Gulfstream is highly well-known in the private aviation industry. The organization has been making business jets since the late 1950s, producing well over 2,000 examples over the years. Since launching the Gulfstream I in 1958, it has continuously pushed the boundaries of what private aircraft can do. Currently, the Savannah, Georgia-based company produces several different models of modern business jets.

However, the aircraft manufacturer plans to bring several new jets to market in the coming years, even in the coming months. Gulfstream will begin delivery of the eleven-passenger G400 within the next several years, as the type has recently begun flight testing. The company will soon bring the G800 to market, which holds up to 19 passengers. However, the certification of this aircraft is planned to come after the planemaker introduces yet another model, the Gulfstream G700.

Photo: Gulfstream Aeriospace 

Gulfstream’s G700 will be the largest and fastest business jet in the company’s fleet. So far, nearly 50 aircraft have been produced and await delivery. The company hopes to receive Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification within the coming weeks or months after originally planning to begin delivering aircraft as early as 2022. However, this aircraft has already performed better than expected during its flight testing, both setting new speed records and outperforming its original expected range. Let’s take a closer look at Gulfstream’s latest flagship aircraft, the G700, as it recently shattered fifty city-pair speed records, per Gulfstream. We will also see what makes the G700 so fast and how this design came to be.

Brief history of the G700

Gulfstream first introduced the G700 at the 2019 National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) in Las Vegas, Nevada. Originally, the company predicted the aircraft would fly 7,500 nautical miles (8,630 miles) at speeds of Mach 0.85 (652 miles per hour). The G700 would utilize new Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 engines to reach these numbers. The aircraft is set to have the longest cabin in Gulfstream’s fleet, extending to 110 feet long.

Photo: Gulfstream

Additionally, the aircraft would share fly-by-wire flight controls with the G500 and the G600. It also utilized active control sidesticks and the Honeywell Primus Epic flight deck avionics system. The G700 also added a standard option of synthetic and enhanced vision systems.

The type’s flight testing and certification process began just after the announcement. Just four months after it was introduced, the aircraft completed its first flight, per Flying Mag. The G700’s first flight utilized a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) blend during the two-hour flight on February 14, 2020.

Since the aircraft’s first flight, the certification process has revealed several improvements to the original performance specifications. Gulfstream revealed that the G700 could reach 7,800 nautical miles (8,976 miles) to 8,000 nautical miles (9,206 miles). The American aircraft manufacturer also increased its maximum operating speed to Mach 0.935 (717 miles per hour). Both of these performance specifications bested its ultra-long-range business jet competitors.

Reaching maximum speeds

The G700 has consistently shattered barriers through its flight testing and certification process. Currently, Gulfstream lists its typical cruise speed as Mach 0.85 (652 miles per hour) to Mach 0.90 (690 miles per hour). The aircraft can also reach a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.935 (717 miles per hour), significantly higher than original projections.

Photo: Gulfstream

The reason the aircraft is able to fly so much faster than earlier variants or similar-sized jets is primarily due to its two Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 engines. The Pearl 700s are an improvement on the existing Rolls-Royce BR725s but also add another low-pressure turbine stage. These engines can provide over 18,250 pounds of thrust each. Rolls-Royce improved the takeoff thrust in the Pearl 700s by 8% when compared to earlier variants. The engines also have a 12% better thrust-to-weight ratio and 5% higher efficiency, per Rolls-Royce.

Gulfstream also redesigned portions of the large wing, which spans 103 feet. The majority of the wing is the same as the G650, but the company added brand-new canted winglets that extend three feet wider. This contributed to the efficiency of the aircraft and assisted with extending its range compared to original predictions.

Other notable design features

Gulfstream made several other notable improvements to its new flagship business jet. The G700 has the following specifications:

Photo: Georgiphoto | Shutterstock.com

The G700 has the largest maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) in the Gulfstream fleet, nearly 108,000 pounds. This includes a basic operating weight of 56,365 pounds, a fuel capacity of 49,400 pounds, and a maximum payload of 6,385 pounds.

Even so, the G700 has a cabin length of just under 57 feet long. The cabin cross-section is similar to the G650, the G650ER, and the future G800. This cross-section is six feet three inches tall and a tad over eight feet wide. The baggage volume of the G700 is also similar to that of the existing G650ER, sitting at just under 200 cubic feet.

The remainder of the interior can accommodate up to five different areas. This extended cabin also allows for twenty of the signature Gulfstream Panoramic Oval Windows. Although the cabin can seat 19 passengers, it has sufficient space to sleep for 13 of those passengers. The cabin will be fitted with an air purifier that plasma-ionizes air every two to three minutes. It also offers Jet ConneX Ka-band WiFi for high-speed internet.