Originally Posted by
NutLoose
Also without windows, would the added structure to house the windows have ever been installed as it would be cheaper stronger and weight saving just to have skinned it minus openings, it’s not like a freighter conversion where they are replaced with metal blanks that could be changed back. I wouldn’t be surprised if the floor structure was stressed differently for the consoles and sideways facing seats.
The aircraft were all made with windows which were blanked out when the green aircraft were converted. At one stage, Raytheon approached BBD and asked if they wanted to buy the windows back as spares. BBD politely declined....and pointed out that they could have built them without windows easily!!
The structural mods to the aircraft, electrical changes, bleed air changes etc. all make it way too expensive to convert the aircraft back to Global Spec - and this was never the plan! Just look at the prices of early Global Express (not even XRS standard) on the used market and you quickly see why it is not economically viable to change the aircraft.