Savannah, Ga.-based corporate jet maker Gulfstream Aerospace said Dec. 17 it flew the new Gulfstream G600 for the first time. The company said two more test G600s are scheduled for test flights early in 2017, with delivery to customers in 2018.
?This flight went exactly as anticipated, thanks in large part to the investments we have made in our ground-based laboratories,? Gulfstream President Mark Burns said in a statement. ?This flight is the perfect way to wrap up 2016 and set the tone for a successful 2017.?
The technologically advanced luxury business jet can travel 6,200 nautical miles. Gulfstream said the G600 has the longest cabin in its class, satellite communications and high-speed internet and can accommodate up to four living areas to create distinct yet flexible spaces for work, entertainment, dining and rest. It has 14 panoramic windows. Read more about the plane here. Read stories about the G600 from Flying Magazine here and from Aviation International Online here. A Dec. 14 story from CNBC ( read it here) suggested President-elect Donald Trump could make luxury business jets like the G600 “hip again,” which would be good news for Gulfstream and its parent company. Gulfstream is a subsidiary of Virginia-based defense giant General Dynamics Corp. (NYSE: GD). General Dynamics reported Oct. 26 that its Aerospace group, which includes Gulfstream, ended the third quarter of 2016 with backlog of $11.5 billion compared with $11.8 billion at the end of th...