Two production G700s amassed 25 speed records during the recently completed world tour to showcase the ultra-long-range jet, Gulfstream Aerospace announced yesterday. The twinjets logged a combined 180 hours of flight time on the tour, covering 53,882 nm and more than 20 countries across six continents.
“The G700 world tour was a success,” said Gulfstream president Mark Burns. “We knew the aircraft would perform well, and they exceeded even our own high expectations for both reliability and performance across a variety of routes. Showcasing the outfitted aircraft to our customers and prospects around the world bolstered the [aircraft’s] already strong demand.”
Notable record runs include Savannah to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 12 hours 36 minutes; Istanbul, Turkey, to Vietnam’s Van Don International Airport in 9 hours 2 minutes; Riyadh to Melbourne, Australia, in 13 hours 39 minutes; and Christchurch, New Zealand, to Los Angeles in 12 hours 13 minutes. The former two were flown at Mach 0.90, while the latter two were at Mach 0.87. The 25 speed records are pending approval by the National Aeronautic Association and Fédération Aéronautique Internationale.
Meanwhile, the G700 is on track to receive FAA certification “this summer,” Phebe Novakovic—chairman and CEO of Gulfstream parent company General Dynamics—said on Wednesday during a quarterly investor call. Its G800 sibling would follow with FAA approval about six months later, she added.