Gulfstream’s new, longest-range and roomiest business jet, the G700, made its first flight Feb. 14, departing Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport in Georgia at 1:17 p.m. EST, according to flight tracking service FlightAware. It landed 2 hr. and 32 min. later.
Gulfstream unveiled a full-scale mockup of the $75 million business jet last October at the National Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition in Las Vegas and announced launch orders from Qatar Airways and Flexjet. First deliveries are planned for 2022.
“The G700’s first flight is a momentous occasion and the next step forward in Gulfstream’s vision for the future, a vision that has been guided by the strategic leadership of our parent company, General Dynamics, and the innovation of the Gulfstream team,” said Mark Burns, Gulfstream president. “As the market leader, Gulfstream is moving the entire business-jet industry forward with advanced safety features, tomorrow’s technology and a cabin purposefully designed to exceed our customers’ expectations for comfort.”
The aircraft has an advertised range of 7,500 nm at Mach 0.85, but industry observers expect it to have a range beyond 7,700 nm after flight testing. It is powered by two Pearl 700 turbofans and includes an all-new winglet, fly-by-wire, Honeywell’s Epic-based Symmetry flight deck, BAE Systems’ active sidesticks and touch-screen controls.
