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Gulfstream’s G700 Completes First Flight Four Months After Vegas Unveiling

Flight used a blend of sustainable fuel and traditional jet-A.

One highlight of last fall’s NBAA-BACE in Las Vegas was the media extravaganza created when Gulfstream Aerospace unveiled a mockup of its newest airplane, the G700, an ultra-long-range business jet able to fly as many as eight passengers up to 7,500 nm. The Vegas stage built to Gulfstream’s specification at Henderson Executive Airport included five 50-foot tall video screens, smoke wafting in from the sidelines, dynamic music and gyrating spotlights, all to host what the division of General Dynamics saw as its biggest announcement in years.

Last Friday the company topped that Vegas event when it announced the G700 had completed its maiden flight about 3 p.m. EST from Gulfstream’s Savannah, Georgia, headquarters at Hilton Head International Airport (KSAV). The flight used a blend of sustainable aviation fuel to complete the two-hour, 32-minute flight. That first flight also signifies the official start of the G700’s flight-test program, which includes five already-manufactured flight-test aircraft and a structural airframe that has completed load testing.

G700 flight path
The 2½-hour maiden flight included plenty of maneuvering. Courtesy Rob Mark

Gulfstream said in a news release, “The G700 features the longest, widest and tallest cabin in the industry with 20 Gulfstream panoramic oval windows and up to five living areas. The aircraft introduces many all-new interior differentiators, including an ultra-galley with more than 10 feet of counter space and a crew compartment or passenger lounge; the industry’s only ultra-high-definition circadian lighting system; speakerless surround sound; and a master suite with shower.

The G700 is powered by a pair of Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 engines and is refined with Gulfstream-designed aerodynamics and an all-new winglet. The G700 can fly at a high-speed cruise of Mach 0.90 for 6,400 nautical miles or at its long-range cruise of Mach 0.85 for 7,500 nm. The aircraft also includes the Gulfstream Symmetry Flight Deck with the bizav industry’s only electronically linked active control sidesticks, the most extensive use of touchscreen technology in business aviation and Gulfstream’s award-winning Predictive Landing Performance System.

“The G700 brings the best in the business together–the innovation of the G500 and G600 Symmetry Flight Deck and the legendary performance of the G650ER–and we are excited to deliver this exceptional aircraft to our customers,” said Gulfstream president Mark Burns following the maiden flight.

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