Need to go from New York to Hong Kong with time to spare? There’s no greater status symbol – or business tool – than your own private jet
When it comes to picking your very own private plane, two traits matter the most. Speed and range. They are the key parameters for those who use business jets, and the Gulfstream G650ER has both in spades.
It can fly almost 14,000-kilometres without the need to refuel, and cruise at speeds up to 900-kilometres per hour (and that’s while carrying eight passengers and four crew).
The G650ER is an enhanced version of the regular G650. It is among the new breed of large-cabin, ultra long-range business jets that – thanks to its ability to carry extra fuel – can fly almost 1,000-kilometres further than the regular model.
Under the right conditions, that’s enough to go from New York to Hong Kong without stopping, or even Los Angeles to Melbourne, Australia. It previously set a speed record by flying from New Jersey to Hong Kong in a little over 14 hours.
The G650ER features one of the roomiest cabins in aviation. The cabin is almost 15-metres, giving it enough space to seat 18 passengers. There are extra-large oval windows on-board, enhancing the feeling of space within the cabin.
Thanks to a modified air purification system, 100 per cent of the air on-board is refreshed every two minutes. Potential owners can choose from up to 12 floor plans or create their own bespoke layout.
There’s a state of the art multichannel satellite communication systems, a private wireless network and high-speed data system for web access and email communications.
Gulfstream will continue to sell the original G650, which first entered service in 2012. Current owners of the G650 can have theirs converted to the new model (for the paltry sum of about US$2-million). The G650ER will cost would-be travellers US$66.5-million.
