PlaneView Gets Workouts in Gulfstream V-SP

The new Honeywell PlaneView avionics system flew for the first time in the Gulfstream V-SP on August 1, a five-hour trip aloft that set a record for Gulfstream as the longest inaugural flight of any new business jet. The Honeywell system, based on the Primus Epic avionics architecture, features four 13- by 10-in. flat-panel displays that the Phoenix-based company claims improve the display of terrain, navigation, weather and primary flight information. Honeywell also said the switch from Primus 2000 avionics in the original GV saved about 200 lb, weight that has been added to the ultra-long-range airplane’s payload limit. The GV-SP is an upgraded version of the original GV featuring new avionics, an increase in cabin space, improved aerodynamics and a slight increase in takeoff thrust. Gulfstream expects certification of the derivative model by the end of the year.