Gulfstream G650 business jet test flown at 704 miles per hour, making it one of the world's fastest

SAVANNAH, Ga., 7 May 2010. The Gulfstream G650 business jet flew at its proposed maximum speed of Mach 0.925 -- or 704 miles per hour -- for the first time May 2. The business jet reached its top speed while at 42,500 feet, Gulfstream officials say.

”Even at near the speed of sound, the aircraft provides stable and precise handling characteristics," says John O’Meara, Gulfstream’s chief test pilot. "It’s very responsive to pilot input with fantastic maneuver capabilities. Turns can be initiated and completed without any onset of buffet."

Gulfstream officials say this speed makes the Gulfstream G650 the world’s fastest transport-category aircraft in the sky. The aircraft is an ultra-large-cabin, ultra-long-range business jet.

The five G650 aircraft involved in the flight-test program are expected to perform an estimated 1,800 hours of testing. Each aircraft is used for a specific series of tests with S/N 6001 aircraft that flew at Mach 0.925 last Sunday focusing on performance and flight controls.

The G650 offers the longest range at the fastest speed in its class, Gulfstream officials say. Powered by Rolls-Royce BR725 engines, the business jet will be capable of traveling 7,000 nautical miles at Mach 0.85, or 647 miles per hour.

The aircraft is expected to receive certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in 2011. It is on schedule to enter service in 2012.

For more information contact Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics, online at www.gulfstream.com.