A multi-engine, instrument rated pilot, James Wynbrandt has been an AIN and Business Jet Traveler contributor since 2003. His in-depth reporting and insightful features have won more than a dozen editorial honors, including two National Business Aviation Association Gold Wing Awards (2019; 2021), and his articles have also appeared in the New York Times, Barron’s, Fortune, Forbes, and Smithsonian Air &amp; Space. He has flown his Mooney M20K 252 on assignments throughout North and Central America and the Caribbean. Wynbrandt is also the author of Flying High (Wiley &amp; Sons), a biography of Jet Blue founder David Neeleman, as well as histories, references works, and books on a variety of other topics from major publishers. He lives in New York City.

Contributor - Business Aviation

James Wynbrandt

Gulfstream Aerospace reported that the development programs of its G500 and G600 are well underway, while its European fleet has grown to more than 200 aircraft, an increase of 30 percent in the last five years. First quarter revenue for the company, at $2.1 billion, was down 0.8 percent from the first quarter of 2014, while earnings were up 6.7 percent over the same periods.


Focusing on its new models, Gulfstream president Larry Flynn said two of five G500 flight-test aircraft are built and the remaining three in production. Construction of the first G600, to be used as part of the four-aircraft flight test program, is also underway, as is the building of the G600 iron bird, which will allow full evaluation of the aircraft’s systems and software. The two models were announced at the company’s Savannah headquarters last October.


Gulfstream (Booth O073) intends to use ground testing and greater authority from the FAA to approve its own flight tests to optimize the certification process. More than 34,000 hours of lab tests have been logged and the official flight test program is scheduled to commence later this quarter.


Both aircraft feature Gulfstream’s new Symmetry Flight Deck, which incorporates active control sidesticks, integrated touchscreen controllers, and Honeywell Primus Epic avionics. Certification of the G500 is anticipated in 2017 with entry to service the following year, with the G600 expected to follow with certification in 2018 and service entry in 2019.


Bolstering the development program, Pratt &amp; Whitney Canada received Transport Canada certification in February for the PW814GA and PW815GA engines that will power the aircraft. Meanwhile, factory authorized training provider FlightSafety International has established a full-flight simulator for the G500 at Gulfstream’s Learning Center in Savannah, which Gulfstream engineering personnel are using to prepare for flight testing. Scott Neal, senior vice president of sales and marketing, said, “Both aircraft have been extremely well received,” though the company doesn’t break out deliveries or orders for its large cabin jets.


Helping drive sales, product support president Mark Burns said the company continues to build out its global support network, including 10 engineers based in Europe and $110 million in parts at its London distribution center.


The company also reported delivery of its 500th G550, purchased by pharmaceutical manufacturer Abbott, and the first G280 registered in Morocco. The G280, with a range of 3,600 nm (6,667 km), can fly non-stop from Casablanca to New York or Dubai.


Gulfstream also announced finalizing a three-year agreement with World Fuel Services, its fuel supplier, for renewable fuels for its daily flight operations in Savannah. The fuel is a 30/70 blend of low-carbon, drop-in renewable fuel and Jet-A, providing the same performance as petroleum-based jet fuel. Flynn said the company wants to be an industry leader in the development and use of alternative fuels.


Here at the EBACE show, Gulfstream has half a dozen of its current production aircraft on static display: The G150, G280, G450, G550, and G650ER.

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