Gulfstream has announced that they conducted the first flight of the new G300 midsize corporate jet last Saturday.
Gulfstream test pilots took off from Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, and flew for 2 hours and 25 minutes at a speed of Mach 0.75 and an altitude of 30,000 feet, marking the beginning of a test flight program that will culminate with type certification.
“This latest investment, designed to exceed our customers’ expectations for large-cabin features in a mid-cabin aircraft, brings another new category leader to our next-generation fleet," said Gulfstream president Mark Burns. "With the addition of the G300, Gulfstream truly offers an aircraft for every mission.
"Achieving first flight at this stage in the program is a remarkable achievement.”
Revealed to the work only a few weeks ago, the 10-seat G300 is powered by twin 7600 lbf thrust Honeywell HFT7250G engines, that is expected to have a max range of 3600 nm and a long-range cruise speed of 0.80 Mach.
Prior to first flight, the G300 program completed more than 2000 ground test hours and includes two additional test aircraft already in production.
Developed to replace the G280, the G300 will round out the Gulfstream range of six corporate jets, which covers a broad spectrum of capability from the entry-level G300 right up to the 19-seat, long-range G800 flagship.