While Dassault was celebrating the 20th year of its flagship bizjet line, Gulfstream Aerospace marked the first anniversary its large-cabin G550’s entry into service. Not content to merely push them out the door during the past year, Gulfstream pilots flying the G550 established more than 10 city-pair speed and distance records as well as a long-distance, nonstop 7,301-nautical-mile flight between Seoul, South Korea, and Orlando, Fla., according to the company. And, in May, the G550 development team was awarded the Collier Trophy for its work on the G550, described as an innovative aircraft that offers measurable safety enhancements and practical, applicable and useful advances in aerospace technology.
This has been an incredible first year, said Bryan Moss, president of Gulfstream. The 25 aircraft that currently make up the G550 in-service fleet have accumulated more than 7,600 flight hours and are experiencing a dispatch reliability rate of 99.73 percent. The fleet leader has already reached over 900 hours. The G550 features Gulfstream’s PlaneView cockpit, an integrated flight deck incorporating large, easy-to-read displays and is available with the company’s see-through-the-dark Enhanced Vision System. The G550 can accommodate up to 18 passengers, fly at a maximum speed of .885 Mach and cruise at FL510.
