Story ID: 
Gulfstream Benefits from Delays at Competitors
By: Thierry Dubois
Caption: Some customers are placing orders for the Gulfstream G500, G600 or G650 because they canceled contracts for the delayed Falcon 5X or Global 7000/8000.
Word Count: 190
Gulfstream’s G500 and G600 are on track for certification next year and in 2018, respectively, the company reiterated today at the Singapore Airshow. As these programs remain on schedule, Gulfstream is benefiting from setbacks in Dassault’s and Bombardier’s large-cabin business jet programs, according to Gulfstream senior vice president for worldwide sales and marketing Scott Neal. Some customers came to the Savannah, Ga.-based airframer to place orders for the G500, G600 or G650/650ER because they had canceled contracts for the delayed Dassault Falcon 5X or Bombardier Global 7000/8000, he said in Singapore.

Three test G500s are flying and a fourth, T4, is “preparing for first flight,” said Neal. Performance milestones over the nearly 450 hours of G500 flight-testing include reaching Mach 0.995 and 53,000 feet. Since taking to the sky on November 20, T2 and T3 have tested the landing gear, cabin pressure control and community noise signatures, among other tasks.

The first production G500, P1, is moving into the completion center and FlightSafety International installed a flight simulator at its Savannah, Ga. facility. Meanwhile, the first test G600 is taking shape in joining fixtures.