Gulfstream’s G450 and G550 jets flew from Savannah in the US to Geneva in Switzerland on a renewable fuel blend to join Gulfstream’s static display at the 2016 European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (Ebace), which opened today.

In addition to the G450 and G550 flights to Ebace, all of Gulfstream’s Savannah-based demonstration aircraft and the G500 flight-test fleet have flown on the renewable fuel blend.

“At Gulfstream, the foundation of our business is delivering on our promises and setting new standards for the industry,” said Mark Burns, president, Gulfstream. “In 2011, the G450 was the first business jet to cross the Atlantic using biofuels. The G450 and G550 flights to Geneva are the first transatlantic flights made using our own renewable fuel supply and mark an important milestone in our mission to practice sustainability throughout every aspect of our business.”

Gulfstream established a three-year agreement with its fuel supplier, World Fuel Services, in 2015 for a consistent supply of renewable fuels for daily flight operations in Savannah. 

The fuel, produced by AltAir, is a blend of low-carbon, drop-in renewable fuel and Jet-A. It provides the same performance as conventional, petroleum-based jet fuel and requires no changes to factory-standard engines or aircraft. Each gallon of renewable fuel burned is expected to achieve a more-than-50 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, relative to petroleum-based jet fuel, on a lifecycle basis.

Gulfstream’s supply of low-carbon, drop-in replacement fuel provided by AltAir and World Fuel Services, is derived from agricultural waste and is certified to meet the same industry specs as petroleum Jet-A.


TYPE CERTIFICATION

Meanwhile, Gulfstream flagship G650ER recently received type certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for private operations. The certification recognizes that the world’s longest-range business jet demonstrates compliance with EASA airworthiness and environmental requirements. It is one of the final steps required for the G650ER to be registered for private operations in a European Union country.

“When the G650ER was introduced, it ushered in additional performance capabilities and offered greater mission flexibility,” said Burns. “The aircraft connects more international cities nonstop, which in turn provides increased opportunities for our customers. This certification means more customers will be able to experience the benefits of such a valuable business tool.”

The G650ER, an extended range version of the G650, was announced on May 19, 2014. It received type certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in October 2014. Customer deliveries began one month later.

The G650ER travels near the speed of sound, with a maximum speed of Mach 0.925. At Mach 0.85, it can carry passengers 7,500 nm/13,890 km, and at Mach 0.90, 6,400 nm/11,853 km. At Mach 0.90, the aircraft can connect Geneva to Los Angeles in just over 11 hours and London to Singapore in less than 12 hours.


TEST PROGRESS

Burns also revealed that Gulfstream revealed its G500 and G600 test programmes continue to stride toward anticipated FAA certification in 2017 and 2018, respectively. The four G500 test aircraft have exceeded 1,000 hours of test time, and production of the G600 test articles is well under way.

“The G500 made its first flight nearly one year ago, and we have spent the 12 months since then expanding the test fleet and reaching the goals we established early on,” said Burns. “At the same time, we have made significant progress in manufacturing the five G600 test articles. Thanks to the extensive ground work in Gulfstream’s state-of-the-art test labs, these aircraft programmes are maturing at a consistent pace.”

To date, the G500 test fleet, which includes four flight-test aircraft (T1-T4), has flown more than 240 flights, surpassing 1,000 flight hours. The fifth test aircraft, P1, is at the Savannah Completions center, where it is receiving an interior that will be used to test the cabin elements in flight.

T1 has flown more than 500 hours and reached a maximum speed of Mach 0.995 and a maximum altitude of 53,000 feet/16,154 meters. T2 has completed loads development testing and commenced climb performance testing.

The third test article, T3, recently conducted flyover noise testing to demonstrate that the G500 complies with established aircraft noise regulations. The aircraft performed a variety of simulated takeoffs and approaches as low as 400 ft/122 m, while a ground team collected data. T4 has begun testing the updated avionics system.

On the production side, the G600 is making steady progress. Following the first test aircraft’s wing join last month, the empennage has been mated to the aircraft’s fuselage. In addition, the wings for the structural test article were moved to the G600 production facility, and that wing join has been completed.

“The flight-test crew and all Gulfstream employees involved in this program are keeping the G500 and G600 on track to enter into service with industry-leading safety, performance and comfort,” said Burns.

The G500 can fly 5,000 nm/9,260 km at Mach 0.85 or 3,800 nm/7,038 km at Mach 0.90, while the G600 can carry passengers 6,200 nm/11,482 km at Mach 0.85 and 4,800 nm/8,890 km at Mach 0.90. The maximum operating speed for both aircraft is Mach 0.925, the same maximum speed as the Gulfstream G650 and G650ER.

Both aircraft feature Gulfstream’s revolutionary new Symmetry Flight Deck, which incorporates active control sidesticks, integrated touchscreen panels, a next-generation enhanced vision system (EVS III) and Honeywell Primus Epic avionics.

The cabins for the G500 and G600 are optimised for safety, comfort and reliability. The aircraft can carry up to 19 passengers, have forward and aft lavatories and include a full-size galley that can be located in either the forward or aft portion of the aircraft. The G500 and G600 feature an industry-leading cabin altitude of 4,850 ft/1,478 m at FL510 and 100 percent fresh air that circulates every two minutes.

The G500 is slated to receive type certification in 2017 and deliver in 2018. The G600 is projected to enter service in 2019.


SUPPORT

In other news, Gulfstream has enhanced its support for a growing number of Europe-based operators with new company-authorized maintenance sites in Austria and Germany.

The addition of two company-authorized maintenance sites, Jet Aviation’s service center in Vienna and Altenrhein Aviation’s new Berlin line maintenance operation, help support a fleet of more than 220 aircraft in Europe, including more than 30 based in the central section of the continent.

“We are always looking at ways to expand our depth and breadth of services for customers,” said Derek Zimmerman, president, Gulfstream Product Support. “Vienna and Berlin are very significant additions to our support network. Each is an economic, cultural and political center, which translates into business jet activity. We are focused on meeting our customers' maintenance requirements to ensure their safety and security.”
Europe is home to a wide range of Gulfstream aircraft. The large-cabin G650ER, G650, G550 and G450 have proven to be the most popular, representing more than 65 percent of the fleet.
“We are proud that customer response to our aircraft in Europe has been outstanding,” said Scott Neal, senior vice president, Worldwide Sales and Marketing, Gulfstream. “We are particularly gratified that our flagship G650ER and G650 have been so well-received. We have more than 30 of those aircraft based in Europe, more than double what we had there in the beginning of 2015.”
European-based customers have a convenient location from which to select an aircraft and its interior. The 5,500-sq-ft/511-sq-m Gulfstream Sales and Design Center in Mayfair, central London, which opened in June 2013, includes a showroom where customers can select leather, veneer, fabric and carpet for their aircraft.

Gulfstream operators from the UK to Russia and beyond can rely on a vast network of service and support resources in Europe, including Gulfstream’s service center at London Luton Airport, which opened in 2003. Gulfstream Luton has grown to nearly 280 employees and had its busiest year ever in 2015, with more than 1,300 on-site aircraft visits.

Gulfstream Luton is a certified EASA and FAA repair station and holds EASA Part 21 design organization approval, which authorizes its technicians to install and repair avionics equipment and cabin interiors for Gulfstream aircraft registered in European Union (EU) countries. The facility includes a 75,000- sf/6,968-sm hangar and also has maintenance approvals from 19 other civil aviation authorities, including Azerbaijan, Hong Kong, India, Nigeria, Turkey and the UAE. 

Gulfstream’s EASA-certified service centers — Luton, Savannah and all other US service centers — recently earned EASA approval for the following retrofits:

• Future Air Navigation System (FANS) 1/A+ on GVs registered in EU countries. The approval allows operators to comply with worldwide mandates for preferential routing in the North Atlantic tracks region and other oceanic airspace, improving communications over oceanic and other remote routes.

• UCS 5000 (Gogo Vision) on GIVs and GVs registered in EU countries. The new equipment interfaces with Iridium and SwiftBroadband systems and includes a smart router that provides wireless service to multiple users with a single logon, manages multiple data networks and supports Gogo Text & Talk. This service enables passengers to use their smartphones for calling and texting in flight with their own mobile number, in conjunction with Gogo’s ATG 4000 or ATG 5000 in-flight Internet system.

In 2015, Luton technicians and members of Gulfstream’s European-based Field and Airborne Support Teams (FAST) performed more than 750 road trips to customers in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. These missions, which are coordinated by Luton, include assisting customers in aircraft-on-ground situations.

Along with a growing number of operators, Gulfstream’s large presence in Europe includes

its European Parts Distribution Center, which opened in September 2014 near Heathrow Airport in west London. The combined parts and materials inventory in London, Luton and Basel, Switzerland, is nearly $120 million.

Gulfstream’s strong European presence includes Jet Aviation service centres in Vienna, Basel, Geneva and Moscow. Altenrhein Aviation Ltd. in Altenrhein, Switzerland, and Berlin are Gulfstream-authorized warranty facilities. 

A wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics of the US, Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation designs, develops, manufactures, markets, services and supports the world’s most technologically advanced business-jet aircraft. Gulfstream has produced more than 2,500 aircraft for customers around the world since 1958. Gulfstream offers a comprehensive fleet of aircraft, comprising the G150, the G280, the G450, the G550, the G500, the G600, the G650 and the G650ER. 

Gulfstream also offers aircraft ownership services via Gulfstream Pre-Owned Aircraft Sales.