The G650/650ER is an updated and advanced version of the Gulfstream G500 and G600 from the Gulfstream Corporation. The program first launched in 2005 presented its very first prototype in 2008 and made its maiden flight on Nov 25, 2009. This program was considered Gulfstreams top of the line business jet. The first flight was piloted by Jake Howard and Tom Horne and Bill Osborne was the acting flight engineer. It took another three years to complete all the necessary testing to get the final authorization. Finally in 2012, the jet received its certification. Two years later in 2014, the ER variant was introduced with an extended range of 500 Nautical Miles.
The G650 has a length of 99 ft 9 inch and width along with wingspan is 99 ft 7 inch making it almost equal to its length. Height of this jet is 25 ft 78 inches. This plane has a maximum seating capacity of 19 people and sleeping arrangements of 10 people. But most of the cases it’s usually in 13-16 people configuration for optimum use. This jet has an impressive range of 7000 NM and the 650ER variant has an extended range of 500 NM more making the total range 7500 NM (13890 Km). This ability allows this jet to cover ultra long routes like DXB-NYC.
This jet is powered by two Rolls Royce BR725 engines which produces a significant thrust of 19600 lb each. This engine shares almost similar core like the previously used BR710 of G500 series. However, the 725’s have a larger fan delivering more thrust and a quieter experience. These engines provide a 10000 hour overhaul interval making it cost friendly to maintain. That means if you fly 500 hours per year, it would take 20 years for the overhaul to be necessary!
This plane has the ability to cruise at a maximum speed of Mach 0.9. However, its long range cruising speed is Mach 0.8. For altitude, its initial cruising altitude is 41000 ft. But it has a maximum service ceiling of 51000 ft. The G650ER can take off with a weight of 103600 lb and the G650 can take off with a weight of 99600 lb. It has a maximum payload capacity of 6500 lb.
Over the time, this jet has stood itself out from the other jets in the corporate world. Three key factors working behind the massive success of this jet are Safety, Luxury and State of The Art Technology. This plane is equipped with the Gulfstream PlaneView II avionics suite and EFVS or Enhanced Flight Vision System. It is also equipped with an advanced Gulfstream predictive landing performance system. It’s the first ever Gulfstream Jet to have a built in Fly-by-Wire system making it only the second in class after the Dassault Falcon 7X. This unique plane has an amazing cabin control system to change the ambience of the cabin. The cabin has 8 windows each side making a total of 16 windows, 16% larger than previous models. The cabin is designed in such a way that it could provide the finest experience to the user. It has a height of 6 ft 4 inch and a width of 8 ft 5 inch creating adequate space for users to enjoy. Many high net worth individuals and organizations globally own or lease G650s for private or business use. Some notable owners of this jet include Elon Musk (CEO, Tesla & Spacex), Oprah Winfrey ( American Host & Producer), Jeff Bezos (Founder, Amazon) etc.
In late September 19, Gulfstream Announced of their new addition the G700, considered as a successor of the G650. Despite new additions to the Gulfstream fleet, the G650 continues to be a popular choice. Till date, it costs around 73-78 Million USD to buy a brand new of these jets. But a pre-owned model can be found with a price tag between 40-50 Million USD.
