Game Aerospace’s GB2 aerial firefighting aircraft has completed its first flight at Louise Thaden Field in Bentonville, Arkansas. The prototype was flown by co-founder and chief executive Philipp Steinbach, and the company said the aircraft performed as expected during the planned maiden-flight evaluations.
The GB2 is a clean-sheet, single-engine firefighting aircraft designed to carry about 1,200 gallons of water or retardant. Its first flight opens a broader test campaign as Game Aerospace advances toward FAA Part 23 standard-category certification. The aircraft is being positioned as a purpose-built alternative to agricultural aircraft commonly used in single-engine aerial firefighting, while no timetable has been disclosed for certification or customer deliveries.