01:31 pm - Thursday
First flight of the Gulfstream 650
Savannah, USA - Type certification expected by 2011
(WAPA) - Gulfstream Aerospace (General Dynamics) yesterday announced that its newest business jet and the flagship of its fleet, the Gulfstream 650, successfully completed its first flight. Flown by test pilots Jake Howard and Tom Horne, the G-650 took off from Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport with flight engineer Bill Osborne on board. Because pilots were alerted to a slight vibration in a landing-gear door, they curtailed the testing regimen as a precautionary measure. The aircraft landed 12 minutes later.
During its maiden flight the aircraft achieved an altitude of 6,600 feet (2012 meters) and a speed of 170 knots (315 km/h). As reported by the manufacturer, flight controls and characteristics performed as expected.
The airplane rolled out of the Savannah manufacturing facility on September 29, it remains on schedule for type certification by 2011, followed by entry-into-service in 2012.
The G-650 offers the long range and fast speed, powered by Rolls-Royce BR725 engines. The business jet is capable of travelling 7,000 nautical miles (12,960 km) at 0.85 Mach (1,040 km/h). With an initial cruise altitude of 41,000 feet (12,500 meters), the G-650 can climb to a maximum altitude of 51,000 feet (15,540 meters) and avoid traffic and inclement weather. (Avionews)
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Direttore Clara Moschini