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Gulfstream Aerospace announced this week that the all new Gulfstream G500 has successfully completed its first flight. The G500 is part of Savannah-based Gulfstream’s new family of aircraft — the G500 and G600 — and the first of the two to begin flight tests.
The G500 took off at 10:39 a.m. May 18 from Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport with Gulfstream experimental test pilots Scott Martin and Kevin Claffy at the controls. Flight Test engineer Bill Osborne provided on-board support.
The aircraft climbed to an initial altitude of 10,500 feet and reached a maximum altitude of 15,000 feet. During the flight of two hours and 16 minutes, the crew exercised all primary flight control systems; evaluated handling qualities and takeoff and landing configurations; performed a simulated approach and go-around; and checked all systems using the Symmetry flight deck touchscreen controllers.
The aircraft achieved a maximum air speed of 194 knots and landed back in Savannah at 12:55 p.m. local time.
“The successful first flight of N500GA represents the tremendous investments we have made in the G500 program,” said Dan Nale, Gulfstream’s senior vice president for programs, engineering and test. “We have achieved this milestone thanks to Gulfstream’s world-class research and development teams and our commitment to setting new standards for business aviation.”
Before the G500’s first flight, Gulfstream completed more than 34,000 hours of testing in labs on the ground.
The G500 is expected to receive type certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and European Aviation Safety Agency in 2017. It is slated to enter service in 2018.
