Story ID: 
Gulfstream Continues To Invest in G280
By: Kate Sarsfield
Caption: Gulfstream has launched an upgrade to the G280 and pledged its commitment to the 10-year-old super-midsize business jet.
Word Count: 675
Gulfstream has launched an upgrade to the G280 and pledged its commitment to the 10-year-old super-midsize business jet program, despite indications that it is developing a model in this space that will have “commonality” with the bulk of its product line.

Speaking at a media event on March 10 at Gulfstream’s European service center at Farnborough Airport in the UK, company president Mark Burns described the G280 as an “exceptional and popular aircraft.” 

“The G280 continues to set the standard for the super-midsize class, and we are seeing outstanding levels of interest from customers around the world,” he said. “This past year marked a record sales year for the G280, validating that our continued investment has been well received.”

When pressed by AIN about the likely introduction of an all-new super-midsize jet—perhaps dubbed the G300—to complement its family of new-generation large-cabin and long/ultra-long-range models, Burns said, “Gulfstream is always investing in its products and its future, and having commonality across the product line is important to us. Watch this space.”

Gulfstream has added five business jets to its high-end fleet since 2014—the G400, G500, G600, G700, and G800.

The G800—introduced late last October (along with the G400) and scheduled for service entry in 2023—will eventually replace the older-generation ultra-long-range G650 series in service. Burns advised that the aim of the new lineup is to “create as much manufacturing efficiency as possible and also make sure that the operational efficiency is good as well.” Each model boasts the firm’s Symmetry flight deck and active control sidesticks.

While a new super-midsize model may be forthcoming, conceivably as early as this year, Gulfstream’s commitment to G280 production remains undiminished. “The aircraft will be viable for years to come,” Burns remarked.

That said, Gulfstream’s $24.5 million entry-level product faces fierce competition from younger super-midsize rivals—the Bombardier Challenger 3500, Cessna Citation Longitude, and Embraer Praetor 600. The latest enhancements to the 10-seat type may help fend off that challenge. From mid-2023 forward, G280s will have a cabin altitude of 4,800 feet, a reduction of 1,200 feet compared with the current models. “The new lower cabin altitude means less strain on the body, leaving customers even more relaxed and refreshed when they reach their destination,” according to Gulfstream. The upgrade also includes new exterior LED lights, designed to “bolster aircraft safety through increased visibility in flight and during ground operations.” The enhancement also boasts “reduced maintenance requirements and improved reliability,” Gulfstream added. These improvements will be available for retrofit to existing owners.

The G280 was launched in 2008 as a replacement for the G200, a program Gulfstream acquired in 2001 from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), where it was known as the Galaxy business jet. IAI remains involved in the program, assembling the model at its base in Tel Aviv before shipping green G280s to Gulfstream’s Dallas facility for outfitting. The global fleet totals 230 aircraft. Powered by 7,642-lb-thrust Honeywell HTF7250G-turbofans, the G280 has a 3,600-nm range, long-range cruise speed of Mach 0.80, and the Collins Pro Line Fusion-based PlaneView280 flight deck.

Meanwhile, Gulfstream’s Farnborough maintenance center is planning to offer cabin completions to its suite of services within three years to cater to growing demand from customers. The 20,900-sq-m (225,000-sq-ft) facility, which opened in June 2020, is the airframer’s newest and largest service center outside its Savannah headquarters, with the capacity to accommodate up to 13 ultra-long-range aircraft under one roof. “We offer virtually a full suite of maintenance services now but would like to add aircraft completions to the list rather than outsource this skill to local contractors or even to Savannah,” said Gulfstream.

The facility has seen business grow steadily since it opened. “On average, we accommodated between 100 to 150 aircraft a month in 2020 and 2021, but now, with most of the Covid-19 travel restrictions lifted in the UK, we are welcoming more than 200 Gulfstream models a month and the number is growing,” the airframer said.