Gulfstream G650 Makes an Abbreviated First Flight

The first Gulfstream G650, dubbed T1 for test aircraft one, achieved its maiden flight this afternoon, though it was cut short due to “slight vibrations” in one of the gear doors. A Gulfstream spokeswoman told AIN that the flight was intended to last for about an hour; nevertheless, the G650’s 12-minute flight is still considered a full-fledged success by the Savannah, Ga.-based aircraft manufacturer. T1 lifted off from Savannah International Airport at 1:41 p.m. EST with veteran Gulfstream test pilots Jake Howard and Tom Horne at the controls; flight engineer Bill Osborne was also aboard. Despite its short time in the air, the test aircraft reached 6,600 feet and 170 knots and its “flight controls and characteristics performed as expected,” according to Gulfstream. The spokeswoman said G650 test flights will resume after Thanksgiving. FAA certification of the G650 is expected in 2011, followed by entry into service in 2012.