First Class or private? It’s one of those questions that’s often fun to debate but when it comes to global recessions, private jets are one of the first things of which you’ll rid yourself. Just ask any of the world’s struggling aircraft manufacturers.
It’s certainly true that the orders for smaller aircraft have continued to wane to the point that 2013’s total sales amount to a mere third of 2008’s highs but this cloud has a sliver lining. It’s actually at the other end of the market, where the world’s ultra-rich (people with 500 million USD or more), simply can’t get enough of the aviation market’s biggest and best offerings.
At this end of the scale, you’ll find what’s called the ‘large executive jet’ - and the most popular of them all is Gulfstream’s new G650. Launched at the end of 2012, it goes further and faster and it does so with a bigger cabin than anything else on the market. Despite having delivered over 50 of these 65 million USD craft, the Savannah-based manufacturer still has a backlog of orders worth more than 6 billion USD. The downside for customers is that the waiting list from purchase to delivery is now more than four years.
“We’ve heard of some customers who have been able to sell their G650’s and actually command a premium price for it,” Steve Cass, Vice President of Communications at Gulfstream, said in reaction to news that some of their new jets are being resold for 10 million USD over list price. “We think it’s terrific, we’re happy for them. It’s really not having an impact on our sales efforts.”
It seems little can stop the insatiable demand for this plane, which is largely due to its unrivalled performance. As Scott Neal, Gulfstream’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing puts it: “The G650’s speed and range truly make it a time machine for its operators.”
As if to prove a point, the G650 broke the round-the-world record for a subsonic flight at the end of last year, circling the globe in just 41 hours and 7 minutes. On a single fuelling, the 18-passenger aircraft is capable of flying 7,000 nautical miles – Singapore to Madrid, or London, for example – and at speeds of up to Mach 0.925.
The G650 is not all speed and distance, though. Time spent aboard has also been thoroughly overhauled in its all-new design. “The G650 has the largest purpose-built business jet cabin, with a number of amenities to make life on board comfortable and more productive,” Cass continues. “This includes wider seats, more aisle room and a large stateroom option. Passengers enjoy the fact that the G650 also has the largest windows and the quietest cabin plus the fact that its low cabin altitude improves comfort and reduces fatigue.”
Our favourite feature? That would be the Gulfstream Cabin Management System, which allows passengers to control the cabin entertainment, temperature and lighting with any smart device. It may not be a game-changer in itself but when combined with all the other amazing features this jet has to offer, it exemplifies why the G650 is bucking market trends.
