Increased Capabilities Reflect Company’s Discipline, Rigor And Continuous-Improvement Culture

Flight testing is showing that the production long-range Gulfstream G500 and Gulfstream G600 are expected to exceed their initial performance numbers, according to Gulfstream.

During rigorous flight testing, the all-new aircraft have exceeded expectations, regularly demonstrating capabilities beyond the company’s initial projections. As a result, Gulfstream is announcing new performance standards for both aircraft.

Upon entry into service, the G600 will deliver 6,500 nautical miles of range at Mach 0.85, 300 nm farther than the initially promised range of 6,200 nm. At its high-speed cruise of Mach 0.90, the aircraft will fly 5,100 nm, an increase of 300 nm over original projections.

The G500 can fly 5,200 nm at its long-range cruise speed of Mach 0.85, providing operators even greater mission flexibility over the aircraft’s original 5,000-nm. At its high-speed cruise of Mach 0.90, the G500 will offer 4,400 nm of range, a 600 nm increase over its projected range of 3,800 nm.

“As we methodically moved through our concurrent flight-test programs, which are going exceptionally well, we recognized we had both the time and ability to enhance G500 and G600 performance and give our customers a business-jet family that’s better than the one we had promised them,” said Mark Burns, president, Gulfstream. “Extracting more capabilities from our aircraft has become a Gulfstream hallmark, the result of creating and maintaining a culture committed to continuous improvement, listening to our customers and exceeding our promises.”

To demonstrate its increased range, a fully outfitted G500 set a potential city-pair record between London and Las Vegas, flying 4,690 nm at an average speed of Mach 0.88 with a 32-knot headwind. Now in Las Vegas, both the G500 and G600 — with fully outfitted interiors — are part of the Gulfstream static display at the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition at Henderson Executive Airport. The city-pair record is pending confirmation with the National Aeronautic Association.

Powered by twin Pratt & Whitney Canada PW800-series engines, the G500 and G600 have a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.925 — the same as Gulfstream's G650 and flagship G650ER.

The G500 customer delivery schedule remains the same, with deliveries set for 2018, as originally promised. G500 certification includes additional testing required for this enhanced performance and is anticipated in early 2018. The G600’s anticipated certification and service entry are slated for 2018.

(Source: Gulfstream news release)

FMI: www.gulfstream.com