The Gulfstream G250 has completed a number of icing tests, clearing yet another hurdle in the super midsize business jet's two-year flight-test campaign. Certification and first deliveries of the $24 million Honeywell HTF7250G-powered twinjet - developed in partnership with Israel Aerospace Industries - is earmarked for the fourth quarter.
Serial number 2001 - which kick-stated the flight test campaign in December 2009 - has flown with simulated ice shapes applied to the non-heated areas of the aircraft, including the nose, tail, winglets and engine pylon. These tests were used to evaluate the aircraft's handling, stability and control characteristics in icing conditions., says Gulfstream.
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S/N 2002 - which joined its stablemate three months later - has completed anti-ice-system dry-air testing, clearing the way for certification flight testing into known icing conditions. The aircraft is poised to visit the US in search of natural icing, says Gulsftream.
The three aircraft in the G250 flight-test campaign have completed more than 700 flying hours, reaching a maximum speed of Mach 0.85, and the maximum altitude of 45,000ft (13,800m). S/N 2003 - which joined the programme last July - has undergone avionics-certification testing and numerous systems checks.
"While the test aircraft continue to push through the flight-test campaign, several other activities are under way on the ground," says Gulfstream. Testing is ongoing in the integration test facility at the airframers's headquarters in Savannah, Georgia, where engineers are evaluating the PlaneView 250 avionics system, the head-up display and enhanced vision system.
Source: Flight International
