Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. introduced a new business aircraft, the Gulfstream G700™, which it called its "new flagship" for the private aviation sector, and reportedly priced at $75 million per unit. The previous flagship, the Gulfstream 650, was introduced in November 2009.
Gulfstream Aircraft is a subsidiary of General Dynamics Corp.
A mock-up version of the new aircraft was presented at the 2019 National Business Aviation Assn. Convention & Exhibition in Las Vegas. Customer deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2022. Gulfstream is reported to have landed 10 firm orders for the G700.
A flight-test fleet for the G700 will be comprised of five traditional test aircraft and one fully outfitted production test aircraft. Manufacturing for all these is underway now.
Gulfstream already has completed almost 14,000 hours of lab testing and completed ground vibration testing, engine runs, loads calibration, and all structural testing required for the first flight, all successfully.
The new jets will be powered by two Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 engines, and able to achieve a range of 7,500 nautical miles/13,890 km at Mach 0.85, or 6,400 nm/11,853 km at Mach 0.90. The manufacturer described this as "a combination of long-distance capability, speed, and performance.”
The Gulfstream G700 also is described as having “the tallest, widest, and longest cabin in the industry, with leading range and speed capabilities." It will be configurable with up to five living areas, an extra-large galley with a passenger lounge or crew compartment; a six-place dining or conference room; and a master suite with shower.
“Gulfstream has a long tradition of listening to our customers, and the G700 cabin is the evolution of that collaboration,” said company president Mark Burns. “Customers shared how much they value flexibility and comfort in the cabin, all without compromising the speed and range advantages they have come to expect from Gulfstream. The G700 delivers all that and more.”
