General Aviation Gulfstream G700 surpasses 1,100 flight hours

The G700 has successfully surpassed the 1,100 flight hours mark. New company test regimes have been completed with the milestone, only around one year after the aircraft took off to the skies for the first time.

Since then, Gulfstream has performed several critical phases-of-flight tests like g envelope expansion, flutter, aerodynamic stalls, flying qualities, flight control systems and air-data testing. Cold-weather tests have been performed at the McKinley Climatic Laboratory at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.

High-altitude engine-performance testing was done at Telluride Regional Airport in Colorado at 9,078 feet (2,767 meters), while avionics testing was performed in Chicago, Van Nuys, San Jose and Oakland.

“Thanks to the outstanding Gulfstream team, the G700 flight-test program is going remarkably well,” said Mark Burns, president, Gulfstream. “The aircraft itself has been performing flawlessly, whether going to extreme speeds and heights or running through its paces in the high-altitude environment at Telluride. We have spent the past year rigorously testing this mature, high-performing aircraft for our customers, and I look forward to continuing to do that and more in the coming months as we steadily move toward certification and customer deliveries.”

In February last year, the first G700 business jet took off for its maiden flight. Currently, the test-bed fleet consists of five aircraft, which have been flying safely and beyond their maximum operations speed and cruise altitude.

„Gulfstream is also testing the G700’s enhanced Symmetry Flight Deck™, including the award-winning Gulfstream Predictive Landing Performance System. The system is a great safety differentiator, giving pilots advanced warning of potential runway excursions to allow them to adjust approaches or go around. The G700 Symmetry Flight Deck also includes Gulfstream’s Enhanced Flight Vision System and Synthetic Vision on dual head-up displays,“ the manufacturer added.

A completed production test aircraft will join the fleet in addition to the flying five aircraft. With the sixth aircraft, Gulfstream seeks to evaluate the interior elements of the aircraft.