US FAA certifies Gulfstream G700 business jet

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Friday said it certified General Dynamics Corp's Gulfstream flagship G700 business aircraft, driving fresh competition in the top end of the market for luxury jets.

Gulfstream had previously expected to obtain certification of the large-cabin jet, which competes with Canadian private planemaker Bombardier's Global 7500, in late 2023 and had planned to deliver 19 of the aircraft.

The process for certifying new aircraft in the United States has come under greater scrutiny following the fatal crashes of two flights involving the Boeing 737 MAX in October 2018 and March 2019. Industry officials expect that to persist after a door plug blew off an Alaska Airlines MAX 9 mid-flight in January.

Read the full article by Allison Lampert and David Shepardson on REUTERS