Gulfstream Now Flight Testing Three G700s

Gulfstream Aerospace now has three of its planned five flight-test G700s in operation, the aircraft manufacturer recently announced. The third test aircraft—registered as N703GA and dubbed T3 by Gulfstream—made a three-hour, two-minute first flight midday Friday from the company’s headquarters at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport. T3 reached 45,000 feet and Mach 0.85 during the flight.

The first flight-test G700—T1, registered as G700GA—has been flying since February 14, while T2 has been flying since March 20. These three aircraft have logged more than 100 flight hours to date, during which the G700’s envelope has been expanded to 54,000 feet and Mach 0.94.

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T1 will focus on envelope expansion, flutter, stalls, flying qualities, flight control, and ice shapes; T2, cabin development and static test; T3, loads/PID, engine/thrust-reverser operation, field performance, and climb performance; T4, environmental control system, mechanical systems, flight into known icing, and cooling/vent; T5, avionics and level-D sim data. A sixth G700 will also serve as a production test aircraft.

“The G700 flight-test program is running very well, a reflection of the extensive testing we conducted in our ground labs,” said Gulfstream president Mark Burns. “All three flight-test aircraft are performing exactly as we expected.”

Powered by a pair of Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 engines, the Mach 0.90, 6,400-nautical-mile G700 features a five-living-area cabin with 20 panoramic windows. It includes the Gulfstream Symmetry flight deck with electronically linked active control sidesticks, touchscreen controls, and a predictive landing performance system for enhanced runway safety.

Service entry of the long-range twinjet—a stretch derivative of the G650ER—is scheduled for 2022.