The Gulfstream G800 successfully completed its first flight, according to the Savannah, Georgia-based manufacturer of business, government and military aircraft. This will begin the testing program aimed at achieving the certification of the aircraft. The model had been announced in October 2021.
The aircraft departed Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV) at 9:00 local time. It landed there two hours later. According to Gulfstream, the operation was conducted using a blend of traditional fuel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The company did not specify the proportion of each.
«The G800 pushes the boundaries of performance even further with Gulfstream-designed aerodynamics and cabin technology», said Mark Burns, President of the company. «We look forward to our customers benefiting from the longer range at higher speeds in our exceptional cabin environment», he added.
Precisely, the range and speed of the new model are some of the features highlighted by its manufacturer. According to Gulfstream, it can cover a distance of up to 8.000 nautical miles (14.816 kilometers) at a speed of Mach 0.85 (1.049 kilometers per hour).
On the other hand, it states that the G800 can reach a speed of up to Mach 0.90 (1.111 kilometers per hour) and connect points 7.000 nautical miles (12.964 kilometers) apart. The aircraft is equipped with two Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 engines. These features make it one of the longest-range aircraft on the market.
The cabin has ergonomic seats and a lighting system designed to adapt to the circadian rhythm of the human body and lessen the effect of time zone changes. In addition, the company reports that its new aircraft offers the lowest cabin altitude in the industry and a plasma-ionization air purification system.
The G800 can carry up to 19 passengers, depending on the cabin configuration chosen by each customer. The interior layout can feature four sections or three passenger spaces and one crew space.
See also: Bombardier introduces the Global 8000
