US Air Force designation: C-38A

TYPE: Business jet.

PROGRAMME: Descendant of US Aero Commander 1121 Jet Commander (first flight 27 January 1963), acquired by IAI 1967 and developed successively as 1121 Commodore Jet, 1123 and 1124 Westwind and 1124A Westwind 2; sales of 1121/23/24/24A models by Aero Commander and IAI totalled 441 by end of 1987; 1125 model launched at NBAA Convention October 1979, renamed Astra 1981.
Construction of two prototypes and one static/fatigue test aircraft started April 1982; roll-out 1 September 1983; first flight (4X-WIN, c/n 001) 19 March 1984; first flight 4X-WIA (c/n 002) August 1984; first flight production Astra (4X-CUA) 20 March 1985; FAR Pts 25 and 36 certification 29 August 1985; first delivery 30 June 1986. Astra SP introduced at NBAA Convention October 1989; first delivery of this version (N60AJ) late 1990. Astra SPX announced at NBAA Convention 1994 and certified by FAA 8 January 1996: type certificate acquired by Gulfstream Aerospace in June 2001, renamed Gulfstream 100 and formally unveiled as such at Paris on 17 June 2001; Gulfstream G100 name adopted from September 2002. Production rate 12 to 15 per year.

CURRENT VERSIONS: Astra: Initial version; 32 production aircraft.
Astra SP: Introduced 1989; superseded by SPX; 36 built.
Gulfstream G100: First flight (as Astra SPX 4X-WIX) 18 August 1994; FAA certification 8 January 1996; production deliveries from early 1996. Winglets and Rockwell Collins Pro Line 4 avionics. Change to more powerful TFE731-40R-200G turbofans with FADEC, hydromechanical fuel control back-up and Dee Howard thrust reversers; increased weights and payload/range performance and shorter T-O run. Type Certificate amended with G100 designation 9 August 2002.
Detailed description applies to Gulfstream 100 from c/n 138 onwards.
C-38A: Two Astra SPXs, outfitted by Tracor Flight Systems for transport and medevac duties; delivered as C-38As to 201st Airlift Squadron of the US Air National Guard at Andrews AFB, Maryland, in April and May 1998, replacing C-21A Learjets.
Gulfstream G150: Wide-cabin version; described separately.
Gulfstream G200: Improved and redesigned version; described separately.

CUSTOMERS: Combined production of Astra and Astra SP totalled 68 (plus two prototypes), of which approximately 80 per cent to US customers.
Total of 52 SPXs and 18 G100s produced up to end of 2002, including customer deliveries of 14 in 1998, 12 in 1999, 11 in 2000 and five in 2001; no figures released for 2002. Only three further aircraft registered in first nine months of 2003, increasing G100 total to 21 (although only final five of these were officially registered as G100s, beginning with c/n 146).

ASTRA/G100 PRODUCTION (to late 2003)
Variant Qty Remarks
Prototypes (flying) 2
Astra 32
Astra SP 36
Astra SPX 52
Astra SPX/'G100'* 16 Registered as SPX
G100 5 Registered as G100
Total 143

*Produced after G100 name announcement; eligible for official change of designation.

DESIGN FEATURES: Typical swept wing, rear-engined business jet configuration. Meets FAR Pt 36 Stage 3 (noise), SFAR Pt 27 (fuel venting and exhaust emission) and RVSM requirements.
Wing section high-efficiency IAI Sigma 2; leading-edge sweep 34° inboard, 25° outboard; dihedral 2°; trailing-edge sweep on outer panels; winglets.

FLYING CONTROLS: Conventional, with hydraulically powered ailerons, manually actuated elevators and rudder. Control surfaces operated by pushrods; tailplane incidence controlled by three motors running together to protect against runaway or elevator disconnect; ailerons can be separated in case of jam; spoiler/lift dumper panels ahead of Fowler flaps; elevators and horn-balanced rudder each have geared tab; flaps interconnected with outboard leading-edge slats, both electrically actuated.

STRUCTURE: One-piece, two-spar wing with machined ribs and skin panels, attached by four main and five secondary frames; wing/fuselage fairings, elevator and fin tips and tailcone of GFRP; ailerons, spoilers, inboard leading-edges and wingtips of Kevlar and Nomex honeycomb; nose avionics bay door and nosewheel doors of Kevlar; Kevlar-reinforced nacelle doors and panels; chemically milled fuselage skins; some titanium fittings; heated windscreens of laminated polycarbonate with external glass layer to resist scratching.

LANDING GEAR: SHL hydraulically retractable tricycle type with oleo-pneumatic shock-absorber and twin wheels on each unit. Trailing-link main units retract inward, nosewheels forward. Tyre sizes 23x7.00-12 (10 ply) (main), 16x4.4-10 (6 ply) deflector type (nose), pressures 8.55 bar; 124 lb/sq in and 6.90 bar; 100 lb/sq in respectively. Hydraulic extension, retraction and nosewheel steering (±58°); hydraulic multidisc anti-skid mainwheel brakes. Compressed nitrogen cylinder provides additional power source for emergency extension.

POWER PLANT: Two 18.90 kN (4,250 lb st) Honeywell TFE731-40R-200G turbofans, with Dee Howard hydraulically actuated target-type thrust reversers and FADEC, pylon-mounted in nacelle on each side of rear fuselage. Standard fuel in left and right outer wing tanks, each 1,094 litres (289 US gallons; 241 Imp gallons) and integral tank in wing centre-section and upper and lower tanks in centre-fuselage (combined capacity 2,744 litres; 725 US gallons; 604 Imp gallons) Total normal fuel 4,932 litres (1,303 US gallons; 1,085 Imp gallons), of which 4,910 litres (1,297 US gallons; 1,080 Imp gallons) are usable. Additional fuel can be carried in 378.5 litre (100 US gallon; 83.3 Imp gallon) removable auxiliary tank in forward area of baggage compartment (with baggage weight limilation imposed), all usable. Single pressure refuelling point in lower starboard side of fuselage aft of wing, or single gravity point in upper fuselage, allow refuelling of all tanks from one position. Fuel sequencing automatic.

ACCOMMODATION: Crew of two on flight deck. Dual controls standard. Sliding door between flight deck and cabin. Standard accommodation in pressurised cabin for six persons, two in forward-facing seats at front and four in club layout; galley (port or starboard) at front of cabin, coat closet forward (starboard), lavatory at rear. All six seats individually adjustable fore and aft, laterally and can be swivelled or reclined; all fitted with armrests and headrests. Two wall-mounted foldaway tables between club seat pairs. Coat closet houses stereo tape deck. Maximum accommodation for nine passengers.
New cabin interior (first redesign since 1986), introduced in September 1999, has less intrusive (curved) cabinetry and galley units; restyled headliner and sidewall panels; new seats, tables and lighting. Forward club searing maximises recline angle and personal space for each occupant; lavatory has brighter lighting; more storage space for coats and carry-on baggage.
Plug-type airstair door at front on port side; emergency exit over wing on each side. Heated baggage compartment aft of passenger cabin, with external access and service ladder. Service compartment in rear fuselage houses aircraft batteries (or optional APU), electrical relay boxes, inverters and miscellaneous equipment.

SYSTEMS: Honeywell environmental control system, using engine bleed air, with normal pressure differential of 0.61 bar (8.8 lb/sq in). Honeywell 36-150(W) APU available optionally. Two independent hydraulic systems, each at pressure of 207 bar (3,000 lb/sq in). Primary system operated by two engine-driven pumps for actuation of anti-skid brakes, landing gear, nosewheel steering, spoilers/lift dumpers and primary control surfaces. Back-up system, operated by electrically driven pump, provides power for emergency/parking brake, primary control surfaces and thrust reversers.
Electrical system comprises two Lucas Aerospace 300 A 30 V DC engine-driven starter/generators, with two 1 kVA single-phase solid-state inverters operating in unison to supply single-phase 115 V AC power at 400 Hz and 26 V AC power for aircraft instruments. Two 24 V 24 Ah Ni/Cd batteries for engine starting and to permit operation of essential flight instruments and emergency equipment. 28 V DC external power receptacle standard.
Pneumatic de-icing of wing leading-edge slats and tailplane leading-edges; thermal anti-icing of engine intakes. Oxygen system for crew (pressure demand) and passengers (drop-down masks) supplied by 2.18 m3 (77 cu ft) cylinder, with second cylinder of same capacity optional. Two-bottle Freon-type engine fire extinguishing system standard.

AVIONICS: Rockwell Collins Pro Line 4 suite standard.
Comms: Dual VHF-422C radios, RTU-4220 radio tuners, TDR-94D transponders, Baker B12135 audio systems and Magnastar Flightphones, Rockwell Collins HF 9000 HF, Motorola NA-1335 Selcal, Artex ELT and Universal CVR-30B CVR.
Radar: TWR-850 colour weather radar and WXP-4220 control panel.
Flight: Dual Universal UNS-1C FMS with embedded GPS, Rockwell Collins FCC-4005 autopilots, AHC-85E AHRS, ADC-850C air data systems, VIR-432 nav/GS/ markers and DME-442; single ADF-462, ALT-55B radio altimeter, TCAS-94 and Honeywell EGPWS.
Instrumentation: Rockwell Collins EFD-4077 EFIS displays all flight information on four 18.4 cm (7 1/4 in) screens; dual Grimes engine displays and Davtron M850A digital clocks; single Flight Line 8047-10 standby altimeter, 8059-2B standby ASI, Jet AI-804CE standby AI, Precision PAI-700-02 standby compass and Hobbs 15007 hour meter.

EQUIPMENT: Standard equipment includes electric windscreen wipers, electric (warm air) windscreen demisting, wing ice inspection lights, landing light in each wingroot, taxying light inboard of each mainwheel door, navigation and Precise Flight pulse lights at wingtips and tailcone, rotating beacons under fuselage and on top of fin, provision for DeVore logo light and wing/tailplane static wicks.

DIMENSIONS, EXTERNAL:
Wing span over winglets 16.64 m (54 ft 7 in)
Wing mean aerodynamic chord 2.19 m (7ft 2 1/4 in )
Wing aspect ratio 8.8
Length overall 16.94 m (5 ft 7 in )
Fuselage: Max width 1.57 m (5 ft 2 in)
Max depth 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Height overall 5.54 m (18 ft 2 in)
Tailplane span 6.40 m (21 ft 0 in)
Wheel track (c/l of shock-struts) 2.77 m (9 ft 1in)
Wheelbase 7.34 m (24 ft 1 in)
Passenger door (fwd, port): Height 1.37 m (4 ft 6 in)
Width 0.66 m (2 ft 2 in)
Overwing emergency exits (each):
Height 0.69 m ( 2 ft 3 in)
Width 0.48 m (1 ft 7 in)
DIMENSIONS, INTERNAL:
Cabin: Length: incl flight deck 6.86 m (22 ft 6 in)
excl flight deck 5.21 m (17 ft 1 in)
Max width 1.45 m (4 ft 9 in)
Max height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Volume, incl flight deck 12.03 m3 (425 cu ft)
Baggage compartment volume (A: with, B: without fuel tank extension):
A 1.2 m3 ( 42 cu ft)
В 1.6 m3 ( 55 cu ft)
AREAS:
Wings, gross (excl winglets) 29.41 m2 (316.6 sq ft)
Ailerons (total) 1.20 m2 (12.92 sq ft)
Trailing-edge flaps (total) 4.20 m2 (45.18 sq ft)
Leading-edge slats (total) 2.39 m2 (25.76 sq ft)
Winglets (total) 0.52 m2 (5.57 sq ft)
Fin 3.34 m2 (35.97 sq ft)
Rudder (incl tab) 1.17 m2 (12.63 sq ft)
Tailplane 4.86 m2 ( 52.28 sq ft)
Elevators (total, incl tabs) 2.01 m2 (21.66 sq ft)
WEIGHTS AND LOADINGS:
Basic operating weight empty 6,214 kg (13,700 lb)
Max usable fuel: standard 3,942 kg (8,692 lb)
with long-range tank 4,248 kg (9,365 lb)
Max payload 1,073 kg (2,365 lb)
Payload with max fuel 363 kg (800 lb)
Baggage compartment capacity (A: with, B: without fuel tank extension):
A 168 kg (370 Ib)
В 499 kg (1,100 Ib)
Max ramp weight 11,249 kg (24,800 Ib)
Max T-O weight 11,181 kg (24,650 Ib)
Max landing weight 9,389 kg (20,700 Ib)
Max zero-fuel weight 7,711 kg (17,000 Ib)
Max wing loading 380.3 kg/m2 (77.89 Ib/sq ft)
Max power loading 296 kg/kN (2.90 Ib/Ib st)
PERFORMANCE:
Max operating Mach No. (Ммо) 0.875
Max operating speed (VMO), S/L to FL270 353 kt (653 km/h; 406 mph) IAS
Max cruising speed at FL330, 8,618 kg (19,000 lb) mid- cruise weight 484 kt (896 km/h: 557 mph)
Normal cruising speed M0.80 (459 kt; 850 km/h; 528 mph)
Long-range cruising speed 430 kt (796 km/h; 495 mph)
Max rate of climb at S/L 1,160 m (3,805 ft)/min
Rate of climb at S/L, OEI 411 m (1,348 ft)/min
Initial cruise altitude 12,497 m (41,000 ft)
Max certified altitude 13,715 m (45,000 ft)
FAR Pt 25 T-O balanced field length 1,645 m (5,395 ft)
FAR Pt 25 landing distance at MLW 890 m (2,920 ft)
Range: with eight passengers 2,286 n miles (4,235 km; 2,631 miles)
with four passengers, max fuel and NBAA IFR reserves 2,949 n miles (5,461 km; 3,393 miles)
with max fuel, VFR reserves 3,256 n miles (6,030 km; 3,747 miles)
OPERATING NOISE LEVELS (FAR Pt 36, Stage 3):
T-O 79.1 EPNdB
Sideline 89.5 EPNdB
Approach 91.9 EPNdB