Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation recently introduced its new flagship, the most spacious, best-performing aircraft in the business-jet industry, the Gulfstream G700TM. The G700 blends proven ultralong-range, speed and performance with flight-deck innovation and cutting-edge cabin creation to offer customers an unprecedented aircraft experience.
Gulfstream announced the G700 on the eve of the National Business Aviation Association Convention & Exhibition in Las Vegas. During the event, Gulfstream President Mark Burns revealed a full-scale mockup of the G700 and showed a video of the aircraft taxiing under its own power at Gulfstream headquarters in Savannah.
“The Gulfstream G700 takes the very best elements from our most innovative products and unites them with cutting-edge advances to create an all-new, advanced-technology aircraft that redefines safety, comfort and range at speed,” said Burns. “This announcement is the biggest news in business aviation history and is the result of the investments General Dynamics made to develop Gulfstream technology for Gulfstream products. Thanks to our nearly 18,000 employees around the world, the G700 is continuing a long Gulfstream tradition: raising the bar for ourselves and the industry.”
The G700 heralds a new era for Gulfstream, building on the company’s decades-long investment in research and development and ensuing successes. The aircraft boasts the tallest, widest and longest cabin in the industry with leading range and speed capabilities. The G700 can fly 7,500 nautical miles/13,890 kilometers at Mach 0.85 or 6,400 nm/11,853 km at Mach 0.90.
Design Innovation
The all-new cabin on the G700 allows customers to extend their personal and professional lifestyle to their aircraft. With up to five living areas, the G700 offers an extra-large ultra-galley with a passenger lounge or crew compartment; a six-place dining or conference room; and a master suite with shower. The Gulfstream Cabin Experience promotes and enhances wellness through 20 Gulfstream panoramic oval windows, the largest in the industry; the industry’s lowest cabin altitude, 100 percent fresh air and a whisper-quiet cabin.
“Gulfstream has a long tradition of listening to our customers, and the G700 cabin is the evolution of that collaboration,” said 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.”
The aircraft also offers a range of cabin amenities that revolutionize the benefits of business-jet travel, including the most advanced circadian lighting system in aviation. The Gulfstream-developed technology recreates sunrise and sunset through thousands of white and amber LEDs, gently coaxing passengers into their new time zone and greatly reducing the physical impact of traveling halfway around the world nonstop.
Safety and Performance
The G700 features the award-winning Symmetry Flight DeckTM and other new safety advancements. Along with active-control sidesticks and the industry’s most extensive use of touch-screen technology, the flight deck also comes standard with another Gulfstream award-winner, the Predictive Landing Performance System. The system gives pilots advanced warning of potential runway excursions so they can adjust approaches or go around. The G700 Symmetry Flight Deck also comes standard with Gulfstream’s Enhanced Flight Vision System and Synthetic Vision on dual head-up displays.
All-new, high-thrust Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 engines power the G700 and, along with newly designed Gulfstream winglets, ensure the aircraft achieves high performance capabilities with its larger cabin. The aircraft offers excellent takeoff and landing performance and can operate easily at weight-restricted, short-runway and high-altitude airports.
The ability to fly at faster speeds (Mach 0.90 versus Mach 0.80) gives customers more time, lower annual expenses for maintenance, parts and services, and shorter crew days for safer operations.
Program Maturity
In preparation for first flight, Gulfstream has already accomplished nearly 14,000 hours of lab testing in its integration- and cabin-test facilities, Systems Integration Bench and Iron Bird. The company has successfully completed ground vibration testing, engine runs, loads calibration and all structural testing required for first flight.
The G700 flight-test fleet will incorporate five traditional test aircraft and one fully outfitted production test aircraft. Manufacturing for all test aircraft is well underway.
Gulfstream anticipates G700 customer deliveries in 2022.
For more information, please visit www.gulfstream.com.