Gulfstream recently joined the wing to the fuselage on the first Gulfstream G600 flight-test article, signifying steady progress in the G600 program.

In addition, the Gulfstream G500 flight-test program received the program’s first Type Inspection Authorization (TIA) from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAA issued the TIA for inlet compatibility and allowed Gulfstream to perform this testing for certification credit.

The G500 flight-test program officially began May 18, 2015, when the first G500 flight-test article, T1, completed its first flight. Since then, T1 has reached a maximum speed of Mach 0.995, a maximum altitude of 53,000 feet and recently completed its 100th flight.

“Achieving these milestones speaks to the maturity of both programs and demonstrates our commitment to ensuring these aircraft deliver the performance, safety and reliability we promised,” said Mark Burns, president of Gulfstream. “The wing-to-fuselage join is a significant step in manufacturing the first G600 and reflects our continued steady progress toward first flight. The official launch of certification testing on the G500 highlights the efforts being made to achieve certification in 2017.”

The G500 is slated to receive type certification in 2017 and deliver in 2018. The G600 is projected to enter service in 2019.