Gulfstream G500 Completes Load Testing Gulfstream have notched-off another facet of the overall test campaign of the G500 model. Ultimate load testing on the G500 was recently successfully completed. “This is a significant accomplishment in development of the G500,” said Mark Burns, president, Gulfstream. “The successful completion of these tests confirms the airframe’s solid construction, fulfills certification requirements and clears the way for us to proceed with additional testing.”
Carried out over five months, the testing focused on the aircraft’s fuselage, wing, vertical and horizontal stabilizers and control surfaces. It involved eight primary test conditions, including wing up and down bending, horizontal up and down bending and wing torsion. Later this year, Gulfstream will begin a multi-year fatigue program for the G500 that will simulate three lifetimes of airframe operation. Gulfstream will now conduct an additional company test, applying increasingly higher loads to determine the structural test article’s destruction point. Destructive testing of aircraft components is important to demonstrate and refine Gulfstream’s engineering models, designs and analysis methods. For more information: Gulfstream Aerospace 500 Gulfstream Road Savannah, GA 31407 www.gulfstream.com ***
