Transport Canada certifies four Gulfstream jets after political dispute with US

Transport Canada has now issued type certificate validations for Gulfstream’s G500, G600, G700, and G800, clearing the full group of large-cabin jets that had become an unusually public cross-border flashpoint in recent weeks. 

The approvals for the G500 and G600 were documented in a Type Certificate Data Sheet dated February 15, 2026. Reuters reported on February 24 that Transport Canada has now certified the G700 and G800 as well, bringing the full set of Gulfstream models at the center of the dispute into the Canadian market after a lengthy delay. 

The move comes after several weeks of public friction between Washington and Ottawa over aircraft validation timelines. Earlier this month, President Donald Trump criticized Canada’s pace in approving certain Gulfstream models and suggested potential retaliatory steps involving Canadian-built aircraft. A White House official later clarified that the administration was not seeking to remove certifications for Canadian aircraft already in service. 

Still an open question centers on why it took so long to certify the Gulfstream jets in Canada. When an aircraft manufacturer secures a type certificate from its home regulator, other aviation authorities typically conduct a validation process before approving the aircraft for operation within their own jurisdiction. The process relies on longstanding bilateral agreements and technical cooperation between regulators, and it usually unfolds outside of public view. 

Certification and validation timelines matter for manufacturers delivering aircraft to international customers, and for operators planning fleet acquisitions. Delays can complicate delivery schedules, financing arrangements, and entry-into-service planning. 

The Gulfstream G500 and G600 have been in service for several years, with the FAA approving the G500 in 2018 and the G600 in 2019. The G700 and G800 represent the company’s newest large-cabin offerings and compete directly with Bombardier’s Global series in the ultra-long-range segment. 

The cross-border debate unfolded against a broader backdrop of trade and tariff tensions between the United States and Canada. Although certification decisions are made by aviation authorities rather than political leaders, the public exchange of criticism brought unusual visibility to a technical regulatory process. 

Transport Canada has not indicated that political considerations influenced its decision-making.  

For Gulfstream, the validations open an important market. Canada is home to a significant number of large-cabin business jet operators, and cross-border corporate travel remains a necessity despite political and economic tensions between the two neighboring countries. 

The recent Canadian approvals follow a staggered certification timeline in Europe. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency certified the G500 in October 2019 and the G600 in May 2020, allowing both aircraft to enter service across the EU. EASA later certified the G700 in May 2024 and the G800 in April 2025, largely tracking the FAA’s approvals of those newest models. 

With Europe having cleared the full lineup over the past several years, Canada’s latest validations bring another major regulator into alignment. For Gulfstream and its customers, that alignment restores a degree of regulatory consistency across key markets after several weeks in which aircraft certification became part of a broader political conversation. The post Transport Canada certifies four Gulfstream jets after political dispute with US appeared first on AeroTime.

Go to Source