The last Gulfstream G200 business jet — the 250th — rolled off the production line in Dallas this week, making room for the new, large-cabin Gulfstream G280 scheduled to enter service in the first part of 2012.
Gulfstream said the G200 was the first super mid-size business jet to enter the marketplace. It rolled out in 1997 and was certified by FAA in 1998. To date, the aircraft has been certified in 18 countries. The fleet has flown more than 581,000 flight hours and completed more than 351,000 take-offs and landings, according to Gulfstream.
Originally introduced as the “Galaxy” by Galaxy Aerospace (which was acquired by Gulfstream in 2001), the G200 was manufactured by Israel Aircraft Industries in Tel Aviv and then flown to Gulfstream’s Mid-Cabin Completions Center in Dallas for interior outfitting and paint. The last G200 is scheduled for customer delivery later this month.
“The G200 took the basic cabin dimensions of a large-cabin aircraft and made them available to a broader market by offering a shortened eight- to 10-place, two-seating-area layout with solid transcontinental U.S. range,” said Stan Dixon, vice president, Mid-Cabin Programs, Gulfstream. “It led the category for its time, as will the G280 going into the future.”
The G280 is capable of traveling 3,600 n.m. at Mach 0.80 and has a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.85. With an initial cruise altitude of 41,000 feet, the G280 can climb to a maximum altitude of 45,000 feet. Its 3,600-nautical-mile range means the G280 can fly nonstop from New York to London or from London to Dubai, the airframer said.
While G200 production has ended, the product support organization will ensure adequate parts, tooling, sustaining engineering and people are available to continue providing Gulfstream’s industry-leading product support for the worldwide G200 fleet.