NTPS Graduates Make First Flight - Gulfstream G250

IAI Chief Test Pilot Ronen Shapira (NTPS Class 2003B) and Zachi Morgenstern (NTPS Class 2008B) made the first flight of Gulfstream Aerospace’s newest business jet, the large-cabin, mid-range Gulfstream G250 on 11 December, 2009.

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The G250 executive jet during the first flight Test pilots after the successful first flight


Gulfstream Aerospace, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), designed and built the super mid-size business jet in collaboration with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Flown by IAI chief test pilot Ronen Shapira, the G250 took off from Ben Gurion International Airport today at 8:16 a.m. local time. During the flight, which lasted 3 hours and 21 minutes, the pilots tested the business jet's flight-handling qualities and characteristics, and performed initial checks of several aircraft systems.

The aircraft was flown to 32,000 feet and achieved a maximum speed of 253 knots. Pilot Shapira commented that the flight was "extremely smooth with no issues." IAI's Flight Telemetry System enabled IAI and Gulfstream flight-test engineers on the ground to monitor the G250 aircraft systems in real time during the flight, as well as record the data from the first flight test point. "The G250 performed extremely well, just as we expected," said Pres Henne, senior vice president, Programs, Engineering and Test, Gulfstream. "We're looking forward to 2011 when we'll begin delivering this aircraft to the customers who had tremendous input in its design."

Itzhak Nissan, president and CEO, IAI, said, "The successful first flight of the G250 large-cabin, mid-range jet represents the achievements of Gulfstream and IAI as the designers, integrators and manufacturers of this advanced business jet. IAI continues to benefit from its world-leading, strategic partnership with Gulfstream."

The G250 rolled out of the IAI manufacturing facility in Tel Aviv under its own power on Oct. 6, 2009. It remains on schedule for type certification by 2011, followed by entry-into-service the same year.

The G250 offers the largest cabin and the longest range at the fastest speed in its class. The cockpit features the new PlaneView 250(TM) system based on Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion avionics. Powered by twin Honeywell HTF7250G engines, the business jet is capable of traveling 3,400 nautical miles at Mach 0.80 and has a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.85. With an initial cruise altitude of 41,000 feet, the G250 can climb to a maximum altitude of 45,000 feet.

It features an all-new, advanced transonic wing design that has been optimized for high-speed cruise and improved takeoff performance. At maximum takeoff weight, the G250 can depart from a 5,000-foot runway. Its 3,400-nautical-mile range means the G250 can fly nonstop from New York to London or from London to Dubai.

In terms of passenger comfort, the G250 features the largest cabin in its class, with 17 percent to 35 percent more floor area than any other large-cabin, mid-range business jet. The additional space provides for a larger lavatory, an improved galley and increased storage. The aircraft also features 19 panoramic windows, industry-leading sound levels, a vacuum toilet system and in-flight access to 120 cubic feet of usable volume in the baggage compartment.

The G250 will be completed at the Gulfstream Center for Mid-Cabin Excellence in Dallas.

 

NTPS Graduates before First Flight
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Ronen Shapira IAI Chief Test Pilot (2003 B) & Zachi Morgenstern (2008 B)

 

First Flight G180 Utility Jet

NTPS graduate Gerard Guillaumaud made the first flight of the Grob Aerspace G180 SPn Utility Jet on 20 July 2005.

NTPS graduate Gerard Guillaumaud made the first flight of the Grob Aerspace G180 SPn Utility Jet on 20 July 2005. Gerard graduated from the NTPS TB-2 Course in 1999. The TB-2 Course was a nine week course tailored to meet the requirements of the German LBA for a civil test pilot license. The course has evolved and today is a 15 week Light Aircraft Flight Test Course that incorporates the same performance and flying qualities academics that is given to Professional Course students.

The Grob Utility Jet flew 24 sorties in the first six weeks accomplishing significant initial envelope expansion. JAA certification as a single pilot, nine passenger aircraft is targeted for the first quarter of 2007. The aircraft will have a maximum weight balanced field length of 3,000 ft and is capable of 1,800 nm range with full fuel.

Al Lawless, former instructor at NTPS while Gerard was a student, joined Grob before the first flight as the Chief of Flight Test. Al also previously worked at Cessna Aircraft as a flight test engineer.

Photo by Thomas Skamljic. Thomas is also a graduate of the NTPS TB-2 Course (2001) as well as a former student of Al Lawless. See more high resolution images of the Grob G180 here.

NTPS Graduates in the News

  • Lt Col Cho, Republic of Korea Air Force, a 1995 graduate of the National Test Pilot School, assumed command of the 281st Test & Evaluation Squadron in December 2004.  Prior to becoming the test squadron commander, Lt Col Cho was a test pilot for the T/A-50 and KT/KO-1 programs.  Lt Col Cho also flew the first flight of the T-50 Golden Eagle in August 2002.
     
  • Wing Commander Steven Young, Royal Australian Air Force, a 1995 graduate of the National Test Pilot School, has assumed command of the Aircraft Research and Development Unit (ARDU), RAAF Base Edinburgh, Adelaide, Australia.  In addition to being the Commanding Officer, Steve is also the Chief of Flight Test of the only unit in the RAAF dedicated to flight testing.

  • Kevin Bredenbeck, a 1996 graduate of the National Test Pilot School, has been named as Director of Flight Operations and Chief Pilot of Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation.  He is responsible for Sikorsky’s flight office and oversight of all flight operations activities.

  • Andrew Stewart, a 1998 graduate of the National Test Pilot School, retired in June from AETE in Canada where he was the Operations Officer.  He has accepted a position at General Dynamics Canada as the Maritime Helicopter Program Qualification Team Lead.  His duties will include Combined Test Force Lead for the combined Sikorsky/GD Canada/DND team. 

  • Ronen Shapira, a 2003 graduate of the National Test Pilot School, has been named Chief Test Pilot by Israeli Aircraft Industries.   Ronen will be piloting the Gulfstream G150 which is a new executive jet during its first flight on May 18, 2005. 

Flutter Exciters Now Being Used Inflight

The NTPS “loads” Impala (S/N 155TP) was recently upgraded to include structural dynamic exciter motors.

The motors were installed in support of the Structural Loads and Flutter module (T&E 4205).  With their addition, the school is now able to show students the dynamic response of the aircraft while in flight, and allows them to compare model estimates, with ground vibration tests (GVT), and in-flight responses.

Impala 155 was modified by installing two electrically driven motors – one on each wing.  Each motor drives an asymmetric weight which generates load pulses at set frequencies.  The motors are controlled from the rear seat of the Impala which allows the flight tester to sweep through a range of frequencies and to dwell on frequencies of interest.

After the Impala was modified, PACS Engineering conducted a complete GVT which identified and characterized six structural response modes.  The aircraft was then flown by the schools staff to clear a safe envelope and to survey the GVT modes while in flight.

The excitation system performed flawlessly and the modes were demonstrated.  This new capability will be added to the course curriculum in May.

Common Instrumentation System Implemented

The National Test Pilot School has selected a common digital instrumentation system for the majority of the aircraft used at the school.

Pi Research, a British company, has been providing instrumentation systems for race car drivers for years.  Pi's desire to expand into the aircraft instrumentation business and the school's need for an affordable, user-friendly instrumentation system have coalesced into a common instrumentation system being implemented at the school.  Capable of up to 36 parameters at 100 Hz, the instrumentation system has been incorporated into several aircraft.  Currently the system is fully operational in the SW-3 Merlin, the B-76 Duchess, one MB-326 Impala, one OH-58 and the UH-1N.  Near term plans include expansion to the C-47TP Turbo Dakota, the SK-35 Draken and an additional Impala.  Eventually, all school aircraft that use any instrumentation are slated to have the Pi System as a common platform.  The data from the system is stored on a flash card and is uploaded postflight onto the school's intranet.  This allows students, within minutes of landing, to start manipulating the data on computers at their desk.  Data from the Pi files can be easily parsed and exported to Excel spreadsheets, greatly reducing the menial part of post flight data analysis at the school.  The parameters available now include control forces, delflections, alpha, beta, rates in all axes, airspeed, altitude, and load factor.  Future enhancements include adding GPS data as a common parameter to all installations.