Company Says Aircraft Surpassing All Performance Expectations

Gulfstream’s G280 aircraft is steadily moving toward entry-into-service, having completed several flight-test milestones en route to type certification later this year from the FAA. The aircraft received a provisional type certificate (PTC) from the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel on December 29, 2011. A PTC from the FAA will follow. The aircraft is slated to enter service mid-year.

As of January 25, 2012, the three aircraft in the flight-test program have flown more than 1,835 hours during more than 685 flights. The fatigue test article has completed more than 12,500 of 40,000 cycles. Serial Number (S/N) 2001 recently completed the 100 percent rejected take-off test. S/N 2003 finished all function and reliability activities and is now being transitioned to testing optional avionics features, including the Head-Up Display (HUD II) and Enhanced Vision System (EVS II).

S/N 2004, the first production aircraft, was outfitted and painted last year for an appearance at the 2011 National Business Aviation Association Convention & Meeting in Las Vegas. It is undergoing final upgrades in anticipation of its delivery later this year. Additional flight-test achievements include the successful completion of wet runway, crosswind and maximum energy brake testing. S/N 2009 is now in initial-phase production, with the fuselage joining under way at Israel Aerospace Industries near Tel Aviv.

Gulfstream service and completions personnel from Savannah, Dallas and Appleton, WI, completed two FlightSafety FAA initial maintenance classes in 2011. A third class is under way in Dallas. Maintenance personnel at the Gulfstream facility in Luton, England, and an authorized warranty repair facility in Altenrhein, Switzerland, have completed the FlightSafety EASA initial maintenance training.

Gulfstream confirmed in October 2011 that the G280 exceeded the major performance capabilities announced at the program’s public launch in 2008. Following extensive flight testing, Gulfstream demonstrated that the G280 flies 3,600 nm with four passengers at Mach 0.80 with NBAA IFR reserves.

In addition to more range, the aircraft offers a shorter balanced field length. Its balanced field length has been reduced from 4,960 feet to 4,750 feet. This field length is an improvement of more than 1,300 feet compared to the G200 it replaces.

FMI: www.gulfstream.com