G500 Certified; Gulfream Preps Deliveries
The aircraft is a culmination of a development program that spanned tens of thousands of lab hours and 5,000 flight hours.
Gulfstream Aerospace obtained both U.S. Federal Aviatio Administration type and production certification for its first all-new aircraft in a half-dozen years and most advanced to date, the G500, the Savannah, Georgia manufacturer announced recently.
Deliveries of the aircraft are anticipated to begin later this year, the culmination of a development program that spanned “tens of thousands of lab hours” and 5,000 flight hours amassed with five flight-test aircraft, according to Gulfstream president Mark Burns.
The aircraft is the first purpose-built business jet to bring to market BAE's active control sidesticks, and the Honeywell-powered Symmetry Flight Deck is equipped with 10 touchscreens as well as enhanced vision system, synthetic vision on the primary flight display, and head-up display (HUD II). “The G500 is the first aircraft certified to use enhanced vision to land and the first business aircraft certified to Stage 5 noise standards,” the manufacturer noted.
The wide-cabin aircraft, which is 7 feet, 11 inches across, also is designed for low cabin sound levels and altitudes and 100 percent fresh air and has 14 panoramic windows.
The 15,144-pound-thrust PW814GA engines powering the G500 received certification in February 2014.
Along the way to certification, the aircraft accumulated 20 city-pair records, most at speeds of Mach 0.90.
The aircraft was unveiled in fall of 2014, rolling out then on its own power. Certification was originally targeted for 2017, but a supplier issue helped push back that time frame.