Story ID: 
Gulfstream G500 Logs Maiden Flight
By: Matt Thurber
Caption: The Gulfstream G500 took flight on May 18 at 10:39 a.m. local time, with test pilots Scott Martin and Kevin Claffy at the helm.
Word Count: 195
Seven months after rolling out at its Savannah, Ga. headquarters, Gulfstream's fly-by-wire G500 took off for its first flight this morning, departing at 10:39 a.m. from Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport and piloted by experimental test pilots Scott Martin and Kevin Claffy along with flight-test engineer Bill Osborne.

After climbing initially to 10,500 feet, the pilots flew the G500 to a maximum speed of 194 knots, climbed to 15,000 feet and “exercised all primary flight control systems; evaluated handling qualities and takeoff and landing configurations; performed a simulated approach and go-around; and checked all systems using the [Honeywell Primus Epic-based] Symmetry flight-deck touchscreen controllers.” The G500 landed at 12:55 p.m.

Five G500s will be used for the flight-test program, one of them equipped with a production interior, and FAA and EASA type certification is planned in 2017, followed by entry into service in 2018. A unique feature of the G500 and the G600 sibling is electronically interconnected BAE active sidestick flight controls. G500 performance includes range of 5,000 nm at Mach 0.85, maximum operating speed of Mach 0.925 and a 4,850-foot cabin altitude at FL510. Power is provided by 15,144-pound-thrust Pratt & Whitney Canada PW814GA turbofans.