Turbulence is on the Rise

Turbulence is an unfortunate reality of air travel. One minute you're sitting back, the surface of your drink as still as ice, the next your plane is shaken by an invisible force. Sources of turbulence are varied, including everything from a sudden change in wind direction known as a wind shear, bumpy pockets of warm air and airflow disruptions caused by mountain ranges.

As the climate continues to change, turbulence and unpredictable weather is on the rise, making the skies today and in the future less smooth. Current projections anticipate increases in turbulent weather of 116% in North America, 181% over the Atlantic and 161% in Europe by 2050¹.

The effects of turbulence and inclement weather result in everything from the annoyance of a spilled drink to increased stress and fatigue upon arrival. While it is impossible to control the weather, Bombardier focused on what they could control—the ride quality of their aircraft. The result is Bombardier's Smooth Flĕx Wing, which was engineered exclusively for their Global line of business jets. This technological marvel is like two wings in one, a high-lift wing for exceptional low speed agility and a high-speed wing for unrivalled speed and range—with the industry's smoothest ride in all-weather conditions.

Ultimate Flexibility for Remarkable Stability

One of the most important aspects of a wing's design that yields the greatest effect on ride quality is wing loading, which is the relationship between the weight of the aircraft and the size of its wing. If an aircraft's wing is very large relative to its weight, then it will have a lower wing loading resulting in a rougher ride.

"Higher wing loading contributes to a smooth ride and wing flexibility contributes to a smooth ride."

^{-Dr. Daniel P. Raymer
President of Conceptual Research Corporation
Author of "Aircraft Design: A Conceptual Approach"}

The Smooth Flĕx Wing on Global aircraft was engineered to be sleeker, more streamlined and flexible than the competition. As a result, the Smooth Flĕx Wing offers the highest wing loading in the industry, enabling Global aircraft to offer the smoothest ride in business aviation.

A Sleeker Wing for a Smoother Ride

"The wing size not only has a direct influence on the structural weight, it also affects the gust loads. […] a reduction of gust loads offers the occupants a smooth ride when flying through turbulent air."

^{-Professor Egbert Torenbeek
Delft University of Technology
Synthesis of Subsonic Airplane Design}

When it comes to wing design, bigger isn't better. You see, a large wing is more susceptible to wind gusts, which leads to a rougher ride. Think of it as holding a beach umbrella in a storm versus a regular umbrella. Both will keep you dry, but the beach umbrella will push you around mercilessly in the wind. The same applies to the wing of an aircraft. As a result, Bombardier engineered the Smooth Flĕx Wing on Global aircraft to be thinner and more streamlined than the competition's, resulting in up to 2.5 times less cabin vibration and the smoothest ride.

High-Lift Devices for Unbeatable Runway Performance

Global aircraft are renowned for their exceptional runway performance. This is in large part due to the Smooth Flĕx Wing's advanced high-lift devices, that include both leading-edge slats and trailing-edge flaps. Together they enable Global aircraft to offer unrivalled low-speed agility while enhancing safety when accessing challenging airfields. This is especially important in rainy conditions. Since wet runways increase takeoff and landing distances, it is the incorporation of these high-lift devices that enable Global aircraft to safely access many challenging airfields their closest competitors can't in inclement weather. What's more, because Global aircraft offer a slower approach speed, travelers can also enjoy a smoother landing on arrival.

Aerodynamic Design for Record-Setting Speed and Range

The final piece of the puzzle that Bombardier's Smooth Flĕx Wing helps solve is delivering speed and range without tradeoffs—from even the shortest airfields. The Smooth Flĕx Wing on Global aircraft features the industry's highest sweep angle and a thin aerodynamic design making it exceptionally efficient at high speed. In fact, the Global aircraft family not only holds speed records for Los Angeles to New York and New York to London return, but also the longest flight ever out of London City airport and the record for the industry's longest city pair flight, from Sydney to Detroit—a distance of 8,225 nautical miles.

Unrivalled All-Weather Performance

As the climate continues to change, unpredictable weather patterns will continue to increase. From windy conditions, to rain, snow and ice, to drastic temperature swings, aircraft need to be able to perform in all weather conditions. Thanks to the Smooth Flĕx Wing, Global aircraft are engineered to operate in inclement weather that their competition can't. From hot and high destinations, to heavy crosswinds and from icing conditions to heavy rain, where other aircraft need to sit and wait it out, Global aircraft can safely dispatch so you can make your schedule.

From Turbulence to Tranquility

With the Smooth Flĕx Wing on Global aircraft, not only can you experience the tranquility of the industry's smoothest ride, but the peace of mind that comes from knowing your aircraft is engineered to deliver exceptional ride quality whatever the challenge. From a more restful sleep to a more productive flight, with the Global aircraft and its Smooth Flĕx Wing, you may just find that the flight was the highlight of your journey.

For more on Bombardier's Smooth Flĕx Wing, click here.

^{1. According to study published in the journal Nature Climate Change: https://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/trip-doctor-air-turbulence-set-to-increase-by-2050}