(Photo Gulfstream Aerospace)Savannah-based Gulfstream Aerospace announced Friday a second ultra-large-cabin, ultra-long-range Gulfstream G650 N652GA (cn 6002) has completed its first flight.
The second test plane - known as T2 - took off from Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport at 12:50 p.m. Thursday with senior experimental test pilots Gary Freeman and Scott Buethe in the cockpit.
The aircraft flew for 2 hours and 33 minutes, reaching an altitude of 37,000 feet and a speed of Mach 0.80 before landing back in Savannah.
In a company first, both G650 flight-test aircraft - T2 and T1 - were airborne simultaneously.
"T2 performed extremely well during the initial tests of its integrated flight control system and handling," said Gulfstream senior vice president Pres Henne. "We plan to make half a dozen flights to assess basic system functionality before proceeding to more intensive testing."
Freeman said conditions were gusty and blustery, but the T2 handled well.
"To control the aircraft precisely requires small, light control input from the pilot. It's an easy jet to fly," Freeman said.
The G650 flight-test and certification plan involves five aircraft and an estimated 1,800 hours of testing. Each aircraft is used for a specific series of tests, with T1 focused on performance and flight controls, T2 on systems and T3 on avionics.
T1, which spent about six hours in the air Thursday, has completed 18 flights over more than 43 hours. The aircraft has reached a maximum speed of Mach 0.90 and a top altitude of 47,000 feet.
Gulfstream expects to receive concurrent G650 certification from the Federal Aviation Administration and European Aviation Safety Agency in 2011.
The G650 completed its first flight Nov. 25 and remains on schedule for entry into service in 2012.
The G650 offers the longest range at the fastest speed in its class. It's capable of traveling 7,000 nautical miles at Mach 0.85 and has a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.925.
The second test plane - known as T2 - took off from Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport at 12:50 p.m. Thursday with senior experimental test pilots Gary Freeman and Scott Buethe in the cockpit.
The aircraft flew for 2 hours and 33 minutes, reaching an altitude of 37,000 feet and a speed of Mach 0.80 before landing back in Savannah.
In a company first, both G650 flight-test aircraft - T2 and T1 - were airborne simultaneously.
"T2 performed extremely well during the initial tests of its integrated flight control system and handling," said Gulfstream senior vice president Pres Henne. "We plan to make half a dozen flights to assess basic system functionality before proceeding to more intensive testing."
Freeman said conditions were gusty and blustery, but the T2 handled well.
"To control the aircraft precisely requires small, light control input from the pilot. It's an easy jet to fly," Freeman said.
The G650 flight-test and certification plan involves five aircraft and an estimated 1,800 hours of testing. Each aircraft is used for a specific series of tests, with T1 focused on performance and flight controls, T2 on systems and T3 on avionics.
T1, which spent about six hours in the air Thursday, has completed 18 flights over more than 43 hours. The aircraft has reached a maximum speed of Mach 0.90 and a top altitude of 47,000 feet.
Gulfstream expects to receive concurrent G650 certification from the Federal Aviation Administration and European Aviation Safety Agency in 2011.
The G650 completed its first flight Nov. 25 and remains on schedule for entry into service in 2012.
The G650 offers the longest range at the fastest speed in its class. It's capable of traveling 7,000 nautical miles at Mach 0.85 and has a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.925.
(Savannah Morning News)
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