Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation has announced that its award-winning Gulfstream G600, the second aircraft in the company’s dynamic family of all-new ultra-long-range, large-cabin jets, has begun US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification field performance testing.

“We continue to make steady progress toward certifying the all-new G600 later this year and beginning customer deliveries in 2019,” said Mark Burns, president, Gulfstream. “With the exceptional performance we’re seeing from the five flight-test aircraft in this programme, I am highly confident our clients will be impressed with the aircraft we deliver. Its high-speed range, superior comfort and unmatched efficiency have already exceeded our expectations. Even at this stage in its development, the G600 is garnering attention, with its award-winning interior and seats, increased range capability and performance at high speed. The recent type certification for the G500 is added motivation and inspiration for us to bring the G600 across the finish line and into the hands of our customers.”

The Gulfstream G500 earned FAA type certification and its production certificate on July 20. Customer deliveries of the aircraft will begin later this year.

The longer-range G600, meanwhile, recently completed FAA certification for ice shapes and stall speeds testing. Since the first flight, the five aircraft in the G600 flight-test programme have accumulated more than 2,290 flight hours over more than 600 flights.

The G600, which made its first flight on December 17, 2016, can fly 6,500 nautical miles/12,038 kilometres at Mach 0.85 and 5,100 nm/9,445 km at Mach 0.90. The maximum operating speed for the aircraft is Mach 0.925. The aircraft’s all-new interior earned top honours in Private Jet Design at the 2018 International Yacht & Aviation Awards. - TradeArabia News Service