The Gulfstream G650 is a large
business jet
A business jet, private jet, or bizjet is a jet aircraft designed for transporting small groups of people. Business jets may be adapted for other roles, such as the evacuation of casualties or express parcel deliveries, and some are used by pub ...
produced by
Gulfstream Aerospace
Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation is an American aircraft company and a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics.
Gulfstream designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and services business jet aircraft. Gulfstream has produced more than 2,000 ...
.
["Gulfstream Introduces the All-New Gulfstream G650"]
. Gulfstream, March 13, 2008. The model is designated ''Gulfstream GVI'' in its
type certificate
A type certificate signifies the airworthiness of a particular category of aircraft, according to its manufacturing design (''type design''). It confirms that the aircraft of a new type intended for serial production, is in compliance with applica ...
, and may be configured to carry from 11 to 18 passengers. Gulfstream began the G650 program in 2005 and revealed it to the public in 2008. The G650 was formerly the company's largest and fastest business jet with a top speed of
Mach 0.925, having been surpassed by the larger G700.
The aircraft project was named the 2014 winner of the
Collier Trophy
The Robert J. Collier Trophy is an annual aviation award administered by the U.S. National Aeronautic Association (NAA), presented to those who have made "the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America, with respect to im ...
, for having "strengthened business aviation through significant technological advancements in aircraft performance, cabin comfort, and safety."
The G650ER is an extended-range version of the G650 adding about 500 nautical miles of range.
The 300th was delivered in April 2018, just over five years since introduction in December 2012.
The 400th was delivered in December 2019, seven years after the type's introduction.
The 500th was delivered by Gulfstream`s
Appleton completions facility in September 2022.
Development
The Gulfstream G650 was formally launched as an internal company project in May 2005, and publicly unveiled on March 13, 2008. At the public announcement occasion, company executives stated the new model would become Gulfstream's largest, fastest and most expensive business jet on entry to the market.
![N520GA@GVA 14MAY12 (7461829876)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/da/N520GA%40GVA_14MAY12_%287461829876%29.jpg)
The wing design was completed in 2006. A total of 1,400 hours of
wind tunnel
Wind tunnels are large tubes with air blowing through them which are used to replicate the interaction between air and an object flying through the air or moving along the ground. Researchers use wind tunnels to learn more about how an aircraft ...
testing was completed by 2008. A pressure-test fuselage was built and tested, including an ultimate-pressure test of .
The G650 taxied under its own power for the first time on September 26, 2009. A public rollout ceremony was held on September 29, 2009. The G650 had its
maiden flight
The maiden flight, also known as first flight, of an aircraft is the first occasion on which it leaves the ground under its own power. The same term is also used for the first launch of rockets.
The maiden flight of a new aircraft type is alwa ...
on November 25, 2009.
Flight testing for the maximum operating speed of Mach 0.925 was announced as completed on May 4, 2010. Gulfstream reported on August 26, 2010 that the G650 hit a maximum speed of Mach 0.995 during a dive as part of its 1,800-hour flight test program. In April 2011, a G650 crashed shortly after lift off. The cause was determined to be related to the speeds carried out for the single engine takeoff run. The G650 test aircraft were grounded until May 28, 2011, when the remaining test aircraft were allowed to return to flight testing.
On September 7, 2012, the G650 received its
type certificate
A type certificate signifies the airworthiness of a particular category of aircraft, according to its manufacturing design (''type design''). It confirms that the aircraft of a new type intended for serial production, is in compliance with applica ...
from the US
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...
(FAA).
[Mayle, Mary Carr.]
Gulfstream G650 gets FAA certification
''Savannah Morning News
The ''Savannah Morning News'' is a daily newspaper in Savannah, Georgia. It is published by Gannett. The motto of the paper is "Light of the Coastal Empire and Lowcountry". The paper serves Savannah, its metropolitan area, and parts of South Ca ...
'', 8 September 2012. Retrieved: 8 September 2012.[Brown, Sarah.]
'Ultra-ultra' G650 gets type certificate
''Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) is a Frederick, Maryland-based American non-profit political organization that advocates for general aviation. AOPA's membership consists mainly of general aviation pilots in the United States ...
'', 7 September 2012. Retrieved: 14 July 2021. Its first delivery was to an American customer,
Preston Henn
Preston B. Henn (January 20, 1931 – April 30, 2017) was an American entrepreneur who founded the Fort Lauderdale Swap Shop in 1963.
Business career
Henn opened what became the Swap Shop as a drive-in movie theater in 1963. He shortly thereaft ...
, on December 27, 2012.
The G650 had a nominal list price of $64.5 million in 2013, but there was a three-year waiting list. Some aircraft produced for delivery in 2013 sold for more than $70 million to buyers that wanted to take immediate delivery.
[Whyte, Alasdair]
"Second G650 trades"
Corporate Jet Investor, November 22, 2013.
After rising to $71-73 million in 2014, initial enthusiasm dissipated and the value of pre-owned G650s stabilized at $50 million after the competing
Bombardier Global 7500
The Bombardier Global 7500 and Global 8000 are ultra long-range business jets developed by Bombardier Aviation (formerly Bombardier Aerospace).
Announced in October 2010, the program was delayed by two years by a wing redesign. The 7500, origi ...
was certified in 2018.
On May 18, 2014, Gulfstream announced at the annual
European Business Aviation Association
European Business Aviation Association or EBAA, is a non-profit association based in Belgium that has existed since 1977. Its 684 member companies span all aspects of the business aviation sector in Europe and elsewhere. The EBAA's aim is to promo ...
exhibition, that it had developed an extended range version called the ''G650ER''. The G650ER is capable of flying at Mach 0.85, due to its increase in fuel capacity. Gulfstream stated that in March a G650ER development aircraft had flown non-stop from Hong Kong to Teterboro, New Jersey in the United States, a distance of ; it had also flown non-stop from Los Angeles to Melbourne in Australia. The extra fuel is housed in existing space inside the G650's wings and aircraft already built may be quickly upgraded to the ER version. The G650ER received its certification in October 2014 and began deliveries in late 2014. The G650ER attempted two world records from New York to Beijing to Savannah in February 2015. The same year, a G650ER set a new record for the longest non-stop flight by a purpose-built business jet, flying from Singapore to Las Vegas with four passengers and crew. The record was surpassed by a Bombardier Global 7500 in March 2019,
before the G650ER retook the record in April 2019 by flying 8,379 nmi (15,518 km) from Singapore to Tucson.
Also in May 2014, Gulfstream confirmed that the G650 would be offered to the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
for its program to replace the
E-8C JSTARS air-to-ground surveillance and targeting aircraft. The still emerging requirements call for an aircraft with a 10-13 man crew and a belly-mounted radar long. However, during the fiscal 2019 budget rollout briefing it was announced that the Air Force will not move forward with an E-8C replacement aircraft. Funding for the JSTARS recapitalization program will instead be diverted to pay for development of an advanced battle management system.
In September 2018, Gulfstream was conducting testing at
London City Airport
London City Airport is a regional airport in London, England. It is located in the Royal Docks in the Borough of Newham, approximately east of the City of London and east of Canary Wharf. These are the twin centres of London's financial ...
to certify the aircraft to perform
steep approaches. In 2022, its equipped price was $68.5M for the G650, and $70.5M for the G650ER.
[
]
G700
On the eve of the October 2019 NBAA Convention & Exhibition in Las Vegas, Gulfstream announced its new flagship, the G700, showing a video of the aircraft taxiing under its own power in Savannah.
It should fly 7,500 nmi/13,890 km at Mach 0.85 or 6,400 nmi/11,853 km at Mach 0.90.
Its longer cabin can accommodate up to five areas and has 20 windows.
It is powered by Rolls-Royce Pearl
The Rolls-Royce BR700 family of turbofan engines for regional jets and corporate jets. It was developed by BMW and Rolls-Royce plc through the joint venture BMW Rolls-Royce AeroEngines GmbH, established in 1990. The BR710 first ran in 1995. It ...
700 engines and has new winglets.
Customer deliveries should start in 2022.
The $75 million jet is a stretch of the G650. The aircraft completed its first flight on February 14, 2020.
The G700 should share its fly-by-wire
Fly-by-wire (FBW) is a system that replaces the conventional manual flight controls of an aircraft with an electronic interface. The movements of flight controls are converted to electronic signals transmitted by wires, and flight control co ...
cockpit with the G500/G600: active control sidesticks and Honeywell Primus
Honeywell Primus is a range of Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) glass cockpits manufactured by Honeywell Aerospace.
Each system is composed of multiple display units used as primary flight display and multi-function display.
Primus 10 ...
Epic flight deck with synthetic and enhanced vision system
An enhanced flight vision system (EFVS, sometimes EVS) is an Avionics, airborne system which provides an image of the scene and displays it to the pilot, in order to provide an image in which the scene and objects in it can be better detected. In ...
s for a common type rating
A type rating is an authorization entered on or associated with a pilot licence and forming part thereof, stating pilot's privileges or limitations pertaining to certain aircraft type. Such qualification requires additional training beyond the s ...
.
The jet is 110 ft (33.5 m) long, about longer than the G650ER and about shorter than the competing Bombardier Global 7500
The Bombardier Global 7500 and Global 8000 are ultra long-range business jets developed by Bombardier Aviation (formerly Bombardier Aerospace).
Announced in October 2010, the program was delayed by two years by a wing redesign. The 7500, origi ...
. Its main cabin is long, high and wide; longer, wider and a fraction taller than the 7500's cabin.
It should carry 19 seated passengers or sleep 10.
It will have a MTOW
The maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) or maximum gross takeoff weight (MGTOW) or maximum takeoff mass (MTOM) of an aircraft is the maximum weight at which the pilot is allowed to attempt to take off, due to structural or other limits. The analogous ...
of 107,600 lb (48,800 kg) and the 18,250 lbf (81.2 kN) turbofans should burn 2-3% less fuel than the G650's R-R BR725s.
The aircraft should take off from a runway at MTOW and land in at a typical landing weight.
It has the same wing with its 33° wingsweep but the more outboard canted winglets are wider.
The basic operating weight
Empty weight (EW) is the sum of the ‘as built’ manufacturer's empty weight (MEW), plus any standard items (SI) plus any operator items (OI), EW = MEW + SI + OI. The EW is calculated for each aircraft series and each unique configuration of an a ...
increases from and the wet wing
A wet wing (also referred to as ''integral fuel tanks''Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition'', page 557. Aviation Supplies & Academics, 1997. ) is an aerospace engineering technique where an aircraft's wing structure is se ...
fuel capacity increases slightly by .
The Pearl 700 turbofan is an improved version of the BR725, with one more low-pressure turbine stage, an overall pressure ratio
In aeronautical engineering, overall pressure ratio, or overall compression ratio, is the ratio of the stagnation pressure as measured at the front and rear of the compressor of a gas turbine engine. The terms ''compression ratio'' and ''pressure ...
over 50:1, and a bypass ratio
The bypass ratio (BPR) of a turbofan engine is the ratio between the mass flow rate of the bypass stream to the mass flow rate entering the core. A 10:1 bypass ratio, for example, means that 10 kg of air passes through the bypass duct for ev ...
higher than 6.5:1 for a 3-5% better thrust specific fuel consumption
Thrust-specific fuel consumption (TSFC) is the fuel efficiency of an engine design with respect to thrust output. TSFC may also be thought of as fuel consumption (grams/second) per unit of thrust (newtons, or N), hence ''thrust-specific''. This fig ...
.
After flight tests, it should best its competitor's range and reach up to .
In 2022, its equipped price was $78M.
G800
On October 4, 2021, Gulfstream unveiled in Savannah the 8,000 nmi (14,800 km) range Gulfstream G800, with the G700 wing and Pearl 700 engines, offering four living areas and 16 windows, with deliveries from 2023.
Priced at $72.5 million,[ the G800 has a G650-size cabin, 10 ft shorter than the G700's and with two fewer windows. The G800 first flew on June 28, 2022.
]
Design
The G650 has a cruise speed of Mach 0.85 to 0.90, with maximum speed of Mach 0.925 and a range of up to . It can be equipped with a full kitchen and bar as well as a variety of entertainment features including satellite telephone
A satellite telephone, satellite phone or satphone is a type of mobile phone that connects to other phones or the telephone network by radio through orbiting satellites instead of terrestrial cell sites, as cellphones do. The advantage of a ...
s and wireless Internet
The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a '' network of networks'' that consists of private, pub ...
. The jet uses two Rolls-Royce BR725
The Rolls-Royce BR700 family of turbofan engines for regional jets and corporate jets. It was developed by BMW and Rolls-Royce plc through the joint venture BMW Rolls-Royce AeroEngines GmbH, established in 1990. The BR710 first ran in 1995. It ...
engines, each producing a maximum thrust
Thrust is a reaction force described quantitatively by Newton's third law. When a system expels or accelerates mass in one direction, the accelerated mass will cause a force of equal magnitude but opposite direction to be applied to that syst ...
of . Gulfstream has stated that with a weight of less than , the G650 is able to land at small general aviation airport
An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surface ...
s allowing passengers to avoid larger more busy airports.
To better use the main cabin space, Gulfstream designers rejected the usual circular fuselage
The fuselage (; from the French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an engine as well, although in some amphibious aircraft t ...
cross-section in favor of an oval which uses a flatter lower portion.[Warwick, Graham]
"Gulfstream G650 - in the cabin"
Flightglobal.com, 13 March 2008. The cabin is wide and high,[ allowing the craft to be configured to carry between 11 and 18 passengers. The fuselage and wing are constructed mostly of metal while ]composite material
A composite material (also called a composition material or shortened to composite, which is the common name) is a material which is produced from two or more constituent materials. These constituent materials have notably dissimilar chemical or ...
s are used for the empennage
The empennage ( or ), also known as the tail or tail assembly, is a structure at the rear of an aircraft that provides stability during flight, in a way similar to the feathers on an arrow.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third ed ...
, winglets, rear pressure bulkhead, engine cowlings, cabin floor structure and many fairings. The elliptical
Elliptical may mean:
* having the shape of an ellipse, or more broadly, any oval shape
** in botany, having an elliptic leaf shape
** of aircraft wings, having an elliptical planform
* characterised by ellipsis (the omission of words), or by conc ...
cabin windows, eight on each side of the fuselage, are wide. Panels are bonded rather than riveted, reducing parts count compared to the G550.
The G650 wing has a sweep of 36 degrees which is greater than wings on previous Gulfstream aircraft like the G550 with a sweep of 27 degrees. It does not use leading-edge high-lift device
In aircraft design and aerospace engineering, a high-lift device is a component or mechanism on an aircraft's wing that increases the amount of lift (force), lift produced by the wing. The device may be a fixed component, or a movable mechanism w ...
s, and tracks for rear-mounted flaps are completely enclosed within the airfoil contour. The wing's leading edge is a continuously changing curve, and the airfoil
An airfoil (American English) or aerofoil (British English) is the cross-sectional shape of an object whose motion through a gas is capable of generating significant lift, such as a wing, a sail, or the blades of propeller, rotor, or turbine.
...
varies continuously from root to tip. The aircraft also incorporates winglets
Wingtip devices are intended to improve the efficiency of fixed-wing aircraft by reducing drag. Although there are several types of wing tip devices which function in different manners, their intended effect is always to reduce an aircraft' ...
.
The aircraft controls are completely fly-by-wire
Fly-by-wire (FBW) is a system that replaces the conventional manual flight controls of an aircraft with an electronic interface. The movements of flight controls are converted to electronic signals transmitted by wires, and flight control co ...
, with no mechanical control between pilot and flight surfaces. The surfaces are moved by dual hydraulic systems. The G650 shares its yokes and column with the G550
The Gulfstream G550 is a business jet aircraft produced by General Dynamics' Gulfstream Aerospace unit in Savannah, Georgia, US. The certification designation is GV-SP. A version with reduced fuel capacity was marketed as the G500. Gulfstream ...
in an effort to receive a common type rating
A type rating is an authorization entered on or associated with a pilot licence and forming part thereof, stating pilot's privileges or limitations pertaining to certain aircraft type. Such qualification requires additional training beyond the s ...
. While most newer airliners now employ fly-by-wire technology, the G650 was only the second fly-by-wire business jet, after the Dassault Falcon 7X
The Dassault Falcon 7X is a large-cabin, range business jet manufactured by Dassault Aviation, the second largest of its Dassault Falcon line. Launched at 2001 Paris Air Show, its first flight was on 5 May 2005 and it entered service on 15 Jun ...
and before the Embraer Legacy 500
The Embraer Legacy 450/500 and Praetor 500/600 are a family of mid-size and super mid-size business jets built by Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer. The aircraft family was launched with the Legacy 500 in April 2008 and were the first jets ...
.
At FL 470 and ISA-7°C, it cruises at Mach 0.85 or TAS and burns per hour at a weight of , raising to per h at Mach 0.90 or TAS.
The G700's flight deck is upgraded to the Symmetry flight deck from the G500/G600.
Variants
;G650
: Initial production version
;
: Extended Range version, with maximum takeoff weight
The maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) or maximum gross takeoff weight (MGTOW) or maximum takeoff mass (MTOM) of an aircraft is the maximum weight at which the pilot is allowed to attempt to take off, due to structural or other limits. The analogous ...
increased by and an equivalent increase in fuel capacity; capable of flying at Mach 0.85. Fuel capacity of the wet wings is increased by a modification to the fuel system, through a service bulletin; the modification is available as a $2 million retrofit for existing G650 aircraft. The list price for new a G650ER aircraft was $66.5 million in 2014.
; G700
: Announced in October 2019, the aircraft is stretched by 10 ft 1 in ( m) for a longer cabin with five areas and ten windows per side, up from eight. The engines are 2–3% more efficient Rolls-Royce Pearl
The Rolls-Royce BR700 family of turbofan engines for regional jets and corporate jets. It was developed by BMW and Rolls-Royce plc through the joint venture BMW Rolls-Royce AeroEngines GmbH, established in 1990. The BR710 first ran in 1995. It ...
700 turbofans. The aircraft has a heavier MTOW than the G650ER for the same range.
; G800
: Announced in October 2021, the aircraft is slated to replace the G650.
Incidents and accidents
On April 2, 2011, the second G650 test aircraft crashed during takeoff from the Roswell International Air Center
Roswell Air Center (Roswell International Air Center; Roswell Industrial Air Center) is an airport south of Roswell, New Mexico, Roswell, in Chaves County, New Mexico, United States.
History
The airport was Roswell Army Airfield during World ...
, New Mexico, killing the four Gulfstream employees on board (two pilots and two test engineers). The aircraft was conducting a takeoff-performance test during which an engine failure was simulated by reducing the right engine's thrust to idle.[ The G650 became airborne briefly at a high ]angle of attack
In fluid dynamics, angle of attack (AOA, α, or \alpha) is the angle between a reference line on a body (often the chord line of an airfoil) and the vector representing the relative motion between the body and the fluid through which it is m ...
before its right wingtip hit the runway, then slid on the ground, struck a concrete berm, and caught fire.
The National Transportation Safety Board
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is an independent U.S. government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation. In this role, the NTSB investigates and reports on aviation accidents and incid ...
(NTSB) determined the probable cause of the crash was an aerodynamic stall
In fluid dynamics, a stall is a reduction in the lift coefficient generated by a foil as angle of attack increases.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition'', p. 486. Aviation Supplies & Academics, 1997. This occurs when the ...
of the aircraft, due to a failure to properly develop and validate takeoff speeds involving persistent and increasingly aggressive attempts to achieve a V2 speed
In aviation, V-speeds are standard terms used to define airspeeds important or useful to the operation of all aircraft. These speeds are derived from data obtained by aircraft designers and manufacturers during flight testing for aircraft type- ...
that was too low. It found that Gulfstream's investigation of the two previous uncommanded roll events was inadequate. Following the crash, Gulfstream raised the V2 speed of the G650 from to .["Crash During Experimental Test Flight, Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation GVI (G650), N652GD, Roswell, New Mexico, April 2, 2011"]
page 34. Conclusion on page 52. U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, October 10, 2012. The NTSB accused Gulfstream of withholding information, which the company denied. The NTSB also objected to Gulfstream's use of legal counsel during the investigation.[Croft, John]
"Two wing-drop incidents preceded G650 crash – NTSB"
''Flight International'', May 11, 2012.
Specifications
See also
References
External links
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{{Gulfstream
G650
2000s United States business aircraft
Twinjets
T-tail aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 2009