Gulfstream’s G700 Jet Sets the Brand’s 700th Speed Record

Even in the rarefied world of private jets, records matter. Gulfstream just announced that it has achieved 700 city-pair records with its flagship G700 on a flight from Taipei to Miami. The flight lasted 14 hours and 38 minutes at an average cruise speed of Mach 0.87. The G700 and 700^th flight make good bookends, representing the 50-year anniversary of Gulfstream’s first city-pair record, set in 1975 by the Gulfstream GII. That early Gulfstream flew from St. John’s, Antigua, to Dakar, Senegal.

The company told Robb Report that these speed records, rather than being a staged event to set a record, highlight the aircraft’s “real-world performance” during a normal flight. Many of the city-pair records typically involve somewhat obscure destinations and are set by owners in their aircraft.

“Every manufacturer in business-jet land uses these records as marketing tools,” says Brian Foley, an aviation consultant who has worked for several aircraft manufacturers. “They can say that this aircraft holds 50 speed records. If you’re a customer who just bought a plane and set the record on it, it carries some bragging rights.”

Gulfstream counters that it’s important to have “verified examples” of what their aircraft can do. “This latest accomplishment once again proves, in real-time demonstration, that our aircraft give customers the advantage of traveling farther faster than any other aircraft in the industry,” added Mark Burns, president of Gulfstream at a press event in Manhattan, announcing the 700^th milestone. The records are accredited by the U.S. National Aeronautic Association, which verifies all types of air-speed records.

But city-pair records are also important to other aircraft manufacturers, including Gulfstream’s direct ultra-long-range competitor, Bombardier, and Embraer, which also competes in the super midsize category. French business-jet maker Dassault Falcon, which goes head-to-head with Gulfstream and Bombardier, does not put much stock in the speed records.

Bombardier’s current flagship, the Global 7500, recently set a city-pair record from San Luis Obispo to London’s Biggin Hill airport. “This is a performance demonstration since we set these records under normal flight conditions, pairing cities on routes that many businesses fly,” Mark Masluch, Bombardier’s Senior Director of Communications, told Robb Report during that flight. Owners aren’t just looking at the aircraft’s specs, he added: “They’re already thinking about cities they’ll fly into, with real-life speeds and ranges. The records prove the stats are legitimate.”

But they also provide bragging rights for the aircraft manufacturer. That Global 7500 flight, for instance, was the 100^th record flight for Bombardier’s flagship. After a year in service, the G700 has already passed 80 city-pair records, with many ahead. Gulfstream’s previous flagships, the G650 and G650ER, have more than 130 records between them, and Gulfstream says the G700 is moving at a faster rate.

The G700 can credit its performance and range stats to its Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 engines, as well as the aerodynamic shape of the fuselage and high-speed winglet that was introduced on this aircraft. The cockpit’s Predictive Landing Performance System and dual head-up display with Gulfstream’s Combined Vision System (CVS) increases the pilot’s situational awareness and access to more airports.

What’s missed, or possibly taken for granted, behind the claims regarding speed, range and technology, are the cabin comforts. Both flagships have four large zones, including social and dining areas, and the possibility of a bedroom in the rear, with the differences in length, headroom, and width measured in inches. They also have state-of-the-art air purification systems and lighting to mitigate jet lag as well as top-notch entertainment and connectivity.

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With Gulfstream launching its G800 later this year, and Bombardier its Global 8000, the city-pair record race will undoubtedly heat up, as both aircraft up the range ante to over 8,000 nautical miles.

Foley says that the city-pairing records would be more interesting if they included major destinations like New York to Paris, or Sydney to London. “Those do carry some weight,” he says.

One record remains in doubt, and it’s the big one: The farthest flight in business-aviation history. Gulfstream claims its G650ER holds the record for the farthest, fastest flight from Singapore to Tucson, Arizona, a distance of 8,379 nautical miles in 15 hours and 23 minutes. Bombardier, by contrast, says its flight from Sydney to Detroit was the world’s longest flight. Sounds like a dispute for the National Aeronautic Association to handle.