Walk down the apron at Farnborough 2016 and you can’t be failed to be impress by the line-up of Gulfstream business jets. It’s impressive.
Gulfstream has brought the family, and they are on full display. From the G150 to the range topping G650ER the line up also include the all new G500 aircraft.
What struck me the most is Gulfstream have really thought about their range of aircraft without over killing their business with endless models; yet cleverly providing the right size jet a client needs, from intra-country travel to intercontinental.
Moreover each jet benefits from the knowledge of their developed supply chain and manufacturing techniques; from the game-changing G650 which revolutionized Gulfstream design and manufacturing processes, incorporated in the new models today.
The headline is for Farnborough is Gulfstream has brought the new Gulfstream G500 model, making its European debut.
The G500 on display at Farnborough 2016 flew nonstop from Savannah Hilton Head International Airport to Farnborough Airport in 6 hours and 55 minutes, accomplishing 3,732-nautical-miles [6,912-kilometer flight] at an average speed of Mach 0.90 and altitude of 45,000 feet/13,716 meters.
The G500 participating in Farnborough is the fourth test aircraft and serves as the test bed for avionics, water ingestion, water/waste, lighting, fire protection.
The fifth test aircraft, P1, is at the Savannah Completions center, where it is receiving a full interior that will be used to test the form, fit and function of various cabin elements.
At this point in the test program, the G500 flight-test aircraft have completed expanding the flight envelope, which includes flutter, altitude, Mach and temperature, as well as testing of initial handling qualities, ice shapes and stalls.
Gulfstream has conducted more than 50,000 hours of ground testing in its state-of-the-art labs to support the aircraft’s continued development. The company recently completed ultimate load testing, taking the G500 structural test article beyond 150 percent of limit load. It is set to begin a multi-year fatigue testing program that will simulate three lifetimes of airframe operation.
The G500 is expected to receive type certification in 2017 and deliver in 2018. The G600 is projected to enter service in 2019.
To date, the G500 test fleet has flown more than 300 flights and surpassed 1,280 flight hours.
The aircraft have achieved a maximum speed of Mach 0.995 and an altitude of 53,000 ft/16,154 m. The longest duration flight was 7 hours and 35 minutes.
About the G jets
The G500 can fly 5,000 nautical miles/9,260 kilometers at Mach 0.85 or 3,800 nm/7,038 km at Mach 0.90, while the G600 can carry passengers 6,200 nm/11,482 km at Mach 0.85 and 4,800 nm/8,890 km at Mach 0.90. The maximum operating speed for both aircraft is Mach 0.925, the same maximum speed as Gulfstream’s G650 and G650ER.
