Country of origin:

United States of America

Description:

Long-range business and executive jet

Power Plant:

Two 16,000 lbst (712 kN) Rolls Royce BR725 turbofans

Specifications:

History:

In 2008 Gulfstream announced it was going to introduce a new long-range business aircraft known as the G-650 to fill a niche in the corporate market between the company’s own G-550 and the Bombardier Global XRS, and the Boeing Business Jet and Airbus Corporate Jetliner. The new design had a larger cabin and longer range. The market for this type of aircraft was fuelled in later years by self-made billionaires, particularly from Russia, India, China and the Middle East. It was said it would offer the longest range, fastest speed, largest cabin and most advanced cockpit in the company’s fleet. Using an advanced aerodynamic design, the aircraft had a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.925 and could operate at altitudes up to 15,545 m (51,000 ft), allowing it to avoid airline traffic congestion and adverse weather.

Compared to the G-550, the G-650 had more powerful Rolls Royce BR725 engines, manufactured by Rolls Royce Germany, a new wing design featuring composite winglets, an increase in wing area, and a 1.83 m (6 ft) additional span. It was able to fly from Geneva in Switzerland to Sydney in Australia a distance of 17,315 km (10,759 miles ). The BR725 engine was a variant of the BR710 and had a 1.27 m (4 ft 1 in) diameter fan and a 24 blade swept-design fan with a solid titanium case. It provided 16,100 lbst for take-off and was said to be 33 per cent quieter. The engine nacelles, the new high-efficiency thrust reversers and the wing were built by Spirit Aero-Systems and the wings were built by Vought. Cruising at Mach 0.90 the aircraft could fly 9,260 km (5,754 miles). It was able to fly from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates to Chicago in Illinois, USA, a distance of 11,799 km (7,332 miles) 88 minutes faster than existing long-range aircraft.

The prototype N650GA (c/n 6001) made its first flight from Savannah, Georgia on 25 November 2010 and by June 2011 the four flight test aircraft had flown more than 1,760 hours in 535 flights on the way to obtaining certification by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). These test aircraft included N653GD (c/n 6003), N650GD (c/n 6004) and N652GD (c/n 6002), the latter aircraft being destroyed in a crash on 2 April 2011 at Roswell, New Mexico. By mid 2011 orders had been received for 200 G-650s.

The G-650 was the first Gulfstream to feature fly-by-wire controls and had a conventional yoke. This full three-axis system included flight envelope protection, increased redundancy and reduced maintenance. The system resulted from testing in Gulfstream’s Advance Flight Controls program and had a quadruple redundant flight control computer system for commanding all flight control surfaces.

The aircraft was produced at a new 28,615 m² (308,019 sq ft) facility in Savannah, Georgia. The fuselage employed new design and manufacturing processes, including bonded skin panels, machined frames and precision assembly. Construction was largely of aluminium for the wings and fuselage but incorporating composites.

When it appeared on the Australian Civil Aircraft Register the G-650 appeared as the Gulfstream G-VI. The first example registered became VH-LUY (c/n 6086) on 12 September 2014 to Marcplan Charter of Essendon Fields, VIC. A further example N650PA in June 2016 arrived in Victoria, the aircraft being delivered to Little Aviation in Melbourne, VIC to replace the company’s Gulfstream G-550.