Gulfstream's G250, the aircraft built to replace the G200 in service, has performed it's first flight successfully in Tel Aviv, Israel.
The G250, a super midsize cabin, mid-range business jet, took off from Ben Gurion International Airport today at 8:16 a.m. local time, reaching an altitude of 32,000 ft and a speed of 0.7 mach. Landing gear was retracted during the flight.
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- VIDEO: g250 first flight
- NBAA 09: PICTURE: Gulfstream G250 mockup
- Flightglobal's coverage of the Gulfstream G250 so far, including pictures
During the flight, which lasted 3h and 21min, the pilots tested the business jet’s flight-handling qualities and characteristics, and performed initial checks of several aircraft systems.
Chief test pilot for Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Ronen Shapira, said the flight was “extremely smooth with no issues.”
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IAI and Gulfstream flight-test engineers on the ground monitored the G250 aircraft systems in real time during the flight using IAI's Flight Telemetry System. Partners IAI and Gulfstream will produce the $24 million aircraft at IAI’s facilities in Tel Aviv, performing completions at Gulfstream’s mid-cabin centre of excellence in Dallas, Texas.
Pres Henne, senior vice president, programmes, engineering and test, Gulfstream, said: “The G250 performed extremely well, just as we expected. We’re looking forward to 2011 when we’ll begin delivering this aircraft to the customers who had tremendous input in its design.”
According to IAI, first deliveries will be on schedule in 2011.Source: FlightGlobal.com
