By Frederick K. Larkin | October 7, 2022 Estimated reading time 2 minutes, 5 seconds.
On Oct. 7, Bombardier presented a Global 7500 to Centennial College of Applied Arts and Technology at Downsview Airport in Toronto. The aircraft, serial number 70004, had worn C-GLBR during its time as Flight Test Vehicle 4 (FTV4). Nicknamed “the Architect,” it was the first example of the type to have a fully furnished interior.
FTV4 first flew on Sept. 28, 2017. After completing its flight test duties — during which the cabin management and entertainment systems were validated — the aircraft was retired and removed from the Canadian Civil Aircraft Register on Aug. 15, 2019. It was later donated to Centennial College on Jan. 28, 2020.
With its General Electric Passport 20 engines removed, FTV4 is officially starting its second career as an important educational tool at Centennial’s Bombardier Centre for Aerospace and Aviation. The aircraft will provide students with a hands-on experience with advanced avionics and airframe features, including high-performance wings.
Following the Oct. 7 handover presentation — held in Bombardier’s Delivery Centre hangar — the aircraft was towed to its new home in the northwest corner of Downsview Airport.
