Gulfstream Aerospace, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE:GD), recently celebrated the wing join, power on and engine mount of its newest mid-cabin jet, the Gulfstream G250.

The all-new advanced transonic wing was joined to the fuselage on May 12, 2009, at Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) near Tel Aviv, Israel, in a process that took less than two hours. The wing was designed and built by Spirit AeroSystems in Tulsa, Okla., using state-of-the-art 3D modeling techniques.

Electrical power was applied to the G250 on May 5, 2009. As a result, the electrical system successfully distributed power to several aircraft components, including the avionics.

The adaptive flight displays were one of the many features that were operational following the power on.

With electricity supplied and the wing in place, the aircraft was ready to move into the systems test position. It rolled there on its own wheels after the main and nose landing gears were installed on May 13, 2009. And on June 1, 2009, the twin Honeywell HTF7250G engines, each of which provides 7,445 pounds of thrust, were mounted on the airframe.

"The G250 program major milestones – the fuselage join earlier and now the wing join, power on and engine install – have gone smoothly," said Pres Henne, senior vice president, Programs, Engineering and Test, Gulfstream. "We are delighted that we are on target for another milestone – the G250's first flight – later this year."

"We are on track towards first flight of the G250, with major systems installed and starting of ground tests," added David Dagan, Corporate Vice President and General Manager of IAI Commercial Aircraft Group.

The G250 offers the largest cabin and the longest range at the fastest speed in the industry's mid-size class.

It has 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 take off 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.

The aircraft's fuel-efficient engines feature reduced emissions, longer maintenance intervals and decreased noise levels. They also offer excellent climb performance, propelling the G250 to FL410 in less than 20 minutes.

Gulfstream expects the G250 will be certified in 2011 and intends to commence deliveries of the aircraft the same year.

Initial-phase manufacturing for the G250 takes place at IAI headquarters near the Ben Gurion International Airport just outside of Tel Aviv. Gulfstream has an office at IAI to oversee production.

Final-phase manufacturing for the G250 will take place at the Gulfstream "Center of Excellence" completion facility for mid-cabin aircraft in Dallas. The G250 Program office is located in Savannah.