Gulfstream G500, Europe Bizav Still Sluggish, Aircraft Acquisition Planning, Embraer 3Q Aircraft Deilveries
Posted on May 12th, 2019
Gulfstream G500 Surpasses 100 Flight Hours
Gulfstream G500 Test Program Progresses With New Milestones
Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. has announced exciting progress in developing its next-generation business jet, the Gulfstream G500. The aircraft has officially surpassed 100 flight hours as part of its rigorous certification and development program. This achievement marks a significant milestone in the program’s advancement and reflects Gulfstream’s continued commitment to innovation in private aviation.
In addition to the flight-hour benchmark, ground testing and avionics checks have begun on the second and third G500 test aircraft. These steps are critical in ensuring systems integration, reliability, and flight readiness for subsequent evaluation phases. The avionics testing phase focuses heavily on the aircraft’s advanced flight deck technology, which includes Gulfstream’s Symmetry Flight Deck with active control sidesticks and touch-screen interfaces—a groundbreaking feature in the world of business jets.
These developments come just one year after Gulfstream introduced its all-new Gulfstream G500 and Gulfstream G600 programs during a high-profile event on October 14, 2014, at the company’s headquarters in Savannah, Georgia. The announcement reflected the brand’s commitment to redefining long-range performance, passenger comfort, and cockpit innovation.
As of October 13, 2015, the first G500 test aircraft had completed over 45 individual flight missions, with the longest flight lasting 5 hours and 22 minutes. The plane reached a maximum altitude of 38,500 feet (11,735 meters) and achieved a top airspeed of Mach 0.80, demonstrating strong performance capabilities early in the test campaign. These performance achievements are critical for eventual FAA and EASA certification, setting the stage for the aircraft’s entry into service.
Once fully certified, the Gulfstream G500 will deliver high-speed efficiency and a range of up to 5,200 nautical miles, making it ideal for long-range travel between New York and London or Los Angeles and Tokyo. Its cabin will feature whisper-quiet noise levels, a low cabin altitude, and the latest onboard connectivity, providing a superior passenger experience for business and leisure travelers.
As testing expands across more aircraft in the series, Gulfstream continues demonstrating why it remains at the forefront of private aviation technology and performance.
“It’s exhilarating to see how well this aircraft is performing and testing” at Gulfstream. “This plane has been flying exactly as expected, which showcases our commitment to quality and attention to detail. It also reflects the investments we have made in our labs to support the flight-test program. Recently, the team completed three missions in one day, with hot refueling between flights, totaling nearly seven hours of flight time. Our test pilots have reported that the aircraft’s handling qualities are exceptional.”
Continue reading about the G500 on gulfstreamnews.com>>
Aircraft Acquisition Planning and Financing
One of the main attractions of business aviation is its flexibility in scheduling flights to meet your company’s needs. This can be achieved through charter services, fractional ownership, aircraft leasing, or outright purchase of a business aircraft.
If outright ownership isn’t suitable for your company’s requirements, charter services, fractional ownership, and, to a lesser extent, aircraft leasing provides scalable options. These alternatives allow you to enjoy the benefits of business aircraft use, even if you only fly around 50 hours a year.
Each business aviation type has its advantages, depending on the user’s specific needs and average flying hours. Below is a brief overview of some popular options.
CHARTER AND FRACTIONAL
Air charter is often the easiest way to start using a business aircraft. It is typically best suited for those who fly around 50 hours or less per year. The costs associated with ownership are based entirely on usage, eliminating any upfront capital costs or maintenance fees. You only pay for travel time, which makes chartering ideal for occasional flyers. Users can book trips round-trip, one-way private flights, or from one destination to another.
The main drawbacks of chartering are that access to aircraft and availability can be limited during high-demand periods, such as holidays and the tax benefits of owning an aircraft are not applicable.
Once you reach the 100-hour-per-year flying threshold, fractional ownership can become a more appealing. In this case, you purchase a “share” of an aircraft, which often results in better availability and certain tax benefits. However, the initial costs are higher due to the capital expense involved in buying an ownership share of a business aircraft. Additionally, there is a monthly fee for administrative and maintenance costs and a per-hour usage fee. Fractional shares are typically sold for a fixed period, usually three to five years, after which ownership shares can be sold back to the provider at their current market value, depending on the terms of the contract.
Continue reading about aircraft acquisition planning on NBAA.org>>
Embraer Delivers 21 Commercial and 30 Executive Jets in 3Q15.
In the third quarter of 2015, Embraer (NYSE: ERJ; BM&FBOVESPA: EMBR3) made significant strides in the aviation market by delivering a total of 51 jets. This impressive figure includes 21 aircraft specifically designed for commercial aviation and 30 tailored for the business aviation sector. Remarkably, this delivery total represents a 50% increase compared to last year, when the company delivered only 34 jets—19 in the commercial category and 15 in the executive segment.
Among these deliveries in 3Q15, one noteworthy highlight was the delivery of the first Legacy 500 midsize jet to a customer in Mexico. This marked a significant milestone for the region and demonstrated Embraer’s ongoing commitment to expanding its footprint in the global aviation market.
Continue reading about Embraer’s deliveries for the third quarter on embraerexecutivejets.com>>
Tags: business aviation, embraer, G500, charter private jet, business jet charter, gulfstream, private jet charter
