A Gulfstream G650ER business jet has set two new city-pair records as part of a one-stop trip around the world.
A G650ER with three passengers and four crew completed the 6,939nm (12,851km) journey from White Plains, New York to Beijing in 13 hours and 20 minutes, travelling at an average speeed of Mach 0.87.
Then, the aircraft flew from the Chinese capital to Gulfstream’s headquarters in Savannah in 12 hours, averaging Mach 0.89 during the 6,572nm (12,171km) trip.
Gulfstream said in a statement on Wednesday the aircraft landed in Beijing and Savannah in excess of the US National Business Aviation Association instrument flight rule for fuel reserves.
Once approved by the US National Aeronautic Association, Gulfstream said it would send the results to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale in Switzerland for recognition as world records.
It adds to the two records – Los Angeles-Melbourne and Hong Kong-Teterboro – the Gulfstream set during its flight testing program in 2014.
Gulfstream worldwide sales and marketing senior vice president Scott Neal said the flight proved “just how powerful a machine the G650ER is”.
Meanwhile, a separate Gulfstream G650ER flew from Singapore to Las Vegas with four passengers and three crew on board on January 22. The 8,010nm (14,835km) trip, which took 14 hours and 32 minutes, was the longest distance flown by the business jet.
The G650ER was owned by Steve Wynn of Wynn Resorts Ltd.
Gulfstream was expected to have its G650 and G280 aircraft on display at the Avalon Airshow, which runs from February 24 to March 1.
