Gulfstream G250 completes several certification milestones

Gulfstream Aerospace Corp.'s large-cabin, mid-range Gulfstream G250 is on schedule for certification later this year, having recently completed several tests required for it to receive its type certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration, the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel and the European Aviation Safety Agency.

The three flight-test aircraft have accumulated more than 1,150 flight hours over more than 400 flights.

"We are on track and steadily moving toward certification this year," said Mark Kohler, director, G250 program. "The aircraft is performing exceptionally well and will soon take its rightful place as the world's best-in-class super mid-size business jet."

Aircraft Number 2002, the second of three aircraft in the flight-test program, successfully completed water ingestion testing in late March in the United Kingdom. As required by Federal Aviation Regulations, the tests confirmed that the aircraft's two Honeywell HTF7250G engines, its auxiliary power unit and its airspeed system will continue to operate normally even after traveling through standing water.

The tests were conducted along a 5,902-foot runway during all critical phases of takeoff, landing and taxi. The G250 performed nine successful runs.

The third flight-test aircraft, Serial Number 2003, completed the first phase of human factors testing at the company's headquarters in Savannah last month. The testing included avionics performance and flight-deck ergonomics. Each six-member crew flew three flights: a day Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) flight, a day Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) flight and a night VMC flight.

During human factors testing, each of the two-hour flights begins as a normal flight. Human factors engineers then introduce scenarios that force the crew to perform other tasks, including potential abnormal and emergency procedures. At the end of each flight, the crew completes a questionnaire, and the responses are used to create a report for certification.

The second phase of human factors workload testing will include representatives from each of the certification authorities. Results from both phases will be submitted to the certification authorities for certification credit.

To receive its type certificate, the G250 must finish the remaining aircraft systems and field performance tests as well as a portion of the more than 40,000 airframe fatigue cycles, which are already under way at Israel Aerospace Industries. The aircraft have completed static structural, limit/ultimate load, natural icing, far-field noise and high-field elevation tests.