Gulfstream’s new fly-by-wire Gulfstream G500 and G600 models have achieved significant milestones recently, the company announced at a press conference here in Shanghai on Monday. These include mating of the wing to the fuselage of the first G600 flight test article and awarding of the first Type Inspection Authorization from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration for G500 inlet compatibility, which allows Gulfstream to get certification credit for testing on the inlet system. The first G600 flight had been scheduled in 2017, but, Neal said, “It looks like we’ll be able to fly late this year.”
The four airplanes in the G500 flight test fleet have completed 195 flights thus far, logging more than 800 hours of flying time. Flight test article T1 was the first to fly on May 18, 2015, and since then has reached a maximum speed of Mach 0.995, maximum altitude of 16,154 m (53,000 ft).
T1 has completed flutter testing and initial stall and ice-shapes testing and is now focused on envelope expansion and flying qualities testing. The inlet compatibility testing on T2 involved using large blowers that generated winds of up to 45 mph and positioning the G500 at various angles to demonstrate that the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW814GA engines function properly from idle to takeoff power during crosswind and tailwind conditions. T2 is now focused on flight loads validation and systems testing.
Meanwhile, T3 has finished cold-soak testing and is now undergoing wing anti-ice system and Symmetry flight deck testing. T4 is being used to test avionics, flammable fuel drainage, water ingestion and water/waste, lighting and fire-protection systems, and it has been updated to the latest avionics software update. The first production G500, P1, is being outfitted with a complete interior at Gulfstream headquarters in Savannah, Georgia, for testing of cabin elements.
The G500 offers range of up to 9,260 km (5,000 nm), at Mach 0.85, while the G600 can fly 11,482 km (6,200 nm) at the same speed. Both carry up to 19 passengers. G500 certification is planned in 2017, with the first delivery in 2018. The G600 is expected to enter service in 2019.
