XPost: ch.soc.politics, alt.fan.rush-limbaugh, talk.politics.guns
XPost: sac.politics, alt.society.liberalism
https://luxurylaunches.com/other_stuff/swiss-government-cant-use-new- private-jet-16032025.php
In what might be called a classic case of aviation overreach, the Swiss government is discovering that size does indeed matterùbut not always in
the way one might expect. The Federal CouncilÆs shiny new Bombardier
Global 7500 business jet, acquired for a cool 103 million Swiss francs
(roughly $117 million), is proving to be something of an oversized
headache for officials in Bern.
The prestigious aircraft, delivered with much fanfare in December 2024,
was meant to be a symbol of Swiss efficiency and precision. Instead, it
has become an ironic testament to the pitfalls of failing to measure twice before buying once. The jet, it turns out, is simply too large for the facilities at Bern-Belp Airport, where the Swiss government typically
houses its official aircraft.
Like a luxury sports car purchased for a home with a tiny garage, the
Global 7500 now sits at Payerne Air Base, some 40 kilometers from the
capital. Swiss officials, presumably red-faced beneath their typically
stoic exteriors, have been forced to admit that the aircraft wonÆt be able
to call Bern home until a new hangar is constructedùa project that wonÆt
be completed for another two years.
The situation veers further into the territory of bureaucratic comedy when
one considers the operational limitations. The jetÆs impressive 14,260- kilometer rangeùone of its key selling pointsùcanÆt even be utilized from BernÆs airport, as the runway is too short for takeoff with a full fuel
load. This means that for any long-haul diplomatic missions, officials
must first travel to Zurich or Geneva before boarding their state-of-the-
art aircraft.
In a particularly telling incident earlier this month, a Swiss
politicianÆs trip to South America highlighted yet another oversight. When
the delegation needed to reach La Paz, Bolivia, they discovered that their multi-million-franc chariot lacked certification for high-altitude
airports. The result? Part of the journey had to be completed on a regular commercial flight, shoulder-to-shoulder with ordinary citizensùa humbling experience for any government official.
The aircraft replaces the much smaller Cessna Citation Excel that served
the Swiss government faithfully for two decades. While the older jet may
have lacked the prestige and range of its successor, it did possess one
crucial advantage: it actually fit in the hangar.
For now, the existing fleet, including a Dassault Falcon 900 and two
Bombardier Challenger 604s, continues to handle official transportation
duties while the Global 7500 awaits full certification and the
installation of its self-protection system against portable air defense systems.
The Bombardier Global 7500 itself is no small matter in the world of
business aviation. With a length of 33.8 meters and a wingspan of 31.7
meters, itÆs designed to be the flagship of ultra-long-range private jets.
Its four-zone cabin can accommodate up to 19 passengers in the utmost
luxury, with amenities that include a full-sized kitchen and a dedicated
crew rest area. The aircraft can reach speeds of up to Mach 0.925 and
cruise at altitudes of up to 51,000 feet.
These impressive statistics, however, offer little comfort to Swiss
officials who currently find themselves with a prestigious solution in
search of a problemùor at least in search of a properly sized hangar. In
the meantime, the Swiss government continues to showcase its famous
pragmatism, utilizing scheduled commercial flights when necessary while
waiting for their oversized symbol of prestige to become fully
operational.
--
November 5, 2024 - Congratulations President Donald Trump. We look
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Under Barack Obama's leadership, the United States of America became the
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