Test pilot John O’Meara and senior experimental test pilot Tom Horne flew Gulfstream’s G650 proto- type to its top operating
Gulfstream – G650
Test pilot John O’Meara and senior experimental test pilot Tom Horne flew Gulfstream’s G650 proto- type to its top operating speed of Mach 0.925 and 340 kcas during a test flight on May 2. The flight reached 42,500 feet and included banking maneuvers, which were buffet-free up to 45 degrees, according to Pres Henne, senior vice president of programs, engineering and test. Two test G650s have flown more than 163 hours in 57 flights, and structural limit-load testing has been completed. Two more G650s were scheduled to join the first two by the end of last month, and five G650s will log about 1,800 hours of flight testing for the certification program. FAA and EASA certification is expected next year, followed by entry into service in 2012.
Cessna Aircraft – Citation CJ4
The first CJ4 was delivered to a U.S. customer in mid-April, a month after FAA certification and earlier than previously announced. EASA certification is planned for October, followed by European deliveries beginning early next year. The first customer CJ4 was also the first Citation delivered with Cessna’s new GreenTrak flight planning software, which uses cost indexing to minimize total trip cost by balancing the costs of direction operation, fuel burn and carbon emissions. The single-pilot CJ4 is the largest of the CitationJets, and although Cessna hasn’t revealed any plans, it will be interesting to see what comes next in the Citation line and if the CJ series has room for another.
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