- 13 Nov 2020
- AvBuyer
- Aviation Video Articles
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The Jet Business
A Gulfstream G650 costs between $54m for a 2012 model, up to $56m for a 2013 model, according to Aircraft Bluebook’s Autumn 2022 data. Individual models could cost higher or lower than the retail average, depending on the aircraft’s pedigree. This is determined by several factors that are specific to the aircraft, such as its maintenance condition, the completeness of its logbooks, whether it remains under manufacturer warranty and/or is enrolled on an hourly maintenance cost program, and more.
With a range of up to 7,000nm, the Gulfstream G650 forms part of a cluster of business jets right at the top end of the ultra-long-range business jet segment. Joined there by the 7,500nm G650ER, for many years Gulfstream was unrivalled in this sector. But at the end of 2019, the Bombardier Global 7500 entered the market with a top speed of Mach 0.925, and a range of 7,700nm. The 7,500nm Gulfstream G700 will soon join these aircraft on the market.
The Gulfstream G650 is notable for its combination of speed, range and passenger comfort. As mentioned above, it also became one of the pioneering business jets to use fly-by-wire technology.
The Gulfstream G650 and G650ER are similar in design and features, though the G650ER provides greater range, owing to an increase in fuel capacity.
Gulfstream G650 Jets Overview
By Matt Harris - Editor, AvBuyer magazine
The Gulfstream G650 is Large Jet blending ultra-long-range capabilities with a comfortable, spacious interior. Development was made public in 2008, causing a stir in the Business Aviation community about what would (at the time) become the fastest, longest-range business jet available to date.
So great was the industry’s reception of the G650 that, as certification approached in 2012, the delivery time for new orders stood at three years.
Capable of flying 7,000nm non-stop at Mach 0.85, and certified to reach a top speed of Mach 0.925, the aircraft received many plaudits as it arrived on the market, and it won the renowned Collier Trophy in 2014, having "strengthened Business Aviation through significant technological advancements in aircraft performance, cabin comfort, and safety.”
The Gulfstream G650 is able to seat up to 19 passengers and sleeps up to 10 within four distinct living areas. It remains in production today, and, according to JETNET data, Gulfstream had produced 206 units as of September 2022.
What features does the Gulfstream G650 offer?
Powered by a pair of 17,000lbs thrust Rolls-Royce BR725 engines, the Gulfstream G650 utilizes fly-by-wire controls eliminating mechanical control between pilot and flight surfaces. It became only the second business jet to incorporate fly-by-wire technology.
The Gulfstream G650 has a PlaneView II avionics suite, designed to boost safety, and reduce pilot workload, and is designed to provide exceptional comfort to its cabin occupants.
Gulfstream’s designers opted for an oval cabin design (as opposed to the usual circular one) in order to provide a greater cabin volume. The G650’s cabin height stands an impressive 6.5ft tall, while a width of 8.6ft lends to a comfortable ultra-long-range travel environment.
The cabin is flanked by eight elliptical 28-inch windows on each side, allowing natural light to flood into the cabin.
What came before and after the Gulfstream G650?
The Gulfstream G650 replaced the Gulfstream G550 as the OEM’s flagship model, pushing the range boundaries further (7,000nm versus 6,750nm). Then, in 2014 Gulfstream added an enhanced range version, the G650ER, capable of non-stop legs of up to 7,500nm – thanks to an increase in fuel capacity.
The G650/G650ER jets represent the top of Gulfstream’s production line for the time being, but the G700 will replace them as the flagship model once certified.
Capable of a 7,500nm range, the G700 will feature more fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 engines, a longer cabin, and the ultra-modern Symmetry flight deck technology that is used in the newly generation G500 and G600 jets.
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