Gulfstream G650
Encyclopedia
The Gulfstream G650 is a twin-engine business jet
aircraft under development by Gulfstream Aerospace
. Gulfstream began the G650 program in 2005 and revealed it to the public in 2008. The G650 is the company's largest and fastest business jet with a top speed of Mach 0.925.
The G650 has a cruise speed of Mach 0.85 to 0.90, with maximum speed of Mach 0.925 and will have a range of up to 7000 nmi (12,964 km). It will be equipped with a full kitchen and bar and may be equipped with a variety of entertainment features including satellite phones and wireless Internet
. The new jet will use the new Rolls-Royce BR725
engine producing a maximum thrust
of 17000 pound-forces (75.6 kN). Gulfstream states that with a weight of less than 100000 pounds (45,359.2 kg), it will be able to land at small airport
s avoiding the busy airports around the world.
To provide better usage of the internal volume, Gulfstream designers rejected the usual circular fuselage
cross-section in favor of an oval which uses a flatter lower portion. The cabin is to be 8 in 6 in (2.59 m) wide and 6 in 5 in (1.96 m) high. The fuselage is of metal construction and composite construction
is used for empennage
, winglets, rear pressure bulkhead, engine cowlings
, cabin floor structure and many fairings. The sixteen oval cabin windows are 28 inches (71 cm) wide.
The wing uses greater sweep (36 degrees) than previous Gulfstream aircraft (for example, the G550 wing has 27 degrees of sweep). It does not use leading-edge high-lift devices, and tracks for rear-mounted flaps are completely enclosed within the airfoil contour. The wing's leading edge is a continuously-changing curve, and the airfoil varies continuously from root to tip (the tip incorporates winglets).
The aircraft controls will be completely fly-by-wire, with no mechanical control between pilot and flight surfaces. The surfaces will be moved by a dual hydraulic system. More airliner
s today are using fly-by-wire, but only one current business jet (the Falcon 7X
) is so equipped. The G650 will share yoke
and column with the G550 in an effort to receive a common type rating.
The wing design was completed in 2006. Models have been wind-tunnel
tested, with a total of 1,400 hours of testing planned before the end of 2008. A pressure-test fuselage has been built and tested, including an ultimate-pressure test of 18.37 psi.
First flight of the prototype was planned for the second half of 2009. The G650 taxied under its own power for the first time on September 26, 2009. A public rollout ceremony was later held on September 29, 2009. The G650 to its maiden flight
on November 25, 2009. Joint certification
from the US Federal Aviation Administration
and the European Aviation Safety Agency
is being pursued and expected to be completed during 2011. Customer deliveries are expected to begin in 2012.
Flight testing for the maximum operating speed of Mach 0.925 was announced as completed on May 4, 2010. Gulfstream reported on August 26, 2010 that the G650 hit a maximum speed of Mach 0.995 during a dive as part of its 1,800-hour flight test program. In April 2011, a G650 crashed during flight testing. The G650 test aircraft were grounded returned until May 28, 2011, when the remaining test aircraft were allowed to return to flight testing. The NTSB and Gulfstream will continue the investigation into the crash.
, New Mexico, killing the four people on board (two pilots and two test engineers, all from Gulfstream). The aircraft was conducting a takeoff-performance test with one of the two engines turned off, simulating an engine failure. It became airborne briefly at a high angle of attack
before its right wingtip hit the runway, then slid on the ground and caught fire. The accident remains under investigation; its cause has not been determined.
", refers to the G650. However, the songwriter, Niles Hollowell-Dhar, has said "G6" was made up for hyperbolic and rhythmical reasons, and is not a G650 reference. The aircraft appearing in the music video was actually a G-IV.
Business jet
Business jet, private jet or, colloquially, bizjet is a term describing a jet aircraft, usually of smaller size, designed for transporting groups of up to 19 business people or wealthy individuals...
aircraft under development by Gulfstream Aerospace
Gulfstream Aerospace
Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation is a producer of several models of jet aircraft. Gulfstream has been a unit of General Dynamics since 1999.The company has produced more than 1,500 aircraft for corporate, government, private, and military customers around the world...
. Gulfstream began the G650 program in 2005 and revealed it to the public in 2008. The G650 is the company's largest and fastest business jet with a top speed of Mach 0.925.
Design and development
The Gulfstream G650 was formally launched as an internal company project in May 2005, and publicly unveiled on March 13, 2008. At the public announcement occasion, company executives stated the new model will become Gulfstream's largest, fastest and most expensive business jet when it enters the market.The G650 has a cruise speed of Mach 0.85 to 0.90, with maximum speed of Mach 0.925 and will have a range of up to 7000 nmi (12,964 km). It will be equipped with a full kitchen and bar and may be equipped with a variety of entertainment features including satellite phones and wireless Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
. The new jet will use the new Rolls-Royce BR725
Rolls-Royce BR700
-External links:* * *...
engine producing a maximum thrust
Thrust
Thrust is a reaction force described quantitatively by Newton's second and third laws. When a system expels or accelerates mass in one direction the accelerated mass will cause a force of equal magnitude but opposite direction on that system....
of 17000 pound-forces (75.6 kN). Gulfstream states that with a weight of less than 100000 pounds (45,359.2 kg), it will be able to land at small airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
s avoiding the busy airports around the world.
To provide better usage of the internal volume, Gulfstream designers rejected the usual circular fuselage
Fuselage
The fuselage is an aircraft's main body section that holds crew and passengers or cargo. In single-engine aircraft it will usually contain an engine, although in some amphibious aircraft the single engine is mounted on a pylon attached to the fuselage which in turn is used as a floating hull...
cross-section in favor of an oval which uses a flatter lower portion. The cabin is to be 8 in 6 in (2.59 m) wide and 6 in 5 in (1.96 m) high. The fuselage is of metal construction and composite construction
Composite construction
Composite construction is a generic term to describe any building construction involving multiple dissimilar materials. Composite construction is often used in building aircraft, watercraft, and building construction. There are several reasons to use composite materials including increased...
is used for empennage
Empennage
The empennage , also known as the tail or tail assembly, of most aircraft gives stability to the aircraft, in a similar way to the feathers on an arrow...
, winglets, rear pressure bulkhead, engine cowlings
Nacelle
The nacelle is a cover housing that holds engines, fuel, or equipment on an aircraft. In some cases—for instance in the typical "Farman" type "pusher" aircraft, or the World War II-era P-38 Lightning—an aircraft's cockpit may also be housed in a nacelle, which essentially fills the...
, cabin floor structure and many fairings. The sixteen oval cabin windows are 28 inches (71 cm) wide.
The wing uses greater sweep (36 degrees) than previous Gulfstream aircraft (for example, the G550 wing has 27 degrees of sweep). It does not use leading-edge high-lift devices, and tracks for rear-mounted flaps are completely enclosed within the airfoil contour. The wing's leading edge is a continuously-changing curve, and the airfoil varies continuously from root to tip (the tip incorporates winglets).
The aircraft controls will be completely fly-by-wire, with no mechanical control between pilot and flight surfaces. The surfaces will be moved by a dual hydraulic system. More airliner
Airliner
An airliner is a large fixed-wing aircraft for transporting passengers and cargo. Such aircraft are operated by airlines. Although the definition of an airliner can vary from country to country, an airliner is typically defined as an aircraft intended for carrying multiple passengers in commercial...
s today are using fly-by-wire, but only one current business jet (the Falcon 7X
Dassault Falcon 7X
|-See also:-External links:****...
) is so equipped. The G650 will share yoke
Yoke (aircraft)
A yoke, alternatively known as control column, is a device used for piloting in most fixed-wing aircraft.- Principle :The aviator uses the yoke to control the attitude of the plane, usually in both pitch and roll. Rotating the control wheel controls the ailerons and the roll axis...
and column with the G550 in an effort to receive a common type rating.
The wing design was completed in 2006. Models have been wind-tunnel
Wind tunnel
A wind tunnel is a research tool used in aerodynamic research to study the effects of air moving past solid objects.-Theory of operation:Wind tunnels were first proposed as a means of studying vehicles in free flight...
tested, with a total of 1,400 hours of testing planned before the end of 2008. A pressure-test fuselage has been built and tested, including an ultimate-pressure test of 18.37 psi.
First flight of the prototype was planned for the second half of 2009. The G650 taxied under its own power for the first time on September 26, 2009. A public rollout ceremony was later held on September 29, 2009. The G650 to its maiden flight
Maiden flight
The maiden flight of an aircraft is the first occasion on which an aircraft leaves the ground of its own accord. This is similar to a ship's maiden voyage....
on November 25, 2009. Joint certification
Type certificate
A Type Certificate, is awarded by aviation regulating bodies to aerospace manufacturers after it has been established that the particular design of a civil aircraft, engine, or propeller has fulfilled the regulating bodies' current prevailing airworthiness requirements for the safe conduct of...
from the US Federal Aviation Administration
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
and the European Aviation Safety Agency
European Aviation Safety Agency
The European Aviation Safety Agency is an agency of the European Union with offices in Cologne, Germany, which has been given regulatory and executive tasks in the field of civilian aviation safety. It was created on 15 July 2002, and it reached full functionality in 2008, taking over functions...
is being pursued and expected to be completed during 2011. Customer deliveries are expected to begin in 2012.
Flight testing for the maximum operating speed of Mach 0.925 was announced as completed on May 4, 2010. Gulfstream reported on August 26, 2010 that the G650 hit a maximum speed of Mach 0.995 during a dive as part of its 1,800-hour flight test program. In April 2011, a G650 crashed during flight testing. The G650 test aircraft were grounded returned until May 28, 2011, when the remaining test aircraft were allowed to return to flight testing. The NTSB and Gulfstream will continue the investigation into the crash.
Incidents and accidents
On April 2, 2011, a G650 test aircraft crashed after takeoff, from the Roswell International Air CenterRoswell International Air Center
Roswell International Air Center , also known as Roswell Industrial Air Center, is a city-owned public-use airport located seven miles south of the central business district of Roswell, a city in Chaves County, New Mexico, United States....
, New Mexico, killing the four people on board (two pilots and two test engineers, all from Gulfstream). The aircraft was conducting a takeoff-performance test with one of the two engines turned off, simulating an engine failure. It became airborne briefly at a high angle of attack
Angle of attack
Angle of attack is a term used in fluid dynamics to describe the angle between a reference line on a lifting body and the vector representing the relative motion between the lifting body and the fluid through which it is moving...
before its right wingtip hit the runway, then slid on the ground and caught fire. The accident remains under investigation; its cause has not been determined.
Specifications (G650)
All data are estimated based on company design review and analysis.Notable appearances in media
Many have speculated the "G6" in the Far East Movement song "Like a G6Like a G6
"Like a G6" is a song from Far East Movement's 2010 album Free Wired. The track features female vocals by Dev and male vocals by Far East Movement. It was written and produced by The Cataracs. It was number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks ending November 6, 2010, and then again for...
", refers to the G650. However, the songwriter, Niles Hollowell-Dhar, has said "G6" was made up for hyperbolic and rhythmical reasons, and is not a G650 reference. The aircraft appearing in the music video was actually a G-IV.
See also
External links
- G650 page on Gulfstream.com
- "Gulfstream Introduces the All-New Gulfstream G650", Gulfstream
- "Gulfstream launches 'biggest, furthest, fastest' G650 business jet", Flightglobal.com
- "Honeywell International gets $3 billion pact for Gulfstream G650 aircraft", CNN
- "Goodrich to Provide Key Systems for New Gulfstream G650 Large Business Jet", Goodrich
- "G650: As good as it gets?", Flight International