The 400th* Gulfstream GVI Enters Service

Almost two weeks ago, on December 5, Gulfstream Aerospace announced that the 400th Gulfstream GVI had been delivered. It was the delivery of the 400th unit built. Serial number 6400, registered as N651MP, was flown to its new base at Birmingham, AL. Since then, the same owner has received its second G650ER - N652MP / 6405.

Today, a business aviation milestone was reached when the 400th* Gulfstream GVI entered service. Serial number 6401, registered as A7-CGG, flew overnight as QQE460 from Savannah, GA to Stansted, UK. Notably, it is Qatar Executive W.L.L.'s seventh G650ER. The Doha-based operator now has the world's largest fleet of the type.

The 400 GVIs delivered to date include 156 G650s and 244 G650ERs.

This remarkable event comes almost seven years to the day after the first two G650s were delivered on December 20, 2012. Serial number 6007 was delivered to Wynn Resorts as N711SW and serial number 6010 was accepted by Exxon Mobil as N100A.

 The EIS of the 400th GVI represents an average production rate of 4.75 units per month during the past seven years. A mighty impressive number for Gulfstream's flagship model.

* this number represents fully furnished aircraft and excludes airframes 6001 and 6002 that served as flight test aircraft for GAC.

G650ER (serial number 6087) N650GA  at Dulles, Virginia.

Photo by Frederick K. Larkin

Canadian Gulfstreams - Part 6

During the past 60 years, three key specifications have driven the evolution of corporate jet design. They are: range, speed and cabin size. A new standard was set with the first flight of the Gulfstream G650 on November 25, 2009. It can fly 7,000NM at Mach .85 - a 17% improvement on the G550's maximum range of 6,000NM at M.85. Perhaps more importantly, the G650 can travel 6,000NM at M.90. Gulfstream has since introduced an enhanced fuel capacity modification that is available for G650s either in service or on order. The G650ER can fly 7,500NM at M.85 or 6,400NM at M.90.

Not to be left behind, Bombardier has responded with its new Global 7500. While it and the G650ER share the same published long-range cruise speed of M.85, high-speed cruise speed of M.90 and top speed of M.925, the Global 7500 has an advertised maximum range of 7,700NM versus the G650ER's 7,500NM. The most significant difference between the two aircraft appears to be cabin size. Assuming the installation of a dedicated crew rest station aft of the cockpit, the G650ER has a three zone cabin, while the Global 7500's longer fuselage accommodates a four zone cabin.

Given that more than 400 G650s/G650ERs have been ordered to date, it will be interesting to see how large the market ultimately is for corporate jets that cost more than US$65 million.

Of the more than 340 Gulfstream G650s/G650ERs currently operating, so far only two wear Canadian registrations. The first example, a G650 (6162, C-GNDN), was delivered new to a family in Calgary in December 2015. Having previously had a G450 and a G550, this upgrade might have been expected. The second unit is a G650ER (6252, C-FYRC). It had previously served as a Gulfstream Aerospace demonstrator before being purchased by a Calgary investor in November 2017.

Photo of 6252 at Montreal by Bill Fawcett.

Photo of 6162 at Farnborough by Bob Holland.