UK regulator approves Global 8000 for London City steep approach

The UK Civil Aviation Authority approved Bombardier's Global 8000 to fly London City Airport's 5.5-degree glide slope on September 10. That descent angle is nearly double what almost every other airport asks of a jet of this size.

London City sits a few hundred metres from Canary Wharf. The steep approach has kept nearly every comparable large-cabin jet out of the airport.

With the approval, the Global 8000 could fly nonstop from London City to destinations such as Los Angeles, Singapore or Hong Kong, bypassing Heathrow, Luton and Farnborough. According to the report, Bombardier had to solve the steep-approach problem to secure the clearance.

The Global 8000 is described as the fastest civil aircraft in service. The approval opens the possibility of long-haul service from a runway close to the capital's financial district.