Gulfstream announced today its ultra-long-range G800 made its first flight, always a red-letter day in any aircraft development program. The two-hour flight took off from Georgia’s Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport at 9 a.m., powered by a blend of conventional Jet A and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
Mark Burns, company president, said, “At Gulfstream, working closely with our customers allows us to continuously build on our successes and develop aircraft that exceed their expectations. The G800 pushes the boundaries of performance even further with Gulfstream-designed aerodynamics and cabin technology, and we look forward to our customers benefiting from the longer range at higher speeds in our exceptional cabin environment.”
The G800 is Gulfstream’s longest-range jet yet, with a range of 8,000 nautical miles at Mach 0.85—7,000 nautical miles at Mach 0.90. It’s powered by Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 turbofans, which, combined with Gulfstream’s “advanced, high-speed wing,” deliver what the company describes as “class-leading fuel efficiency.”
With cabin space for up to 19 passengers in four living areas, the G800 also features the Gulfstream’s latest cabin technology and comfort; hand-crafted, ergonomic seats; a high-definition circadian lighting system; 100 percent, never-recirculated air; the lowest cabin altitude in the industry; a plasma-ionization air-purification system; and 16 windows, which Gulfstream touts as “the largest in the industry.”
Burns said, ““We have announced eight new aircraft in the past decade, strategically timed to capture market demand. We are seeing great interest in the G800, and this first flight brings us even closer to delivering a Gulfstream for every mission.”
It would be nice to see a picture of this new aircraft.
I was sold, on the big windows thing. The ultra long range is nice too, I have a 9 ish hour duration the way my light sport plane is set up, and as a kid had a 5 gallon tank on my mini bike, I’ve always been into long range. Funny, how I don’t lust for anything wealth related, EXCEPT THIS PLANE, WANT!!
So what is really different about it compared to the G700?
500nm more range, different window layout (is it of composite fuselage construction?).
Web site poorly done for actually learning about the product, range map not functional. Put in Hype category.
(Someone via Wikipedia says it has same wing as G700 but is 10 feet shorter. So it is a replacement for the G650ER, using the wingspan of the G700. (To the extent that the Wikipedia author has understood the products, not perfectly.)
Of course the competition is introducing new aircraft as well:
– Bombardier 8000 will have higher top speed and whee! the fuel it guzzles at 0.94M can be ‘sustainable’
– Falcon 6X will have wider cabin (development took a while because Safran engines did not work out for 5X which 6X design comes from), Falcon 10X comes later
More range is still a goal, the B8000 can only get to Perth from London, most people will want to go to eastern Australia.
Engines on Gulfstreams are not well specified, many are the R-R Pearl BR 700 _series_, usually with a number like BR715, but ‘Pearl 700’ powers the G700.
Something about the nearly featureless expanses of off-white in this cabin just bothers me. In reality it probably is, but in 2D it doesn’t appear to be a nice place to be.
Another toy for the one per cent of the one per cent. Ho, hum.
Agreed. Nothing I will ever ride in, let alone fly. Now that we (the US) is no longer selling things to the super-rich Russian oligarchs, I wonder how many of these things might get sold.