Gulfstream designed and built the mid-size
Gulfstream G250 lands at the end of its first flight on Dec. 11
Gulfstream Aerospace flew its new G250 business jet for the first time Friday.
Gulfstream designed and built the mid-size, eight- to 10-passenger jet in collaboration with Israel Aerospace Industries. IAI chief test pilot Ronen Shapira flew the G250 for three hours and 21 minutes, taking off from and returning to Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport, Gulfstream said in a news release.
“The G250 performed extremely well, just as we expected,” Pres Henne, Gulfstream’s senior vice president, programs, engineering and test, said in the release. “We’re looking forward to 2011 when we’ll begin delivering this aircraft to the customers who had tremendous input in its design.”
Shapira flew the aircraft to 32,000 feet, achieving a maximum speed of 253 knots. He said the flight was “extremely smooth with no issues,” according to the release.
Powered by twin Honeywell HTF7250G engines, the G250 can travel 3,400 nautical miles at Mach 0.80, has a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.85, has an initial cruise altitude of 41,000 feet, can climb to 45,000 feet and can depart from a 5,000-foot runway at maximum takeoff weight.
