Nearly 1.5 years ahead of a scheduled first delivery, Gulfstream has started flying the first test aircraft equipped with a production-rated configuration and interior.
The fifth aircraft to join the G500 test fleet since first flight 15 months ago took off from Gulfstream’s base in Savannah, Georgia, on 4 August, the manufacturer says.
The test aircraft reached an altitude of 48,000ft and a speed of Mach 0.84 Mach during the 4h, 5min flight test, Gulfstream says.
Photo: Gulfstream
The production standard airframe and interior will play a critical role in the company’s drive to certificate the 19-seat G500 by the end of next year. A type certificate application requires Gulfstream to fly hundreds of hours of “functional and reliability” tests, using the same equipment a customer would use.
Gulfstream unveiled the G500 and larger G600 aircraft in October 2014, revealing a wider fuselage than the G650 with the addition of active sidesticks on the flight deck. Gulfstream also selected the Pratt & Whitney PW800 engine to power the aircraft, breaking from a half-century of exclusive partnership with Rolls-Royce.
The G500 is intended to sit between the size and capability of the current G450 and G550 models, with lower fuel burn and more comfort in the cabin.
The test fleet has accumulated 320 flights and 1,300 test hours, including one single flight over 8h.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
