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Gulfstream’s G300 Takes to the Sky
By: Curt Epstein
Caption: The super-midsize jet was first announced in September
Word Count: 219
Gulfstream Aerospace has reached a major milestone in the development of its G300 super-midsize jet, with the news that it has successfully completed its first flight. The twinjet—the successor to the company’s venerable G280—was first announced at a media event in September.
As with the previous, smaller-cabin-class entries to the airframer’s fleet, the G300 is manufactured in Israel by IAI under license for Gulfstream. It took off this morning from Ben Gurion International Airport at 8:05 a.m. local time, and flew for nearly 2.5 hours, reaching a speed of Mach 0.75 and an altitude of 30,000 feet. This came after more than 2,000 hours of ground tests. Two additional test aircraft are under construction. 
According to the OEM, the G300 offers the largest cabin in its class, seating 10 passengers. It features two living areas, a well-equipped galley, a large baggage compartment, and the lowest cabin altitude in the super-mid segment. Its range is 3,600 nm at Mach 0.80 or 3,000 nm at Mach 0.84.
“With its combination of safety, technology, performance, and cabin comfort, the G300 is a game changer for the super-midsize category,” said Gulfstream president Mark Burns. “This latest investment, designed to exceed our customers’ expectations for large-cabin features in a mid-cabin aircraft, brings another new category leader to our next-generation fleet.”