Gulfstream introduces new long-range business jet

Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., a subsidiary of Falls Church-based General Dynamics Corp., has introduced an ultra-long-range business jet.

Gulfstream, based in Savannah, Ga., said aircraft G650ER can travel 7,500 nautical miles at Mach 0.85 and 6,400 nautical miles at Mach 0.90. Those numbers represent an increase of up to 500 nautical miles over the range of the company’s G650, which has been in use since 2012.

Scott Neal, senior vice president for worldwide sales and marketing at Gulfstream, said in a statement that the jet’s range “opens up significant nonstop city pairs, including New York to Hong Kong, Dallas to Dubai and San Francisco to Delhi… Thanks to the G650ER, the world just got a little smaller.”

The company said that, during testing earlier this year, the jet set two speed records.

The aircraft flew 6,947 nautical miles from Los Angeles to Melbourne, Australia, in 14 hours and 58 minutes at an average speed of Mach 0.86.

Flying from Hong Kong, the jet traveled 7,494 nautical miles to Teterboro, N.J., accomplishing the 14-hour and 7-minute journey at an average speed of Mach 0.865.

The records are being reviewed for approval by the National Aeronautical Association. Once approved, they will be forwarded to the Federation Aeronautique International for confirmation as world records.

The new jet is undergoing Federal Aviation Administration certification. Gulfstream said the jet will be available in the first quarter of 2015.