The G-150 business jet, which is produced by Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) Commercial Aircraft Group, will be offered on the open market for $12.5 million. Fifty of the jets have already been sold, even though they will not be ready until 2006.
IAI chief test pilot Ronen Shapira and G150 project test pilot Yoram Geva flew the test flight from Ben Gurion International Airport Tuesday morning.
During the flight, which lasted 4 hours and 13 minutes, the pilots tested the business jet’s flight handling qualities and characteristics, performed initial checks of all aircraft systems, and cycled the landing gear and flap/slat system. The airplane was flown to a height of 20,000 feet and achieved a maximum speed of 250 knots. Chief Test Pilot Shapira commented that the flight went “very smoothly with no issues noted.”
Powered by two Honeywell TFE731-40AR engines, the G150 can reach speeds of up to Mach .85 (85% of the speed of sound, or roughly 650 miles per hour) and altitudes of 45,000 feet, well above commercial traffic and weather. At a long-range cruise speed of Mach .75, the G150 can fly four passengers nonstop up to 2,700 nautical miles - the equivalent of flying from New York to Los Angeles or London to Moscow. This is further than any other aircraft in its class, according to the manufacturer.
IAI chief test pilot Ronen Shapira and G150 project test pilot Yoram Geva flew the test flight from Ben Gurion International Airport Tuesday morning.
During the flight, which lasted 4 hours and 13 minutes, the pilots tested the business jet’s flight handling qualities and characteristics, performed initial checks of all aircraft systems, and cycled the landing gear and flap/slat system. The airplane was flown to a height of 20,000 feet and achieved a maximum speed of 250 knots. Chief Test Pilot Shapira commented that the flight went “very smoothly with no issues noted.”
Powered by two Honeywell TFE731-40AR engines, the G150 can reach speeds of up to Mach .85 (85% of the speed of sound, or roughly 650 miles per hour) and altitudes of 45,000 feet, well above commercial traffic and weather. At a long-range cruise speed of Mach .75, the G150 can fly four passengers nonstop up to 2,700 nautical miles - the equivalent of flying from New York to Los Angeles or London to Moscow. This is further than any other aircraft in its class, according to the manufacturer.