Gulfstream announced today that the second G250 flight-test aircraft, S/N 2002, successfully completed natural icing tests, bringing the super-midsize jet closer to its planned FAA and Israeli CAA certification later this year. The twinjet was flown from its home base in Tel Aviv, Israel, to Smyrna, Tenn., where it spent several weeks flying to the Great Lakes region to hunt for natural icing conditions aloft. According to Gulfstream, the G250 completed the test points required for certification, including allowing ice to build on the aircraft’s unprotected surfaces and then verifying its stability and control characteristics, as well as evaluating the ice-protection systems. “The G250 performed exceptionally well,” said Gulfstream senior vice president of programs, engineering and test Pres Henne. “During one particular flight, the crew encountered icing concentrations in excess of the regulatory design envelope. Despite the extremely demanding conditions and ice accumulation on all untreated surfaces, the aircraft performed flawlessly.” Meanwhile, S/N 2003 has started function and reliability testing, one of the last steps needed before certification. The three flight-test aircraft have logged more than 955 hours over 324 flights. With flight test well under way, the first production aircraft, S/N 2004, is now under assembly; its empennage and wing have been mated to the fuselage and systems installation has begun.