Gulfstream’s all-new G400 finally takes to the skies for the very first time

The Gulfstream G400 is the company’s newest luxury private jet, and it finally took off for its first flight after an unusually long delay.

Its first flight marked the beginning of the business jet’s flight test program, which is a mandatory step before the company proceeds to deliveries next year.

Moreover, it was a relatively small flight, but an important one regardless.

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Gulfstream G400 private jet takes off for the first time

The Gulfstream G400 test flight kicked off and ended at Savannah Hilton Head International Airport in Georgia.

It flew for nearly 3 hours — well, 2 hours and 54 minutes to be precise — before completing the round trip.

What’s special about this flight is that the private jet used a blend of sustainable aviation fuel developed at the company’s Savannah campus.

The aviation company shared a video of the flight, and it’s a great sight, to say the least.

Another aircraft, a Gulfstream G500, followed the G400 during its maiden trip to keep track of the performance and act as a photographer.

Moreover, the company was quite satisfied with how things went during the maiden Gulfstream G400 flight.

The luxury business jet managed to achieve a top speed of Mach 0.85 at an altitude of 41,000 feet.

For context, Mach 1 is the speed of sound, so the G400 had a respectable speed for such a small aircraft.

“The completion of the first flight marks a significant milestone for the G400,” Gulfstream President Mark Burns said.

He added, “It demonstrates, yet again, the maturity of Gulfstream’s new aircraft programs and the advantages created by the intentionally designed commonalities shared across our next-generation fleets.”

The G400 and other newer jets are simply better

Although the aviation company planned to initiate the G400’s flight tests in 2023, it was delayed.

Moreover, the G400 will be a part of the buyer-favorite Gulfstream IV family — jets that several celebrities, including Tom Cruise, own.

But what makes this jet and its siblings so special?

The company’s business jet lineup certainly holds the status of being luxurious and a marvel of engineering.

All of its newest aircraft, including the Gulfstream G400, G500, G700, and G800, offer several upgrades compared to the current lineup.

For instance, the G700 is a larger jet that recently broke two records on international transatlantic flights.

Or the top-end flagship G800, for that matter — which boasts state-of-the-art Rolls-Royce engines.