G400 Test Plane Has First Flight

Gulfstream has flown its G400 test article for the first time, adding the low-end bookend for its range of big-cabin business jets. The program was announced in 2021 along with the ultra-long-range G800, which flew in 2022 but has not yet been certified thanks to delays caused by COVID and FAA changes in response to the Boeing MAX issues. Gulfstream is trying to get it certified before the end of the year. Meanwhile, the company has been quietly working on the first G400 and it was wrung out on a flight from the Savannah factory on Friday.

The G400 flew for just less than three hours and was taken to 41,000 feet and Mach .85 on the first flight, which was operated on a blend of sustainable aviation fuel. The plane has Pratt & Whitney Canada PW812GA engines and has a projected range of 4,200 nautical miles and will seat up to 12 passengers. It also features a 100% fresh air system and low cabin altitude pressurization.