsula Beijing, but only one is human. The other two gentlemen, with the amusing grins and pink neckties, are fiberglass creations by renowned sculptor Gao Xiao Wu. To say that art is everywhere in this city of 22 million is not a stretch. The majestic Forbidden City, which will mark its 600th birthday in 2020, is home to the Palace Museum, three times larger than the Louvre in Paris. The country’s best art schools are also here: the Central Academy of Fine Arts, and the Academy of Arts and Design at Tsinghua University. Local arts and culture festivals are thriving, and there are many private tours ferrying collectors to artists’ studios and districts. The 798 Art District alone has more than 200 galleries, including international outposts of New York’s Pace Gallery and Galleria Continua from Italy.

“Beijing has over 10 great art museums, all well worth visiting,” says Meg Maggio, a Boston native who opened the Pékin Fine Arts gallery in 2005. “All major luxury hotels and office towers in China have public art displays, if not permanent collections and private museums.”

The reason the art scene is so strong in the country’s capital is, like so much in Beijing, a blend of past and present. “Artistic heritage is a priority here, and comes naturally from the Palace Museum’s legacy and the long traditions of painting, calligraphy, Buddhist temple sculpture, seal carving and arts and crafts generally,” Maggio explains. “China’s ancient culture prioritized the arts, music, theater and dance. And these traditions are being revived and supported both by the state and at the grass roots level.”

OPPOSITE PAGE: “Jurassic Age” (2006) sculpture by Sui Jianguo in the 798 Art District.

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| Travel |

BEIJING’S ART SCENE IS BRIMMING WITH ARTISTS WHO HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY, AND THE WORLD IS LISTENING.

The number of artists in Beijing alone is “in the tens of thousands,” says Brian Wallace, an Australian who opened Red Gate Gallery, China’s first private contemporary art gallery, in 1991. “About an hour outside of Beijing is what they call ‘the village of 10,000 artists’—Songzhuang—where every second person is an artist.” It’s not just the prevalence of art that is remarkable, however, but the quality, which Wallace says is the result of outstanding education. “The schools are fantastic,” he stresses. “Everyone recognizes the technical skills of the artists across all media because the basic skills have been ingrained through very rigorous teaching and training. The drawing and sketching skills are there even before students get into the universities.”

As far as imagination goes, the breadth of work is just as varied and exciting as anywhere, with the enormous change and rapid development of the last 30 years creating a deep well of inspiration. “The thread for all the interesting contemporary Chinese art is the commentary on what’s happening here in China,” remarks Wallace.

“That’s been the great thing since the ’80s and reflects what is going on in general—the personal freedoms that people have now are just incredible, even though the current leadership is trying to wind it back a bit.”

“The artists know how far they can go,” he adds. “And it can be very subtle as well.

Or sometimes the work is just purely beautiful. It may not be political, it may not be a stinging commentary. It could be about the artist’s own inner workings.”

For some, inner workings have been a commercial gold mine, especially during the contemporary art boom the city experienced in the mid 2000s.

46

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PHOTOS: MATJAŽ TANČIČ

THIS PAGE: One of the warehouse rooms at Gao Xiao Wu’s studio; Two works by Shen Jingdong in the 798 Art District, “Bluetooth Soldier Earphones” and “Little Angel.”

OPPOSITE PAGE: A greeter stands before one of Gao Xiao Wu’s fiberglass creations at the entrance to the Peninsula Beijing.

| Travel |

“ARTISTIC HERITAGE IS A PRIORITY HERE.” —

Meg Maggio

EXPERIENCE

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48

EXPERIENCE

Art Academy

On a private tour arranged by the Peninsula Beijing as part of its Academy experiences program, sculptor Gao allows guests into his expansive studio, which is more like a sprawling series of industrial units. He smiles broadly to reference how he trained himself to “wear a mask to be part of society”—inspiration for the bowing figures in the Peninsula’s lobby. He talks about using antlers that resemble tree branches to signify rebirth and explains that a giant newborn, curled as if fresh from the womb, was conceived after the birth of his daughter. The lion statues used to ward off evil as far back as imperial times are more playful than ferocious in Gao’s hands. “Young people don’t respect these traditional symbols so I make lions look like personal pets.”

A visit to the home of Wu Qiong, whose work is also displayed at the Peninsula Beijing, provides a fascinating glimpse into a complex personality. Inside the house, birds sing and water murmurs in a koi pond. Figurative paintings in pastel hues look sweet enough to illustrate a fairytale and Wu’s popular “Tattoo Boy” sculptures all have expressions of wonder. But there are also dark moody paintings from Wu’s school days that seem at odds with the innocence depicted in his current work—until Wu explains the reason most of his characters have closed eyes. “They are in a dream world, because that is much happier than the real world.”

As carefree as many in Beijing seem, there are undercurrents not always evident to an outsider. Wu was born in 1981—five years after the Cultural Revolution ended— but the generation before him was greatly impacted by Mao Zedong’s policies of harassment and destruction. Older artists almost certainly would have had devastating personal experiences, Wallace says. “God knows what their families went through.”

Or, as in the case of Nong Shaohua, who Wallace represents, they may never have had

PHOTOS:MATJAŽ TANČIČ • COURTESY OF GALERIE URS MEILE • VERA RABKINA (STATUE)

The Peninsula Beijing became the city’s only all-suite hotel after undergoing a $123 million renovation in 2017. Options include a two-story duplex and the expansive Beijing suite, which feels like a luxury condo complete with a small private theater. There’s no kitchen, though, so just grab one of the many multilingual tablets positioned about and punch in your order, be it for a burger or abalone—the menu caters to a wide range of tastes. Extra towels, a baby bathtub, even a Playstation 4 can all be summoned with a few taps. Deliveries arrive in a valet box that is locked from the outside, so you needn’t be disturbed.

The hotel did away with its business center during the renovations, so all of its suites have a well-equipped office and handsets programmed for complimentary international calls. Once your work is done, dash down for some laps in the indoor pool or unlock your chi with a traditional Chinese massage in the spa. If you would rather unwind in the privacy of your own room, the hotel offers in-room manicures complete with nail dryers.

Commissioned art can be found throughout the hotel—muse on abstract works in the bath or enjoy Chen Man’s flashy portraits while sipping vintage Krug at the chef’s table in Jing. Works of art from some of the biggest names in fashion and jewelry are also plentiful thanks to the Harry Winston, Graff, Chanel, Hermès and Louis Vuitton boutiques that ring the hotel lobby. For historical treasures, the Forbidden City and the National Museum of China are close by. 

| Travel |

ART IN BEIJING

The options for enjoying contemporary art in Beijing are plentiful, but be sure to factor heavy traffic into your plans. Time Out Beijing and That’s Beijing provide details on current exhibits and major art fairs.

ABOVE: “Vanishing into Thin Air” by Yang Mushi at the Galerie Urs Meile in the 798 Art District.

RIGHT: A statue in the lobby of M Woods Gallery in the 798 Art District.

the opportunity for an art education. “He is 59, self-taught and only working as a painter six or seven years. He worked in the coalfields of Shanxi province. He’s led a really poor, tough, gritty life and that’s the imagery that he is getting out of his system.”

Close to Home

Wallace is one of many Beijing gallerists who decamp each March for Art Basel Hong Kong, which was first held in 2013. With a mix of homegrown and international artists, the art fair has made it easy for the mainland audience to see far more work and develop their tastes, Wallace says. That exposure to Western art as well as fashion, jewelry and other forms of design, has created a more sophisticated population that is starting to look beyond global brands to its own creators. In February, Business of Fashion reported that Chinese brands Nanjiren, Bosideng, Bauo and Chando beat out pricier foreign players as the top-selling brands on Alibaba-owned e-commerce platform Tmall during this year’s Spring Festival shopping sprees.

Similarly, Chinese artists are enjoying a surge of acclaim at home. “They are not looking outward as much for validation, as the domestic market has markedly matured and grown,” Maggio says. Still, names such as Qiu Zhijie, Liu Wei, Zhang Xiaogang, Cao Fei and Zeng Fanzhi are regulars on the international art scene, having participated in major biennales and exhibited at museums such as the Guggenheim, Centre Pompidou and Tate.

“I rarely enter a major Western collector’s home without noting an artist of Chinese and/or Asian ethnicity in their collections,” Maggio says. “The world no longer collects according to geography nor ethnicity. Artists exist in a globalized world.” 

798 Art District The 798 Art District is a must not only for the Bauhaus architecture, the fashion obsessed gallery goers, and the refreshing indie vibe.

The art runs from commercial to conceptual, with everything in between.

Caochangdi The Caochangdi district was developed in part by artist Ai Weiwei, and is home to galleries, architects, furniture designers and other creatives, for now. Residents fear a common Beijing plight: that they will be displaced by the government for more urban development.

Central Academy of Fine Arts Widely considered China’s best art school, CAFA is home to an art museum designed by Arata Isozaki (who did MOCA Grand Avenue in Los Angeles) that is worth a visit for the architecture alone.

Museum of Contemporary Art Beijing MoCA Beijing is located in Songzhuang, “the village of 10,000 artists,” which holds its own annual arts festival in the fall. Year-round exhibits are often done in partnership with international museums.

National Art Museum of China NAMOC’s mandate is to collect, research and exhibit historical and contemporary Chinese art, though its collections also include imperial works, costumes and kites. 

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49

TRIED TESTED & TRUE Built on a foundation of safety and ingenuity, Bombardier’s flight test team has mastered the art of guiding new aircraft through the rigors of certification.

By Michael Stephen Johnson — Photographs by Kacy Meinecke

50

EXPERIENCE

PHOTO: XXXXXX

T

elluride Regional Airport, the highest commercial airport in North America, wears the peaks of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains like a crown. It’s winter 2017 and a Bombardier Global 7500 jet sits on the airport’s lone runway, the wind flapping and howling around it. At an elevation of over 9,000 feet, it’s an intimidating airstrip to say the least. A crew of two flight test pilots and a Flight Test Engineer (FTE) approach, having just reviewed the safety of flight information—a comprehensive report prepared by the support crew to ensure the plane is ready to fly. It’s time to put the world’s largest and longest-range business aircraft through its paces.

Game-changing models like the Global 7500 jet, as well as the imminent Global 5500 and 6500 aircraft, call for extensive and arduous testing: thousands of flight hours, countless envelope-pushing scenarios, and a large and dedicated team built on a wide range of skills and experience. While the unit is Members of Bombardier’s based out of the Bombardier Flight Test flight test team: Andrew Sibenaler, Scott Runyan, Derek Center (BFTC) in Wichita, Kansas, it’s their Thresher, Dave Lewandowski, job to venture to challenging locations like Moe Girard and Wayne Spriggs.

Telluride to help the company’s new aircraft achieve certification.

PHOTO: XXXXXX

| Wingspan |

EXPERIENCE

The Global 7500 aircraft engineering simulator.

Safety First

Different Philosophy

There are 20 flight test pilots at BFTC, mostly from various military backgrounds. “It’s crucial that a test pilot understands the operational context of the aircraft they’re testing,” says Richard Ling, deputy chief test pilot at BFTC. “Especially when it’s an aircraft or system that’s early in its design phase.” Compared to a line pilot, who typically operates certified aircraft by the book, test pilots like Ling are the ones writing the book in the first place, and often on the fly.

“This demands a totally different philosophy,” says Ling. “Sometimes, to get the data we’re looking for, we’re flying an aircraft in a flight regime that it has never been in before. While we’re doing that we have to keep a critical eye on everything: Are the conditions safe?

Do the current proposed procedures work? Is the design compliant with the regulatory requirements? And of course you need to have the integrity to stop the procedure if something’s not quite right.”

Integrity is at the heart of Bombardier’s flight test programs. When the Global 7500 jet was certified last year, it had a 21-month program of 2,700 flight test hours under its belt. That’s almost 130 hours a month—a great success for the team. Between advances in safety regulations and heightened customer expectations, certifying an aircraft as sophisticated and capable as the Global 7500 jet was a stringent process. But Ling and his team are happy to play the long game: “It’s the advances we’ve made in testing procedures and technology that enable us to squeeze all those hours into just 21 months,” he says. “We have many more simulation assets and design rigs, so when it comes time to actually conduct a flight test, we’re dealing with a relatively mature design.” Most test programs are roughly 80 percent design and evaluation on the ground and only 20 percent in the air.

It also helps that the pilots work closely with the specialist engineers and FTEs. At least one FTE will accompany two test pilots for each flight—sometimes, when the test procedure is particularly highrisk, a mission control-style team of engineers on the ground will use telemetry to monitor the flight crew, communications and data in real time. “Having a group of people monitoring the parameters of a particular risk or procedure gives us multiple points of view, sometimes even perspectives that the individual FTE on board can’t provide,” says David Behn, flight test manager at BFTC. 52

EXPERIENCE

Safety is an integral part of BFTC’s endgame—for both the customer and the flight test crew. Test procedures go through a thorough safety assessment that identifies the potential hazards and the mitigations that can help minimize or even eliminate them in flight. “If we determine that a test procedure is too risky, then we need to find a different way to collect the data we’re looking for,” says Behn. “We don’t want to put the crew in harm’s way. This is why we often turn to telemetry, as it allows additional time sensitive monitoring and oversight.”

A great example of this is when the team tested the Global 7500 jet’s maximum operating limit speed. Flying to speeds approaching Mach 1, all hands on deck—both on board and on the ground—were needed to demonstrate that the airframe would hold up to near supersonic speeds. This required disabling the safety override software of the fly-by-wire flight control system which would stop pilots in operational service from ever approaching that limiting speed. They then had to fly various critical upset scenarios to show that the aircraft, with the fly-by-wire flight control system operational, would provide protection even at the very edges of its envelope. “That type of testing requires a lot of airspace and a lot of monitoring,” says Ling.

Acid Tests

Upset scenarios make for some fascinating and often creative test programs in all kinds of conditions. In Colorado, for example, Ling and his team used the high-altitude airports to test continued singleengine takeoffs in draggy configurations (gear down, flaps out, etc.).

They also took the Global 7500 jet to icy Iqaluit, Nunavut, and the aptly named Thermal, California, to ensure the aircraft could withstand extreme temperatures and weather conditions. For more precise weather testing, the team went to the McKinley Climatic Laboratory at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, where they tested the aircraft’s performance against pinpoint temperatures and cloud densities.

Last year, Bombardier set an industry benchmark with the Global 7500 jet program’s water-ingestion testing. Regulations stipulate that the aircraft proves it is able to take off and land on runways “contaminated” with standing water. The test involves simulated takeoffs and landings over troughs filled to various depths to demonstrate that the water plume doesn’t pose a hazard to aircraft operation. The team conducted these tests in March 2018 at the Shuttle Landing Facility runway at Kennedy Space Center—a first for a civilian flight test center. “It was ideal for safely simulating these takeoffs,” says Ling. “We chose the longest and widest runway we could and put the trough right in the middle. We didn’t find any issues in the end, but it was nice to know we had lots of spare runway to allow simulated landings, and didn’t need to commit to the takeoff. We could always immediately—and safely—stop to inspect the aircraft.”

It takes a top-notch group of skilled technicians to make sure a new aircraft is ready for the world, and Bombardier’s flight test team is behind us every step of the way. 

AMERICAS Dallas, TX Fort Lauderdale, FL Hartford, CT Toluca, Mexico

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Mobile Response Team

A fleet of 30 Mobile Response Team vehicles worldwide AMERICAS Atlanta, GA Chicago, IL Columbus, OH Dulles, VA Houston, TX Las Vegas, NV Miami, FL Nashua, NH Orlando, FL Rogers, AR San Francisco, CA San Jose, CA Santa Ana, CA Scottsdale, AZ Seattle, WA Van Nuys, CA West Palm Beach, FL White Plains, NY

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| Bombardier Worldwide |

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Service Centers AMERICAS Dallas, TX Fort Lauderdale, FL Hartford, CT Tucson, AZ Wichita, KS ASIA PACIFIC Singapore Tianjin, China EUROPE Berlin, Germany Biggin Hill, UK

Line Maintenance Stations

EUROPE Cannes, France Linz, Austria Luton, UK Milan Linate, Italy Nice, France Olbia, Italy Paris, France

Authorized Service Facilities 39 Authorized Service Facilities

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Contact our 24/7 Customer Response Center

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EUROPE Cannes, France (2) Linz, Austria Luton, UK (2) Milan Linate, Italy (2) Nice, France (2) Paris, France — Two dedicated Mobile Response Aircraft AMERICAS Learjet 45 aircraft Chicago, IL EUROPE Challenger 300 aircraft Frankfurt, Germany

THIS PAGE: Bombardier’s dedicated Mobile Response Team (MRT) Challenger 300 aircraft; Bombardier’s expanded Singapore Service Center will be operational in 2020.

EXPERIENCE

53

| Fleet |

Learjet 70

Learjet 75

Challenger 350

Challenger 650

Global 5000

Global 5500

Global 6000

Global 6500

Global 7500

Global 8000

Features • Part 25 certification • Flat floor • B aseline Synthetic Vision System

Passengers Top speed Maximum range Takeoff distance Maximum operating altitude Total baggage volume

Features • Part 25 certification • Flat floor • Available pocket door • B aseline Synthetic Vision System

Passengers Top speed Maximum range Takeoff distance Maximum operating altitude Total baggage volume

Features • B est-selling business jet platform of the last decade • Full range with 8 passengers • Lowest-in-class direct operating costs • Steep approach certified

Passengers Top speed Maximum range Takeoff distance Maximum operating altitude Total baggage volume

Features • Fastest in-flight internet connectivity worldwide* • L owest-in-class direct operating costs • W idest-in-class cabin

Passengers Top speed Maximum range Takeoff distance Maximum operating altitude Total baggage volume

Features • Fastest in-flight internet connectivity worldwide* • Steep approach certified • S afe and unrestricted access to baggage

Passengers Top speed Range at M 0.85 Takeoff distance Maximum operating altitude Total baggage volume

Features • True combined vision system • E xclusive Nuage seat • 4 k-enabled cabin with the fastest in-flight connectivity worldwide* • N ew Rolls-Royce Pearl engine

Passengers Top speed Range at M 0.85 Takeoff distance Maximum operating altitude Total baggage volume

Features • Fastest in-flight internet connectivity worldwide* • Private suite with available shower • Steep approach certified

Passengers Top speed Range at M 0.85 Takeoff distance Maximum operating altitude Total baggage volume

Features • True combined vision system • Exclusive Nuage seat and chaise • 4k-enabled cabin with the fastest in-flight connectivity worldwide* • New Rolls-Royce Pearl engine

Passengers Top speed Range at M 0.85 Takeoff distance Maximum operating altitude Total baggage volume

Features • Only business jet with four living spaces and a dedicated crew rest area • Fastest in-flight internet connectivity worldwide* • Bombardier Vision flight deck with fly-by-wire • Master suite with available shower

Passengers Top speed Range at M 0.85 Takeoff distance Maximum operating altitude Total baggage volume

Features • Farthest-reaching business jet • Fastest in-flight internet connectivity worldwide* • B ombardier Vision flight deck with fly-by-wire • S afe and unrestricted access to baggage

Passengers Top speed Range at M 0.85 Takeoff distance Maximum operating altitude Total baggage volume

2,060 nm 4,440 ft 51,000 ft 65 ft3

Up to 7 Mach 0.81 3,815 km 1,353 m 15,545 m 1.8 m3

2,040 nm 4,440 ft 51,000 ft 65 ft3

Up to 9 Mach 0.81 3,778 km 1,353 m 15,545 m 1.8 m3

3,200 nm 4,835 ft 45,000 ft 106 ft3

Up to 10 Mach 0.83 5,926 km 1,474 m 13,716 m 3 m3

4,000 nm 5,640 ft 41,000 ft 115 ft3

Up to 12 Mach 0.85 7,408 km 1,720 m 12,497 m 3.3 m3

5,200 nm 5,540 ft 51,000 ft 195 ft3

Up to 16 Mach 0.89 9,630 km 1,689 m 15,545 m 5.5 m3

5,700 nm 5,490 ft 51,000 ft 195 ft3

Up to 16 Mach 0.90 10,556 km 1,674 m 15,545 m 5.5 m3

6,000 nm 6,476 ft 51,000 ft 195 ft3

Up to 17 Mach 0.89 11,112 km 1,974 m 15,545 m 5.5 m3

6,600 nm 6,370 ft 51,000 ft 195 ft3

Up to 17 Mach 0.90 12,223 km 1,942 m 15,545 m 5.5 m3

7,700 nm 5,800 ft 51,000 ft 195 ft3

Up to 19 Mach 0.925 14,260 km 1,768 m 15,545 m 5.5 m3

7,900 nm 5,880 ft 51,000 ft 195 ft3

Up to 17 Mach 0.925 14,631 km 1,792 m 15,545 m 5.5 m3

All specifications and data are approximate, may change without notice and are subject to certain operating rules, assumptions and other conditions. All maximum range data is based on long range speed. The Global 8000 aircraft is in development phase.

This document does not constitute an offer, commitment, representation, guarantee or warranty of any kind. Bombardier, Learjet, Challenger, Global, Learjet 70, Learjet 75, Challenger 350, Challenger 650, Global 5000, Global 5500, Global 6000, Global 6500, Global 7500, Global 8000 and Bombardier Vision are trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries. *In-flight excluding North and South poles.

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SPECIALIZED AIRCRAFT Jonathan Cree SALES DIRECTOR, Asia, Australia jonathan.cree@ aero.bombardier.com + 416 716 2925 Simon Jackson SALES DIRECTOR, Canada, Europe, India, Israel, Pakistan simon.jackson@ aero.bombardier.com + 514 826 2342 Kamel Srour

SALES DIRECTOR

Africa, Middle East, Turkey kamel.srour@ aero.bombardier.com + 514 298 0271

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NEWS People • Events • Awards

October 3, 2018

Welcome to Miami

A new service center at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport (OPF) in MiamiDade County is set to open in 2020, allowing U.S., Caribbean and Latin American customers to have convenient access to the full range of Bombardier’s awardwinning maintenance services in the Florida region. The approximately 300,000-square-foot center, which will employ some 300 staff and include a paint facility, complements the existing center in Fort Lauderdale, which will continue to operate a line maintenance station. “By doubling our capacity to support more aircraft, and adding new capabilities, our customers will benefit from the peace of mind that comes from our OEM expertise and from reduced aircraft downtime,” said Jean-Christophe Gallagher, vice president and general manager, customer experience. The announcement was followed by news of continued expansion of the worldwide customer support network, with the addition of five Mobile Response Team trucks in the United States, a new dedicated Mobile Response Team aircraft based in Frankfurt, Germany, and the launch of a seventh European line maintenance station, at Le Bourget Airport, near Paris.  56

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| News |

January 29, 2019

Learjet Longevity

The chic and sleek Learjet fleet recently passed the 25-million-flight-hour milestone. As further proof of the brand’s legendary reliability, Bombardier has also announced lengthened intervals between recurring major powerplant inspections for Learjet 70 and Learjet 75 aircraft operators, extending them to 3,500 engine hours and thereby decreasing operating costs. “The Learjet platform is designed to deliver immediate returns as a business productivity tool,” said Peter Likoray, senior vice president, worldwide sales and marketing, Bombardier Business Aircraft. A new Learjet aircraft sales team has also been put into place to champion U.S. sales, led by Peter Bromby, vice president, worldwide sales, Learjet Aircraft. 

December 20, 2018

Grand Entrance

Throughout its flight testing program, the Global 7500 jet pushed the boundaries of business travel, exceeding its initial takeoff and landing performance commitments and also reaching Mach 0.995 only five months after the start of the program—an unprecedented achievement. In December, Bombardier celebrated the official entry-into-service of the aircraft, which boasts a signature smooth ride, four true living spaces and the longest range in the industry.

“This revolutionary aircraft is the gateway to a transformed business aviation landscape and a very bright future. No other aircraft can compare,” said Bombardier Business Aircraft president David Coleal. The Global 7500 jet is proving itself to be a world record-setter. In March, the aircraft broke the speed record from Los Angeles to New York, and set the record for the fastest ever business jet flight from New York to London. 

February 26, 2019

Singapore Expansion

Bombardier is planning to significantly bolster its customer service capabilities in the Asia-Pacific Region by expanding its award-winning Singapore Service Center.

Plans are underway to quadruple the facility’s existing footprint by 2020, turning it into a high-capacity, onestop-shop expected to receive more than 2,000 visits annually. The new 430,000-square-foot space will offer customers the full gamut of maintenance, refurbishment and modification services, and will include a new paint facility, a parts depot and a full-service interior finishing shop. The move is the result of a major investment by Bombardier to enhance its global customer service experience, making the Singapore Service Center the largest OEM-owned business aviation maintenance facility in Asia.  EXPERIENCE

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January 17, 2019

Demo Day for Sustainable Alternative Jet Fuels

Both the viability and availability of sustainable alternative jet fuels (SAJF) were showcased in California in January at Business Jets Fuel Green: A Step Toward Sustainability. Top-level representatives from a coalition of international business aviation organizations convened at Van Nuys Airport in Los Angeles to highlight the safety and benefits of this emerging category of non-fossil fuels, and some 150 business jets operating on SAJF, including a Challenger 350 jet, took to the skies to show that the future for alternative fuels is here and now.

SAJF, derived from elements such as cooking oil, solid municipal waste, waste gases, purpose-grown biomass and agricultural residues, will be key to reducing aircraft carbon and particulate-matter emissions. Said David Coleal, chair of the Environment Committee of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) and president of Bombardier Business Aircraft, one of the event co-sponsors: “Our industry is uniquely poised to make a huge, positive difference in the fight against climate change—not by changing how much we fly, but by changing how we fuel. SAJF will enable a future of clean, efficient propulsion in business aviation.” The business aviation industry has set a target of reducing CO2 emissions 50 percent by 2050 relative to 2005. 

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