Gulfstream’s new super-midsize business jet took flight for the first time on Friday.
The first G300 took off from Ben Gurion International Airport (LLBG) in Israel and flew for 2 hours and 25 minutes at a speed of Mach 0.75 and an altitude of 30,000 feet, the company said. The type will now begin flight testing.
“With its combination of safety, technology, performance, and cabin comfort, the G300 is a game changer for the super-midsize category,” Gulfstream president Mark Burns said in a news release. “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…Achieving first flight at this stage in the program is a remarkable achievement.”
Gulfstream debuted the G300 at a customer event in Georgia in September. It is expected to replace the G280.
The aircraft has a range of 3,600 nm at Mach 0.80 and 3,000 nm at Mach 0.84. Its cabin is configured with two living areas and can accommodate up to 10 passengers. It has a cabin altitude of 4,800 feet when flying at 41,000 feet, as well as 100 percent fresh air and a plasma air ionization system.
Prior to its first flight, the G300 program had already completed more than 2,000 ground test hours, Gulfstream said. Two additional test aircraft are now in production.
