Pilot's Post - The Gulfstream G650ER-Extending the Reach-Leading the Class

Gulfstream's newest flagship, the G650ER, extends the nonstop reach of the industry's highest performance long-range business aircraft to 7,500 nautical miles/13,890 kilometers at Mach 0.85. Flying even faster at Mach 0.90, the G650ER will carry eight passengers 6,400 nautical miles/11,853 kilometers. Both are feats that no other business aircraft in the world can achieve.

The range capability of the Gulfstream G650ER isn't hypothetical-it's reality, having already flown and documented key city-pair connections including Hong Kong to New York; and Los Angeles, California, to Melbourne, Australia.

The G650ER boasts a maximum gross weight 4,000 pounds/1,814 kilograms greater than the G650, which can be an advantage in adding fuel margin or increasing long-range cruise speed on ultra-long-range routes. (Range with 8 passengers, 4 crew, NBAA IFR reserves.) Actual range will be affected by ATC routing, operating speed, weather, outfitting options and other factors. The additional range capability of the G650ER significantly increases the number of nonstop connections possible between cities. From Dubai, fly nonstop to Atlanta. From Hong Kong, most of the U.S. Eastern Seaboard is now a direct flight. A dozen cities now connect nonstop with Sydney, including Riyadh and Dallas.

With a 104,000 pound/47,173 kilogram maximum gross weight, the Gulfstream G650ER provides the mission flexibility to fly longer routes at higher cruise speeds or carry heavier payloads on shorter missions. Cruising at near supersonic speed (0.90 Mach) the G650ER will comfortably carry eight passengers 6,400 nautical miles/11,853 kilometres.

Wide seats and generous aisle spaces are benefits of the G650ER, and the sense of spaciousness is further enhanced by 16 Gulfstream panoramic windows, the largest in the industry, that stream sunlight into the cabin and galley.

The G650ER cabin is replenished with 100 percent fresh air every two minutes. And with the lowest cabin altitude in the class, matched only by its sister ship, the Gulfstream G650, passenger heart and lungs can more easily oxygenate the blood, which reduces fatigue and ensures a more alert and refreshed arrival many time zones later. At a cruise altitude of 45,000 feet/13,716 meters, a G650ER cabin is pressurized to an altitude of 4,060 feet/1,237 meters. That cabin altitude is almost two times lower than commercial airlines and significantly better than any non-Gulfstream aircraft in the large-cabin class.

Standard features, including digital audio and high-definition video equipment, 26-inch/66-centimeter widescreen televisions, convection oven, porcelain dinnerware, flatware and stemware with fitted storage, combine to outfit the G650ER with everything needed for flawless entertaining. Cruising at 51,000 feet/15,545 meters above commercial traffic and weather, the Gulfstream G650ER is truly high-class. With the Gulfstream Cabin Management System (GCMS), passengers control temperature, lighting, window shades and entertainment devices with Apple iOS or select Google Android touch-screen smartphones and tablets.

Apple iPod touch units or Google Android devices are provided to control the cabin, but the Gulfstream Cabin Management app is also available as a free mobile download for personal iPhone, iPad or Android devices, which allows passengers to save and recall preferences for subsequent flights.

The technical sophistication of the Gulfstream G650ER improves every aspect of cockpit capabilities. A fly-by-wire flight system helps the G650ER achieve its unprecedented range. The G650ER's on-board computers work with the pilot or on full automatic to monitor a flight and provide small, measured adjustments that create smoother flights and improve passenger comfort.

With the help of the PlaneView II cockpit, information from the Flight Management System (FMS) and the primary flight display are presented on multiple large format screens that give pilots the ability to select and organize how they want flight information displayed. Two side-mounted Gulfstream-designed Cursor Control Devices (CCDs) integrate with PlaneView II to allow pilots to select and scroll where and how they want to see airways, airports, radar weather and other data displayed.

The G650ER's advanced cockpit provides the most critical information in easy-to-read formats, which help increase situational awareness and pilot response. State-of-the-art vision systems also help pilots see more and respond faster to changing flight conditions. With the Enhanced Vision System (EVS) II, a nose-mounted infrared camera allows pilots to see more than the human eye can. Detailed images of airports and surrounding terrain are enhanced at night and in low-visibility conditions. EVS images can be routed to a Head-Up Display (HUD) that feeds data onto a transparent screen in the pilot's forward field of vision.

Gulfstream also was a technology leader in creating Synthetic Vision-Primary Flight Display. The advanced monitoring system blends three-dimensional color images of terrain, obstacles and runways with instrument readings on the pilot's display unit, a combination that creates a more easily visualized landing approach for pilots.

In today's fast-paced international marketplace, the speed and quality of establishing business connections matters. If your mission includes flights half a world away, the G650ER offers the advantage of flying the fastest and longest routes possible by any business aircraft. No other platform in business aviation offers the combined utility of range, speed, performance and payload.

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