ln a further enhancement to its largest and fastest business jet, the G650, Gulfstream Aerospace has just announced the new G650ER. An ultra-long-range aircraft, the G650ER can travel up to 7,500 nautical miles (13,890 km) at a speed of Mach 0.85, or up to 6,400 nm (11,853 km) at the higher operating speed of Mach 0.90. This is an increase in range of up to 500 nm (926 km) over the original G650.
The G650 is currently the world's fastest civilian jet, (at least until the new Citation X receives FAA certification), and now Gulfsream is looking to claim a few new records for the ER variant.
Earlier this year, a Gulfstream G650ER was flown 6,947 nm (12,866 km) from Los Angeles International Airport to Tullamarine Airport in Melbourne, Australia, at an average speed of Mach 0.86. This flight was accomplished with fuel reserves well in excess of the National Business Aviation Association’s (NBAA) instrument flight rules (IFR) requirements and took 14 hours and 58 minutes into head winds of up to 13 knots.
For the return journey to the US, the G650ER was relocated to Hong Kong, from where it flew 7,494 nm (13,879 km) to Teterboro, New Jersey, this time averaging a speed of Mach 0.865 and taking 14 hours and 7 minutes to complete. Once more, the aircraft landed with fuel in excess of NBAA IFR reserves.
These two records are pending approval by the National Aeronautic Association and, once approved, will be forwarded to the Fédération Aéronautique International for confirmation as world records.
"The G650ER provides our customers with greater mission flexibility and the longest range of any business jet," says Scott Neal, senior vice president, Worldwide Sales and Marketing, Gulfstream. "It’s the only business aircraft in the world capable of traveling 7,500 nautical miles.”
Currently undergoing Federal Aviation Administration certification, the G650ER shares the same cabin, avionics and other systems as the G650. As a result, current G650 owners will be able to upgrade their original G650 to a G650ER beginning in the first quarter of 2015. Upgrades will require a modification to the G650's fuel system that increases the fuel capacity of the G650ER's wings over the G650.
Source: Gulfstream
