Samantha Cartaino

Gulfstream recently delivered the 300th G650. The first aircraft entered service in December 2012, and the model continues to be in high demand, the Savannah, Georgia, manufacturer said.

 


The G650 and the G650ER, the extended-range version, have broken several records over the years. In 2013, a G650 <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2013-10-21/g650-round-world-flight-broke-westbound-record">flew</a> westbound around the world in 41 hours and 7 minutes, also claiming 22 city-pair speed records during the trip. In 2017, a G650ER also set five city-pair records in six days. This included New York to Paris and Tokyo to New York. Overall, these two aircraft have set 70 city-pair records.

 


“The continued popularity and demand for the G650 affirms its position as the leader in the ultra-long-range segment,” said Gulfstream president Mark Burns. “The aircraft amassed an impressive backlog of orders when we announced it in 2008, and that backlog is still strong today. The introduction of the G650 was a turning point—not just for Gulfstream, but for the industry as a whole. We set out to change the game, and ultimately, we did just that.” The G650 once carried a five-year backlog, and now, five years into service, the model logged its second best quarter in terms of orders, Gulfstream parent General Dynamics had reportered earlier this year.

 


The G650 can fly 7,000 nm at Mach 0.85, and the G650ER can fly 7,500 nm at the same speed. Both aircraft have a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.925. The model has brushed up against supersonic speeds during flight test.&nbsp;The G650 also received the Robert J. Collier Trophy for safety and efficiency of air or space vehicles as well as innovation in performance.