Gulfstream Begins Developing G450, G550 Successor.

Flight International (4/8, Ostrower) reported, "Gulfstream is developing a clean-sheet successor to its G450 and G550 large-cabin business jets, incorporating concepts and systems designed for its flagship G650." Sources say Gulfstream is currently selecting the next-generation engine, likely either P&W's PW800, GE's NG34, or a model from Rolls-Royce. Gulfstream declined to comment on the project, but the development of a "new clean-sheet design for its large-cabin jets would be its third recent all-new design, after the super-midsize G250 and large-cabin ultra-long-range G650, which is undergoing flight-testing and is expected to be certificated in 2011 followed by first delivery in 2012." Gulfstream expects to deliver 77 G450s and G550s this year, up from 75 in 2009, but still down the 87 delivered in 2008.


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Cessna needs to revive its Columbus if it ever hopes to compete in the super-midsize market segment with any of these airplanes.

 

Yes, they do.

You remember the proposed cabin dimensions of the Fat-tation? IIRC the airplane had a book 4000nm range (don't remember at what speed) and I'm curious how the cabin would stack up to the 2000LX, CL30, and G250.

 

They never actually made a prototype although they assembled a cabin mockup at one point. Here is something from FlightGlobal.

Columbus article

 

This has been in the works for a while. I am not trying to be a jerk but this is old news by at least a year. This article must be an update.

 

I assure you that a year ago they were not sure if these airplanes were "go" projects or nonstarters like the Columbus project turned out to be at Cessna a year and a half ago. The economy we had in 2009 was something even the experts feared to second-guess as an economic behavior model. The first quarter of 2010 is a good start on recovery from the global recession. Given that fact, and the fact that Gulfstream (and parent company General Dynamics) needs a favorable market in order to decide whether to proceed with a clean-sheet airplane; it's news.

 

Well look at Gulfstreams development history before you go "assuring" anything. They are notoriously ahead of the curve. I also was assured of this at NBAA 2009. Like I said old news. It's good to see that insider information is still ahead of public release. The mock ups and initial certs have been in the works since last year. Hence, the "assurance" from gulfstream that those big beautiful signature windows will carry over to the G650. The windows won't be exactly the same but they will appear to be the same.