Regulations and Government
New Realities of Certification: Manufacturers' Winding Road to Finish Line
Gulfstream, Bell, and Dassault were in the middle of certifications when regulators changed processes
Bell 525, Gulfstream G700 and Falcon 6X
The Bell 525, Gulfstream G700 and Falcon 6X all experienced certification delays. © Bell, Barry Ambrose/AIN; Gulfstream and Dassault

At long last on March 30, Gulfstream Aerospace was able to celebrate the certification of its new flagship, the ultra-long-range, ultra-high-tech G700, after an approval process that took at least two years longer than the Savannah, Georgia airframer anticipated.

Announced in 2019, the company initially targeted 2022 for certification but by April 2022, General Dynamics chairman and CEO Phebe Novakovic warned of delays looming related to time-consuming, extra requirements that she said were “the result of events independent of us.”