Gulfstream G-650

Roll out du Gulfstream G-650, voir aussi dans "Propulsion, RR Plc"


Sur Aviationweek :

Under a brilliant Savannah, Ga. sky this morning, Gulfstream Aerospace's new flagship G650 rolled up to its production hangar where a standing-room-only crowd of employees, vendors, officials and buyers cheered, whistled and stomped as the ultrajet made its first public appearance.

Eschewing any tugs, the white and blue striped aircraft, fitted with a pitot-static test boom, taxied out, powered by its twin Rolls-Royce BR725 engines. Approximately 7,000 people were gathered in the G650's new Nicholas
Chabraja Manufacturing Building for the aircraft's debut.

Gulfstream's largest, fastest, longest-ranging and most expensive aircraft ever, the 7,000-nm G650 also features the most advanced cockpit in the Gulfstream fleet.
Significantly it has an all-new fuselage cross section with a wider and taller cabin than the previous top-of-the-line G550 model and passenger windows that are noticeably larger than in previous Gulfstreams, but which retain their signature oval shape. The aircraft's maximum operating speed of Mach .925 will make it the world's fastest civilian aircraft.

First announced in March 2008, the $64.5-million G650 is on schedule for first flight before year end. Five aircraft, including the one featured today, will participate in the flight test program; customer deliveries of certificated models are to begin in 2012. The company reports orders in hand for "approximately" 200 aircraft, a figure that it notes is well ahead of its original forecasts.

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Plan en 3 vues

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Le G-650 a effectué son premier vol !

SAVANNAH, Ga., Nov. 25 /PRNewswire/ --

Gulfstream Aerospace, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics, today announced that its newest business jet and the flagship of its fleet, the ultra-large-cabin, ultra-long-range Gulfstream G650, successfully completed its first flight.

Flown by experimental test pilot Jake Howard and senior experimental test pilot Tom Horne, the G650 took off from Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport at 1:41 p.m. local time today with flight engineer Bill Osborne on board. Because pilots were alerted to a slight vibration in a landing-gear door, they curtailed the testing regimen as a precautionary measure. The aircraft landed 12 minutes later.

"We are pleased to announce that the G650 successfully completed its first flight today," said Pres Henne, senior vice president, Programs, Engineering and Test, Gulfstream. "Systems were fully operational. The aircraft achieved an
altitude of 6,600 feet and a speed of 170 knots.
Flight controls and characteristics performed as expected. We consider this flight a success and look forward to pursuing our full flight-test plan."

Under its own power, the G650 rolled out of the Savannah manufacturing facility on Sept. 29,2009.
It remains on schedule for type certification by 2011, followed by entry-into-service in 2012.

The G650 offers the longest range at the fastest speed in its class.
Powered by best-in-class Rolls-Royce BR725 engines, the business jet is capable of traveling 7,000 nautical miles at
0.85 Mach and has a maximum operating speed of 0.925 Mach. Its 7,000-nautical-mile range means the G650 can fly nonstop from Dubai to Chicago.
With an initial cruise altitude of 41,000 feet at 0.85 Mach, the G650 can climb to a maximum altitude of 51,000
feet and avoid traffic and inclement weather.

With its all-new aerodynamically optimized wing, the G650 can meet the latest takeoff certification requirements. At maximum takeoff weight, the aircraft can depart from a 6,000-foot runway.

Passenger comfort is one of the G650's main attributes. The aircraft features the largest purpose-built business-jet cabin, which leaves room for larger galleys and lavatories, and increased storage. The jet, which seats 11-18 passengers, also has 16 Gulfstream-signature oval windows that measure 28 by 20.5 inches, the biggest in the industry

The G650 provides the most productive cabin environment. A cabin altitude of 4,850 feet at FL510 and 3,300 feet at FL410 reduces fatigue, increases mental alertness and enhances productivity. A quieter cabin allows for a better environment for conversation or relaxation.

The aircraft comes with the new Gulfstream Cabin Essential(TM) package, so a single-point failure will not result in the loss of functionality. That means a toilet always flushes; water is always available; and an entertainment source always works.

Additionally, the G650 features the PlaneView(TM) II cockpit, the most advanced flight deck in business aviation, and an Advanced Health and Trend Monitoring System (AHTMS) to support aircraft maintenance planning and enhance availability.

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Merci, quelques images vues sur Flight de Gulfstream G 650

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Superbe ( même si je ne suis pas photographe )

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Gulfstream a du interrompre le premier vol d'essai du G650 après 2à minutes à cause de vibrations inhabituelles.

Gulfstream abbreviated the first flight of its Flagship [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] after about 20 minutes Wednesday as a precaution after an "unusual vibration," FlightBlogger [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], citing unnamed sources.
The aircraft took off from and landed at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport in Georgia

En dehors du fait ce petit souci nous rappelle que les vols d'essais sont là pour effectuer des tests et ne sont pas une simple routine...

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Gulfstream installe une modification sur la porte du train d'atterrisage qui avait causé le souci du premier vol et permet donc la reprise des vols d'essais.

The landing gear door vibration that cut short the first flight of Gulfstream's G650 flagship on Nov. 25 in Savannah has been remedied with a temporary "work around," according to Heidi Fedak, Gulfstream's communications manager.
"We're working on a permanent solution," he said, adding that the second flight is expected to be "imminent." No information was available on the exact cause of the vibration or steps for a permanent fix, nor a target date for releasing the aircraft to resume the flight test program. The second test aircraft has been released by production to the flight test department for installation of "orange gear."
Gulfstream plans to use three dedicated test aircraft and two production aircraft in the 1,800-hour G650 flight test program. Fedak said the aircraft remains on schedule for certification in 2011 and customer deliveries in 2012.

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Reprise des essais en vol du G-650

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] resumed flight-testing of its G650 business jet on 4 December, nine days after the ultra-long-range aircraft made its abbreviated maiden flight from the airframer's Savannah, Georgia-base.

Testing was halted after 12min because of "slight vibrations" in one of the gear doors, for which Gulfstream has identified a cause and is developing a fix.

Certification and service entry remain on schedule for 2011 and 2012, respectively, says Gulfstream.

The latest flight lasted 1h 45min, during which the G650's handling qualities, engine operability and flap operation were tested, along with its pitot-static systems, avionics, hydraulic systems, electrical power generation and distribution, flight controls and cabin environmental and pressurisation controls.

Gulfstream says the evaluations were performed at airspeeds of up to 240kt (445km/h) and altitudes of up to 9,500ft (2,895m). The G650 flight-test and certification programme involves five aircraft and more than 1,800h of testing.

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Et le lien chez Gulfstream :


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Lien :
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DATE:23/02/10. SOURCE:Flight International
Gulfstream outlines progress of G250 and G650 flight-test effort
By [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]

Flight-testing of [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]'s two latest products, the G250 and G650, is proceeding on schedule with the airframer confident that both will achieve their 2011 certification target.
The super-midsize G250's test effort began on 11 December last year, a few weeks after the G650's maiden flight on 25 November. However, data released by Gulfstream at the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] indicates that the smaller model is further advanced in its development programme.

C'est de cette façon que les choses ont été 'organisées' .

Trials of the first G250 flight-test aircraft (T1) have seen the flight envelope expanded to 45,000ft (13,730m) and Mach 0.85, says Gulfstream's vice-president international sales Roger Sperry. However, he was unable to provide any similar detail on the test progress of G650 T1, which had its first flight cut short due to a landing gear door vibration, but was back in the air on 4 December.

The build effort for the remaining test aircraft and first production airframes for both types is progressing, Sperry says. "The second G250 test aircraft, T2, has reached electrical power-on, and will be ready for first flight in the very near future."
He adds that the first production G250 (S/N 2003) is "coming down the assembly line" and is undergoing system installation, while testing is also under way of the "S1" structural test article.
G650 T1 should be joined "very soon" by the second aircraft: "T2 has been handed over to the flight-test team and is being prepared to fly," he says.
A third flight-test G650 (T3) is in the final production phase, while the first production aircraft (S/N 6004), dubbed "P1", is "coming down the line".
Sperry says both types are on course to receive US and European certification in 2011. The G250 is due to enter service later next year, with the G650 - which is the largest, longest-range Gulfstream ever - following in 2012.

La réaction de Bombardier ("Global Express") viendra !

Affaires à suivre ! Cela va être intéressant !

Premier vol du second G 650


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[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] second [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] test aircraft - designated T2 (N652GD) - made its first flight from Savannah/Hilton Head International airport on 25 February with pilots Gary Freeman and Scott Buethe at the controls.

The aircraft reached an altitude of 37,000ft (11,280m), a speed of Mach 0.8 and flew for 2h 33min.

This is the second of five flight-test aircraft that will be used during the certification programme and will focus on testing the aircraft's systems during the 1,800h flight-test campaign.

The first aircraft, T1 (N650GA), has amassed more than 43h over 18 flights since it first flew on 25 November.

T3, when it joins the flight-test programme, will focus on testing the G650's avionics, while P1 and P2 - production standard aircraft - will be used to evaluate the cabin systems and reduced vertical separation minimums, respectively.

The G650 is scheduled to receive US and European certification in 2011, leading to first deliveries in 2012.

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Il est toujours intéressant de voir un avion "green" : qualité ( ou non ) de finition visible.

Cet avion sera une fabuleuse machine, et le montrera rapidement, une fois qu'il aura fait son EIS ! [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]

On vole vite !
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DATE:03/05/10. SOURCE:Flight Daily News
EBACE: Gulfstream becomes the king of speed with G650 test flight
By [url=mailto://]Alan Peaford[/url]

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] (stand 7060) said this morning that its G650 test aircraft reached its proposed top speed of Mach 0.925 yesterday. The test sortie at Savannah became the fastest-ever business jet flight and makes the aircraft the fastest civil aircraft, taking the mantle from [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]'s Citation X.

Motorisation ?
Rolls-Royce BR725.
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NB : motorisation du "Citation Jet" : AE3007 (Rolls-Royce Allison).

RR bat son propre record.

Il ne faut pas être fâché avec l'anglais !

Lien :
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DATE:03/05/10. SOURCE:Flight Daily News
EBACE: Gulfstream G650 - earning its speed stripes
By [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] has a slight problem in the flight testing department when it comes to its newest ultra-long-range jet: it needs a faster chase aircraft.
Pres Henne, senior vice-president of programmes, engineering and test for the Savannah, Georgia-based airframer, tells the story of a recent test flight in which the company's official chase aircraft, the first [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] V (serial number 501), was attempting to keep up with the first [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].
Test aircraft 1, aka T1, is tagged as serial number 6001, indicating the first new type certificate for the company since the start of the Gulfstream II line in the early 1960s. The $60 million, 13,000km (7,000nm)-range business jet is scheduled for certification in 2011 and first deliveries in 2012. The test programme includes three test aircraft (T1-T3), two production-representative models (P1, P2) as well as a static (S6) and fatigue (F6) test airframe.

"We were chasing 6001 with 501," says Henne. "We started at Mach 0.85. The GV does that great since its MMO [maximum operating speed] is M0.885.We got to M.875, and the GV was able to keep up. When 6001 pushed up to M0.9, the GV pilots tried everything to make it go faster, even switching to "alternative mode" on FADEC to redline the engines."
But it was all for nought. "The 6001 just walked away from them. It's clearly got the speed built into it, and pretty soon we'll be up to M0.925 or higher," Henne adds.

Cela en dit long sur les moteurs, et l'aérodynamique de la combinaison "airframe"-moteurs !

Through a combination of a clean-sheet wing design, two Rolls-Royce BR725 turbofans that each deliver 16,000lb of thrust (71.6kN) and a host of other factors, Gulfstream is promising a cruise speed of M0.925, one-half of 1% greater than that of today's fastest business jet, the M0.92 MMO [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].
The honour of having the fastest aircraft has been a long-standing point of contention between the two companies, with [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] promising to match or beat the G650's top speed if need be.

"Wait & see" !
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PUSH FOR SPEED

Along with a push for higher speeds and envelope expansion for T1, test aircraft T2 (6002) is now a member of the programme and its focus is on systems functionality, including environmental control and hydraulics. T3 (6003) is being instrumented for the test programme and is expected to begin flying in early May, with its primary function to be a testbed for the aircraft's Honeywell Primus Epic-based PlaneView II flightdeck.
The fourth aircraft, dubbed P1 (first production aircraft), is undergoing engine run tests and should fly by the end of May, says Henne. P1 will get a full interior at Gulfstream's facility in Savannah before returning to the flightline for cabin systems testing.

The G650's cabin, which includes pressurisation for a 4,850ft (1,480m) cabin at FL510 or a 2,800ft cabin at FL410, is designed to be "fail operational", meaning no single-point failure can result in a loss of cabin functionality. P2, the fifth aircraft, will be used primarily for reduced vertical separation testing.

As of 27 April, Gulfstream had logged more than 130h in 45 flights on T1 since its first flight in November, and five flights and 11h in T2 since its first flight in February. After receiving "heavy instrumentation", T2 was scheduled to fly to Eglin AFB in Florida for several weeks of hot and cold temperature environmental chamber testing in the base's McKinley Climatic Laboratory.

Pilots and engineers are flying a series of flight-control parameter identification tests with T1, part of the stability and control verification programme, says Henne.

To date, the aircraft has flown for as long as 6h, been as high as FL480 and as fast as M0.90, using nose boom and trailing cone devices for airspeed measurements.

Henne says static source error correction data gained during the tests is in the process of being incorporated into the flightdeck software, a step which will allow the test team to use the production airspeed system for measurements.

Airspeed calibration tests included several days of 340kt (630km/h) tower passes in Brunswick, Georgia, says Henne.
Once the static source error correction is embedded, Henne says pilots will continue to expand the flight envelope, starting with stability and control tests using additional fly-by-wire modes. The G650 is the company's first fully fly-by-wire aircraft.

Une grande évolution, donc !

Pilots to date have been using "first flight" FBW mode, which uses angle-of-attack as a measure of performance and is usually used at low altitudes. "Normal" control mode, next in line for testing, uses g-loads as the measure of performance for the closed loop control system. Other FBW modes include direct, alternate mode and failure mode.
"We flew [g-load FBW mode] on serial number 632, our advanced flight controls demo vehicle," says Henne. Aircraft 632 is a Gulfstream V (N532SP). "We decided up and away that g-load is the control that gives best capability for the aircraft," he adds.
Other tests completed include engine handling, ram air turbine deployment, landing gear loading, and several flight envelope corners including maximum gross weight operations at the forward centre-of-gravity limit.

Henne says stall characteristics have been "better than expected" at all flap settings. Given that the wings, with 33° of sweep at the quarter-chord point, have 6° more sweep than the GV, there was some concern that one wing would stall before the other, leading to a pronounced roll-off at stall.
"If anything, it's improved over the GV," says Henne, attributing the desirable response to computational fluid dynamics work that went into the wing design. "The aero guys spent a great deal of time optimising the wing."

Henne says the team will complete flutter testing "in the very near" future, which will allow maximum speed tests to begin. Much of the confidence in the structural performance of the aircraft has come from a full slate of envelop limit tests performed on the static test airframe, S6.

Henne says fatigue testing using F6 should start in the third quarter this year in the structural test hangar, following the completion of the static tests there.

Gulfstream is quiet on what type of aircraft it will use to chase T1 as it enters the a cruise regime beyond that any other Gulfstream aircraft can catch it. When asked, the company responded with a curt but intriguing, "no comment". My bet is a Cessna Citation X.

"Wait & see" !

Informations reçues de RR la semaine dernière.
Gulfstream est "aux anges" / "over the moon" devant les performances du G650, et celles des moteurs qui l'équipent (RR BR-725).

Cela n'a échappé à personne que RR a fourni assez de moteurs pour que Gulfstream puisse poursuivre les programmes d'essais etc., avant l'EIS , avec 4 avions !

C'est dire la qualité des relations (au beau, beau fixe) entre Gulfstream & RR !

Il sufit de regarder les longues années de durée de l'association entre Gulfstream & RR, en lisant la liste des "produits" dans le post ci-dessus, ... et en explorant la période antérieure à 2008, pour se rendre compte de l'étendue et de la profondeur de ladite association !

Et, au sommet, l'avion, qu'est le G650, est tout simplement "le plus rapide" et le plus performant de son segment !
Lire le topic Gulfstream G-650, soius la rubrique "Avions d'Affaires".
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Rappel

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News Release

GULFSTREAM INTRODUCES THE ALL-NEW GULFSTREAM G650
Flagship Jet Is The Largest, Most Technologically Advanced Aircraft In Gulfstream Fleet

SAVANNAH, Ga., March 13, 2008 – –Gulfstream Aerospace, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), today announced the introduction of an all-new business jet: the Gulfstream G650. With its ultra-large cabin and ultra-long range, the G650 establishes a new price and performance point for business-jet aircraft.

The G650 offers the longest range, fastest speed, largest cabin and the most-advanced cockpit in the Gulfstream fleet. It is capable of traveling 7,000 nautical miles at 0.85 Mach or 5,000 nautical miles at 0.90 Mach. Using an advanced aerodynamic design, the G650 has a maximum operating speed of 0.925 Mach, which will make it the fastest civil aircraft flying. It can climb to a maximum altitude of 51,000 feet, allowing it to avoid airline-traffic congestion and adverse weather.

“This is an exciting time in Gulfstream’s history,” said Joe Lombardo, president, Gulfstream Aerospace. “For 50 years, our company has been on the forefront of business-jet aviation. I can think of no better way to celebrate our golden anniversary than to introduce the Gulfstream G650. Created with significant input from customers who participate in our Advanced Technology Customer Advisory Team, a subset of our Customer Advisory Board, the G650 offers the most advanced flight deck and the widest array of cabin comforts. Its performance and aesthetics are unprecedented.”
Gulfstream expects to begin G650 customer deliveries in 2012. Based on the aircraft development schedule, the company projects it will receive Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Type Certification and validation by the European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA) in 2011. First flight of the aircraft is scheduled for the second half of 2009.

Enhanced Cabin Environment

Comfort figures prominently into the G650. The unfinished aircraft cabin measures 102 inches wide and 77 inches high, making it the largest business-jet cabin. The extra space allows for a longer living area, more seat recline, expanded leg room and increased stateroom capabilities as well as larger galleys, lavatories, storage and crew rest areas. An 84-inch-wide floor provides for larger seats, wider aisles and the ability to seat three across.
The G650 provides the most comfortable and productive cabin environment. A cabin altitude of 4,850 feet at FL510 and 2,800 feet at FL410 reduces fatigue, increases mental alertness and enhances productivity, while a quieter cabin provides a more comfortable environment for conversation or relaxation. The aircraft’s advanced environmental control system features quieter air distribution and independently vented lavatories. The G650’s new 16 cabin windows, measuring 28 inches by 20.5 inches, are the largest in the industry, providing for even more natural light and visually expanding the aircraft’s already spacious interior.
Gulfstream’s Cabin Essential® design philosophy means all of the G650’s major cabin systems have been designed with redundancy so a single-point failure will not result in the loss of cabin functionality. That means a toilet always flushes; water is always available; and an entertainment source always works.

The PlaneView® Cockpit

The G650 features the most technologically advanced PlaneView® II cockpit with a number of enhancements including: four 14-inch, adaptive, liquid-crystal displays; three standard PlaneBook® computer tablets; a smaller pedestal; a standby multifunction controller that combines current display controller functionality with standby flight instruments; and a fully automatic, three-dimensional scanning weather radar with an integral terrain database for efficient ground-clutter elimination.

In addition, the G650 uses state-of-the-art vision systems to improve both pilot situational awareness and flight safety. These standard systems include the Gulfstream Enhanced Vision System (EVS II), the Synthetic Vision-Primary Flight Display (SV-PFD) system and Head-Up Display (HUD II). Gulfstream is the first Part 25 Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to provide its customers with both enhanced and synthetic vision systems. Kollsman (EVS II), Honeywell (SV-PFD) and Rockwell Collins (HUD II) are major suppliers to Gulfstream on these three systems.
Working in concert, the EVS II and SV-PFD provide pilots with a superior view of the terrain, obstacles and approaches, regardless of the weather conditions outside the cockpit. EVS uses a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) camera to capture real-world images and project them on the pilot’s all-digital HUD II, while the SV-PFD uses three-dimensional, color terrain images that are derived from data stored in the Honeywell Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS).

“The Gulfstream G650 uses state-of-the-art avionics to give operators a visual edge,” said Pres Henne, senior vice president, Programs, Engineering and Test, Gulfstream. “But the G650’s advances extend beyond the cockpit. Every element of this aircraft was designed with safety, reliability, comfort, productivity and performance in mind.”
Because the G650 flight deck has the same basic layout as the G550, the pilot type rating for the G650 is expected to be the same as the GV and the other in-production, large-cabin Gulfstream business jets, with minimal differences training.

Performance

The G650 is powered by the new Rolls-Royce BR725 engine, which produces 16,100 pounds of thrust at take-off. Manufactured by Rolls-Royce in Germany, the BR725 engine features a 50-inch swept fan with 24 blades for improved flow, increased efficiency, reduced noise and lower emissions. The G650 has fuel-burn levels comparable to those of smaller aircraft.

The BR725, in combination with the new, high-efficiency thrust-reverser system and an all-new aerodynamically optimized wing, means the G650 can meet the latest take-off certification requirements, has excellent “hot and high” performance and offers outstanding intercontinental range. For example, the G650 can travel the 6,370 nautical miles from Dubai to Chicago 88 minutes faster than existing long-range jets. It shaves 31 minutes off the 4,788-nautical-mile trip from Los Angeles to London and 50 minutes off the 5,932-mile trip from New York to Tokyo.

Reliable Systems

The G650 offers a full three-axis fly-by-wire system that delivers a number of benefits to the user, including flight-envelope protection, increased redundancy and reduced maintenance. The system is the result of extensive testing in Gulfstream’s Advanced Flight Controls program, where designers and engineers have been flight-testing advanced signaling and actuation on a GV aircraft. Those efforts led to a redundant fly-by-wire system that exceeds certification requirements. The system features a quadruple-redundant flight-control computer system for commanding all flight-control surfaces. In addition, the system has a separate and dedicated back-up flight-control computer that provides an additional level of safety.

The G650 also has reliable electrical systems that use proven components. Two 40 kVA Integrated Drive Generators, a 40 kVA APU Generator and one 15 kVA Ram Air Turbine provide superior electrical power capacity, no-break power transfer capability and added redundancy for safe, reliable operation.

The G650 fuel system stores 100 percent of the aircraft’s 44,200 pounds of fuel in the wings. The G650 retains the G550 heated fuel return system but adds a new Fuel Quantity Monitoring System (FQMS). This system uses a new distributed architecture with redundancy to maintain fuel-quantity indication in the event of any single sensor failure. Additionally, the electronically controlled refueling feature automatically adjusts to provide accurate refueling under varying fuel temperature conditions.

To ensure all systems remain at peak performance, the Gulfstream G650 uses Gulfstream’s PlaneConnect® program, a maintenance link that automatically transmits aircraft maintenance information to the customer’s operations department with an optional copy to Gulfstream Technical Operations. This data can then be analyzed to identify systems’ condition status. It also allows for exceptionally fast maintenance turnaround times.
With overall system reliability improvements and with 600 hours between major inspections, the G650 is projected to have unmatched availability and dispatch reliability.

Manufacturing

The G650 fuselage employs all-new structural design and manufacturing processes, including bonded skin panels, machined frames and precision assembly. These new methods not only improve aircraft quality, fit and finish, they also reduce assembly time and the need for an extensive parts supply. For example, the G650’s new window design is 16 percent larger but uses 78 percent fewer parts, thereby reducing assembly time 57 percent. This streamlined manufacturing cycle also consumes less energy.

The G650 will be produced in the recently completed 308,000-square-foot manufacturing facility at Gulfstream in Savannah.
In summary, Gulfstream’s all-new flagship jet, the G650, is a new, one-of-a-kind, high- tech, state-of-the-art airborne office that features an unmatched combination of characteristics: the largest and quietest cabin, the longest range and fastest speed and the most technologically advanced aircraft systems.

“It’s thrilling to see how far we’ve come since that day 50 years ago when the first Gulfstream I prototype took to the skies. We were the first then and we’re still the first now. And with the help of our customers, the support of our communities and the ingenuity of our employees, we’ll continue to make aviation history with cutting-edge advances that revolutionize the business-jet industry,” said Lombardo.

NOTE TO EDITORS

Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), designs, develops, manufactures, markets, services and supports the world’s most technologically advanced business-jet aircraft. Gulfstream has produced some 1,600 aircraft for customers around the world since 1958. To meet the diverse transportation needs of the future, Gulfstream offers a comprehensive fleet of aircraft, comprising the wide-cabin, high-speed Gulfstream G150®; the large-cabin, mid-range Gulfstream G200®; the large-cabin, mid-range Gulfstream G350®; the large-cabin, long-range G450®; the large-cabin, ultra-long-range Gulfstream G500® and the large-cabin, ultra-long-range Gulfstream G550®. Gulfstream also offers aircraft ownership services via Gulfstream Financial Services Division and Gulfstream Pre-Owned Aircraft Sales®. The company employs more than 9,100 people at seven major locations. We invite you to visit our Web site for more information and photos of Gulfstream aircraft at [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].

General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Va., employs approximately 83,500 people worldwide and reported 2007 revenues of $27.2 billion. The company is a market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and information systems and technologies. More information about the company is available on the Internet at [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].

Nous reviendrons sur cette relation entre RR et Gulfstream, .... qui ne bat point de l'aile, comme certains £°_£°, ici et là, ont cherché à le prétendre !

Ceux-ci mettent vraiment à côté !

Il faut vraiment se demander pourquoi et comment ils y arrivent !
Oui, il faut lire le topic Gulfstream G-650, sous la rubrique "Avions d'Affaires".

Et l'arrivée de ce G650 ne met pas dans l'ombre les avions de Dassault et les autres Gulfstream de la gamme !

Lien :
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Le Nigeria acquiert trois avions pour la flotte présidentielle

ABUJA, 11 août (Reuters) - Le Nigeria, pays le plus peuplé d'Afrique, va acquérir trois avions neufs pour la flotte présidentielle - deux Falcon 7X de l'avionneur français Dassault Aviation et un Gulfstream G550 pour un coût total de 150 millions de dollars.

Cette décision, approuvée mercredi en conseil des ministres, intervient au lendemain de l'annonce par le gouvernement d'Abuja d'aggraver un plus la dette publique pour financer l'élection présidentielle prévue en janvier 2011.
Le premier Falcon sera livré vers la fin de l'année, le second jet français ainsi que le Gulfstream de fabrication américaine le seront au deuxième trimestre 2011, soit après le scrutin présidentiel.
Le financement de ces achats était déjà prévu dans le budget 2010 mais l'annonce, faite par la ministre de l'Information, Dora Akunyili, pose la question des priorités en matière de dépense de cet important producteur d'hydrocarbures.
Mardi, les parlementaires ont adopté un projet visant à récolter 585 millions de dollars via une émission de bons du Trésor pour financer les opérations de révision des listes électorales et l'achat d'urnes supplémentaires par la commission électorale.
L'actuel chef de l'Etat, le sudiste Jonathan Goodluck, qui a succédé au président Umaru Yar'Adua, un Nordiste musulman décédé cette année des suites d'une maladie, n'a pas encore annoncé officiellement s'il se présenterait mais la plupart de ses compatriotes penchent pour cette hypothèse. (Felix Onuah, version française Jean-Loup Fiévet).

Bonne nouvelle pour les acteurs européens, aussi (Dassault et Rolls-Royce), .... entre autres, certainement.