The clouds have met the G500 for the very first time.
Gulftream Aerospace’s new wide-cabin business jet completed its first flight last Monday with pilots evaluating the G500’s flight controls and overall performance. The aircraft reached a maximum altitude of 15,000 ft. and achieved a top air speed of 194 kts during it’s 2 hour and 16 minute flight. The G500 is the first of the twinjets to begin flight tests, and is part of Gulfstream’s new family of large-cabin, long-range aircraft that also includes the G600.
“The G500 and G600 build upon the technology present in our G650 and our latest aircraft, the G650ER. Once again, our customers played a major role in the development and creation of these aircraft,” says Larry Flynn, the president of Gulfstream Aerospace. “The G500 and G600 continue the long Gulfstream tradition of being the first original equipment manufacturer to ensure an optimal combination of speed, range, wide-cabin comfort and fuel burn.”
Gulfstream anticipates certification for the business jet in 2017, and customers will be able to enjoy their very own G500 in 2018.
But until then, here’s everything you need to know about the new G500:
- The maximum operating speed for the G500 is Mach 0.925, more than nine-tenths the speed of sound.
- The G500 can carry up to 19 passengers.
- The G500 has three living areas.
- The G500 can have a forward or aft galley.
- The max altitude of the G500 is 51,000 feet (15,545 meters).
- The G500 has 100 percent fresh air in the cabin. The cabin fills with fresh air every two minutes.
- The G500 has an altitude of 4,850 feet or 1,479 meters at 51,000 feet.
- The G500 is the first business aircraft to have active control sidesticks. This means any motion or action in one sidestick is duplicated in the other sidestick, increasing safety.
- During the first flight of the G500, the three-man crew performed 19 test cards.
- During the first flight, the G500 climbed to 15,000 feet (4,572 meters).
- The G500’s first flight lasted 2 hours and 16 minutes.
- Gulfstream completed more than 34,000 hours of testing before the G500’s first flight.
