Super-Midsize Aircraft Replaces the 13-Year-Old G280

General Dynamics’ Gulfstream Aerospace unveiled a full-scale mockup of its new G300 super-midsize jet at the recent ‘Discover the Difference’ customer event. The company frames the biz-jet as a replacement for the Gulfstream G280, which has only been in service since 2012.

“Fueled by a decade of investment and our future-forward approach, the Gulfstream next-generation fleet offers our customers the most innovative family of aircraft,” said Gulfstream president Mark Burns. “We know how important the super-midsize cabin segment is to our customers, so building on the highly successful G280 program, the G300 will reenergize the category with its heightened technology and safety enhancements, alongside the legendary comfort and styling of a Gulfstream.

The G300 brings some expected touches, including panoramic oval windows and the latest version of the Harmony Flight Deck. This is no six pack: six touchscreens, Phase-of-Flight intelligence, and a synthetic vision display that shows terrain and runways in 3D. Their Predictive Landing Performance System is another recurring feature, calculating runway stopping points in real time.

The aircraft has a fairly standard business jet cabin, with two living areas and room for up to 10 passengers. Gulfstream claims the G300 will break cabin altitude records, holding 4,800 feet when flying at 41,000 feet using 100-percent fresh air and plasma ionization purification.

Performance numbers are also familiar for the Gulfstream collection. Range is 3,600 nautical miles at Mach 0.80 or 3,000 nm at Mach 0.84. Maximum cruise altitude is listed at 45,000 feet.

Development is further along than a mockup might suggest. Gulfstream reports nearly 22,000 hours of lab testing, including integration work at its “Iron Bird” facility, as well as 2,000 hours of ground testing on the first aircraft. Two more test airplanes are already in the pipeline. The company is marketing this as a quick replacement cycle, refreshing the super-midsize category just 13 years after the G280’s commercial launch.

“The G300 program is making great progress and the vision for this aircraft is well on its way to becoming a reality for our customers as they look for an airplane that will exceed their expectations in the super-midsize class,” Burns continued.

FMI: www.gulfstream.com