Mid-size business jet takes to the air and reaches 20,000ft and 250kt on debut
Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) flew the Gulfstream G150 for the first time on 3 May. The mid-size aircraft, built by IAI and designed and developed in collaboration with Gulfstream, took off from Ben Gurion International airport, Tel Aviv with a super mid-size G200 acting as chase aircraft for the flight over the Mediterranean.
During the 4h 15min flight, the pilots tested handling qualities, performed initial systems checks and cycled the landing gear and flap/slat system. The aircraft was flown to 20,000ft (6,100m) and up to a maximum speed of 250kt (460km/h). A 75-flight, 235h test programme is planned for two flight-test aircraft, leading to Israeli and US amended type certification of the "green" airframe in the first quarter of next year. Customer deliveries are set to begin in the third quarter of 2006.
Production G150s will be flown from IAI's manufacturing plant to Gulfstream's Dallas facility for completion. The G150 is a wider-cabin derivative of the G100, formerly the Astra SPX. Priced at $13.5 million, the eight-seat, Honeywell TFE731-40AR-powered aircraft is designed to reach speeds of up to Mach 0.85 and altitudes of 45,000ft, says IAI.
ARIE EGOZI/TEL AVIV
Source: Flight International
