Gulfstream G650 Reaches Mach 0.995

S

SavannahSixManFan

11-man fan
(Reference: Mach 1 is approximately 760 MPH, commercial aircraft fly around 530 MPH)

It's a bird, its a plane, its Superman, nah, its just a new Gulfstream 650 Corporate Jet. Mayby we can sell some of these to six-man football teams to make their commutes to those far away Friday night games a little easier.

Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation announced on Friday, August 27 that its ultra-long-range, ultra-large-cabin Gulfstream G650 recently reached Mach 0.995 as part of its 1,800-hour flight-test program. This accomplishment establishes G650 as world’s fastest civil aircraft.

The aircraft achieved this speed during flutter testing, which evaluates the aircraft’s damping responses following an input from an external test device. Flutter testing is performed at a variety of frequencies, speeds, altitudes, weights and centers of gravity.

For the initial series of flutter tests, the aircraft achieved clearance out to both its design dive speed (Vd) and design Mach dive speed (Md) at altitudes ranging from 10,000 feet to up to the aircraft’s maximum certified altitude of 51,000 feet.

In order to achieve the maximum speed of Mach 0.995, Gulfstream experimental test pilots Tom Horne and Gary Freeman along with flight test engineer Bill Osborne took Serial Number (S/N) 6001 into a dive, pitching the aircraft’s nose 16 to 18 degrees below the horizon. During the dive, flutter exciters introduced a range of vibration frequencies to the wing, tail and flight control surfaces to ensure the aircraft naturally dampened out the oscillations without further action from the pilots. Even under such extreme circumstances, the G650 performed flawlessly.

“The airplane is very predictable,” said Horne, senior experimental test pilot, Gulfstream. “It’s very easy to control and to get precise control at those speeds. The airplane response has matched the expectations of our engineers, and we’ve been able to easily fly the test conditions and march through the test plan.”

During the flutter test missions, a team of multi-disciplinary engineers in Gulfstream’s state-of-the-art telemetry center in Savannah monitored the aircraft’s behavior and determined real-time the damping characteristics of the aircraft. The vibration frequencies exerted on the aircraft ranged from 2 hertz, or twice per second, to 58 hertz, or about as fast as a fluorescent light flickers.

“We’re doing very well,” said Pres Henne, senior vice president of Programs, Engineering and Test, Gulfstream. “The demonstrated flutter margins met or exceeded our expectations out to maximum speeds. That’s a good sign.”

As S/N 6001 continued with flutter testing, S/N 6005 completed initial phase manufacturing and began engine testing. S/N 6005 is the fifth and final aircraft in the G650 flight-test program. Each aircraft in the program has a specific purpose, with S/N 6001 focused on envelope expansion, air data calibration, flutter, in-flight performance and flight controls. S/N 6002 is used to evaluate the aircraft’s systems as well as its takeoff and landing performance, while S/N 6003 tests the avionics, in-flight load measurement and ice protection system. S/N 6004 will be the first G650 outfitted and tested with a full interior, which is currently being installed. S/N 6005 will participate in the reduced vertical separation minimum testing.

The G650 flight-test program officially began on Nov. 25, 2009. Through Aug. 25, the four airplanes currently flying in the program have completed more than 170 flights and 575 flight-test hours.
 
Maybe before I retire, we will build the next SuperSonic jet here at Gulfstream Aerospace. The technology is in our hands right now, the environmental/political landscape is all that is stopping us ... SavannahSixManFan

Gulfstream's Mach Control AUGUST 30, 2010 by J. Mac McClellan - Editor Flying Magazine

The Gulfstream G650 number one prototype reached the speed of Mach .995 in a dive test last week. Mach .995 is about three knots true airspeed below the speed of sound at typical business jet cruise altitudes. The G650 joins Cessna's Citation X as the only two business jets to have nudged up against, and maybe even squeezed a little over, the sound barrier.

What's most impressive about the G650 speed is that even though the airplane was traveling ever so slightly below Mach 1, the air moving over, under and around the airplane was all supersonic. The fact that Gulfstream has successfully managed this supersonic flow with no control surface flutter or handling difficulties is confirmation of the company's engineering excellence.

At some speed above about 300 knots the airflow over some parts of any airplane will accelerate to Mach 1. This "critical Mach" as it's called, usually occurs first over the canopy area because the fuselage is larger than the wings, tail or engines and the air must be accelerated more to pass over and under it.

While it's impossible to keep the "local airflow" over a fast jet from reaching or exceeding Mach 1 with its attendant shock wave and drag increase, the shape of the airplane can control the shape and location of the shock wave and minimize its impact. Clearly Gulfstream has reached its goals in high-speed drag control or the G650 would not have reached its target speed no matter how far the nose was pushed over.

Very high speed flight also demands extreme precision in building and assembling the airframe because any asymmetry will create very different performance from one wing or tail section to the other. Such a difference could put the airplane out of control as it nears its diving speed limits.
The other very critical issue in the dive testing is the possibility of flutter. Gulfstream used various devices to vibrate the controls at different frequencies and amplitudes and there were no issues in the test.

The FAA's certification rules require a jet to be dive tested to speeds faster than its Mmo Mach operating limit, but the airplane does not need to exceed Mach 1 to pass the test. Gulfstream, like Cessna during Citation X development, was so close to Mach 1 in the G650 can anybody know with certainty that it didn't at least briefly touch or exceed that magic speed? All I know is that flight at such speeds in an airplane as big as the G650 are for experts only, both in terms of the people who design and build the airplane, and those who fly the tests. Congratulations to all.
 
Shhhhh... Old Bearkat, we do our flight testing off the coast of Savannah in the Atlantic Ocean, who says we didn't break Mach 1. The whales will never tell and the charter fishing boats can't tell from a far if it's a commercial jet or a military jet. The military does not have any supersonic flight restrictions though they try to be good. But if I was a hotshot Top Gun in a fighter cockpit out over the ocean I would just have to edge up to Mach 1 and let the SuperSonic vapor envelope windows start forming around my canopy just to say I did.
 
Gulfstream Celebrates 25th Anniversary of First GIV Flight

On September 20, 2010 Gulfstream recognized the 25th anniversary of the first flight of the Gulfstream IV, the best-selling large-cabin, long-range business jet in the world.

“The GIV was the aircraft that launched a thousand Gulfstream aircraft,” said Joe Lombardo, president, Gulfstream. “It formed the foundation for designing and building the G300, G400, G350 and G450. The aircraft’s first flight was a milestone and turning point for the company.”

Longtime Gulfstream employee Jim Gallagher, an acoustics engineer for the GIV program, said the aircraft revolutionized the industry. More than 520 of the 536 jets produced in the GIV series are still in operation.

“The GIV set a new standard for technology and, as it evolved, did the same for reliability,” said Gallagher, now director, Large and Mid-Cabin Sustaining program. “I believe it became very popular because it was on the leading edge of globalization. Halfway through its production run, the GIV became the preferred tool of global business-jet travelers because of its speed and range. There was no other aircraft that came close. Companies relied on it to travel worldwide; it helped push global commerce.”

On Sept. 19, 1985, three months ahead of schedule, the aircraft took off from Savannah International Airport, just eight days after it was rolled out at the business-jet manufacturer’s headquarters in Savannah. Lee Johnson and Ted Mendenhall were the pilot and copilot, respectively, for the one-hour flight.

The maiden flight was part of a race against time aimed at preparing the aircraft for the annual National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) convention in New Orleans, where it was one of the main attractions.

The GIV was popular with customers well before its first flight. More than 80 orders were taken while the aircraft was in development. At the time, the backlog of nearly $1.3 billion in orders was the biggest for a single aircraft in business-aviation history.

The first production GIV entered service June 8, 1987, after being certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on April 22, 1987. The GIV was designed to provide cost-effective, long-range transportation. For nearly two decades, the workhorse GIV was the long-range aircraft of choice for business-jet customers, including heads of state, private individuals, special missions and air charter companies worldwide.

The up-to19-passenger aircraft improved upon its predecessor, the Gulfstream III, by offering reduced noise and incorporating a larger fuselage and a lighter, more aerodynamic wing while improving the maximum range to 4,300 nautical miles (7,964 kilometers). It was the first business jet built with an all-glass cockpit, including state-of-the-art auto throttles, and offered a new concept at the time, a Flight Management System (FMS).

Powered by two Rolls-Royce Tay 611-8 engines, the GIV’s top speed is Mach 0.88 with a maximum takeoff weight of 73,200 pounds. It can reach an altitude of 45,000 feet.

The GIV, which featured the company’s trademark winglets established on the GIII, set numerous records for circumnavigating the globe, both east and west, including a January 1988 eastbound around-the-world trip in just under 37 hours.

As of today, the GIV series in-service fleet has accumulated more than 3.4 million hours of flight time and boasts a dispatch reliability rate of 99.93 percent. The other aircraft in the series are the GIV-SP (Special Performance), which features an updated landing package and range/payload improvements, and the C-20F/G/H military variants‎.

Ceremonies on Dec. 3, 2002, marked the conclusion of GIV-series aircraft production and the official start of production of two new variants — the G300 and G400. The last GIV entered service on Sept. 13, 2003.

In 2005, the G400 and G300 were replaced by the G450 and G350. On June 22, 2010, the 200th G450 obtained its Certificate of Airworthiness.
 
How are the business jets selling these days, given the current administration in DC thinks no one but themselves should fly on anything but coach on commercial flights?
 
Gulfstream G650 Business & Commercial Aviation (cover story)
BY FRED GEORGE Publication date: October 2010

The G650 is arguably Gulfstream Aerospace's most ambitious technological leap since
Grumman, the line's progenitor, introduced the GII in 1965. The newest, top-of-the-line
Gulfstream will cost nearly $1 billion to bring to market, by some industry estimates. In
return, the G650 will offer passengers the largest cabin of any purpose-built business
aircraft yet introduced. It will have the highest cruise speeds, longest range and best fuel
efficiency of any business aircraft cruising at Mach 0.85.

It also has the most-sophisticated systems of any model yet designed by Gulfstream,
along with a space-efficient, non-circular fuselage cross section, the highest cabin
pressurization of any large-cabin business aircraft, new wing contours producing lower
drag at high-speed cruise and considerably more composite content.

Gulfstream has kept its clean-sheet ultra-jet on schedule since its inception, even though
the aircraft embraces several technological advances compared to its predecessors. The
most notable advance is its digital fly-by-wire (FBW) flight control system, but this
newest Gulfstream also will feature the firm's patented Standby Multifunction Controller,
a new triplex FMS, automatic emergency descent mode, PlaneView II and fully
automatic, 3-D weather radar. Electronic circuit breakers will be used for non-critical
systems, thereby reducing weight by 300 lb.

Maintaining the certification schedule with an all-new aircraft is a rare distinction among
most civil aviation companies. Some firms have suffered two- to 10-year delays in their
new aircraft development schedules.

Keeping the G650 program on time even represents a major culture change at
Gulfstream. Development and certification of some of its legacy products, most notably
the GIV, ran late, gained weight and fell short of initial expectations. It took five years
after the GIV initially entered service in 1987 before it lived up to its billing.

"We've been pretty successful up to this point with the G650. But I don't want to say
anything that might jinx something. A little talk goes a long way," said Pres Henne,
Gulfstream's senior vice president, programs, engineering and test.

"But I've got to tell you this airplane is doing great. It's behaving well up to almost Mach 1
and the performance looks smack on target. The high-speed lift-to-drag ratio is dead on.
And serial number 6004, our first production aircraft fitted with an interior, looks to be
very close to design basic operating weight. You would be hard pressed to find any
weight variances."

Wing contours were refined using four different CFD software packages. More than
1,400 hr. of wind tunnel testing, including cryogenic flow tests at the German-Dutch wind
tunnel lab in Cologne to compensate for scale effect, were completed before full-scale
aircraft construction began. Gulfstream engineers wanted no surprises during the flight
development program that would require aerodynamic bandages, such as vortilons,
vortex generators or leading-edge stall strips. As of early September, flight testing
verified that no aero mods will be needed.

Such detailed planning and testing have been major factors in keeping the G650
program on schedule, on weight and on spec to meet Gulfstream's goals for the
program.

Four of five flight test aircraft had entered the flight test program as of mid-September
and had logged about 600 hr. of the 1,800 hr. scheduled for the certification campaign.
Thus, Gulfstream appears to be right on track for 2011 certification and initial customer
deliveries in 2012.

Although formally announced in March 2008, the G650 has been five years in the
making. It has benefited from the most thorough preflight planning and testing of any
Gulfstream yet introduced. Gulfstream parent General Dynamics approved program
launch in May 2005. The wing contours were frozen in September 2006 and preliminary
design review was completed in June 2007.

Meticulous Program Planning

While it's always good to be lucky, the success of the G650 to date is not by chance.

The aircraft is the product of broad-based and in-depth program planning and execution
that Henne practiced at Douglas Aircraft when he was in charge of MD90 development
and also from his involvement with the C-17 Globemaster III program.

For instance, a 10-ft. coupon test section of the new four-radii fuselage, including the
16% larger windows, was subjected to ultimate overpressure tests well before
Gulfstream started full-scale manufacturing of the aircraft. Testing was completed in
April 2007, almost one year before the program was unveiled.

"The G650 development plan is aggressive, but achievable. It's challenging, but doable.
The entire team bought into it," Henne said, adding that he's "planned for surprises" and
that both the development schedule and budget have adequate buffers to accommodate
contingencies.

"A whole bunch of elements are involved," he explained. "You need a highly motivated,
experienced, small team of people, many of whom have been through previous
programs."

The challenges borne by the team are manifold. Parts count on the G650 is being
slashed in half and, for the first time on a Savannah-built aircraft, adhesive bonding is
being used for fuselage skin and substructure components. To reduce risk, Gulfstream
built a 10-ft. fuselage cross section, complete with six windows, and subjected it to all
required pressure and stress tests prior to beginning construction of the full-scale
aircraft.

The G650 is Gulfstream's first aircraft to be fitted with digital fly-by-wire flight controls.
The aircraft's PlaneView II cockpit features four, 14-in. flat-panel displays, plus standard
synthetic vision, a second-generation enhanced vision system, a larger, sharper HUD
and 3-D weather radar.

The G650's FBW system breaks new ground in business aviation. It has only two sets of
electrically controlled, hydraulically powered flight control actuators. But it also has a
third set of electrically controlled and powered backup flight control actuators, a first for a
business aircraft.

No element of the G650 development program has taken higher priority than cabin
design. What Gulfstream terms its Cabin Essential design concept includes redundant
water, waste and communication systems, plus lighting, power and entertainment
equipment. The goal is to provide 10-7 essential level reliability for cabin systems.

Transoceanic communications are increasingly important to Gulfstream operators. The
G650 will feature a redesigned satcom radome atop the empennage that will offer more
clearance for the antennas, thereby increasing the range of movement and line-of-sight
signal connectivity with communications satellites.

"We're more than happy to embrace advanced technology, but we have to test it before
it goes into a production aircraft," Henne said. The G650's complete three-channel FBW
flight control system, for instance, went through extensive inflight testing aboard a GV
and ground testing in an "iron bird" mock-up. "We had it all trucked up before we ever
put it on the G650," he noted.

Hands-on internal management also is an essential element. Henne's G650 program
team has been directed to manage two levels below their accountability. "Each team
member has to know the 10 tasks performed by each of his or her direct reports. And
they also have to know the 10 tasks assigned to each of those persons' direct reports.
You must trust, but verify. When you've got that kind of granularity, you can plan for
contingencies."

That same two-level management granularity extends to Gulfstream's suppliers for the
G650. "That way," he said, if a supplier derails, you got to know it ASAP. Then, we
swarm 'em." This enables Gulfstream to dispatch troubleshooters to vendors that are
experiencing problems and get those suppliers back on track in time to meet the G650
development schedule.

Henne recalled an instance during MD90 development, when he dispatched Jack
Pelton, then one of his senior engineering managers, to go "swarm" Douglas' enginedriven
generator supplier. Pelton, who is now chairman, CEO and president of Cessna
Aircraft, ended up running that vendor's plant for almost two years, Henne claimed.
Gulfstream similarly has had to "swarm" some G650 suppliers, but Henne declined to
identify which ones.

The G650 also has benefited from more customer focus group participation than any
previous Gulfstream model. Starting in 2006, G650 program managers began meeting
with an Advanced Technology Customer Advisory Team (CAT) every quarter. As a
result of CAT inputs, the passenger chairs were widened, the galley was redesigned and
cabinets were modified to accommodate customer needs.

Progress to Date, Challenges Ahead

Gulfstream built one static test and one fatigue test article for the certification program.
All required static tests are slated to be completed by the end of October 2010, including
the 167% over-pressurization check and stress loads. The fatigue test article is on track
to complete 5,000 flight cycles prior to the aircraft's entering service in 2012. Dozens of
components, such as the flight control actuators and landing gear, are undergoing
intensive operational wear tests at Gulfstream's integrated test facility, according to Kurt
Erbacher, Gulfstream's G650 program vice president.

Accelerated life-cycle testing on the fatigue test article will lead the fleet by at least a
factor of two. By 2014, Gulfstream expects to have logged 80,000 flight hours and
34,000 flight cycles, thereby validating the 20-year, 40,000 flight hours, 17,000 flight
cycle initial design life expectancy for the G650.

Parts count has been slashed by 50% compared to previous large-cabin Gulfstreams.
The large aluminum components assemblies have precisely positioned, full-size, predrilled
mounting holes for fasteners. This slashes assembly time because no custom
fitting, machining or filing is needed to build the primary airframe structure
Most of the heavy lifting in the flight test campaign is still to occur and involves
qualification testing of components including the quad-channel Thales flight control
computers, Honeywell PlaneView II cockpit systems and Parker flight control surface
actuators, Erbacher explained. Most critically, each of these systems must demonstrate
immunity from interface caused by lightning and high-intensity radio frequency sources,
such as ATC radars, commercial broadcast transmitters and long-range military
communications systems.

"The FAA won't get on the airplane to begin type inspection authorization until all these
systems have passed qualification tests," Erbacher explained. "If any system fails a test,
we have to go back, redesign hardware or software and retest."

Normal flight control laws also are being refined so as to provide a consistent stick force
per g pitch control feel. The G650 also will have low- and high-speed envelope
protection, plus an automatic trim function to compensate for pitching moments caused
by air brake and wing flap extension and retraction. In addition, there will be an
automatic pitch trim function to counter pitching moments caused by speed changes so
that the crew won't have to trim out pitch forces as the aircraft accelerates and
decelerates.

However, there will be a speed stability function once the landing gear and flaps are
extended, assuring a natural pitch control feel with speed changes. Gulfstream
engineers believe that, once the landing gear is extended, it will allow the crew to feel
and trim out speed-induced pitching moments.

Sea level, standard-day runway performance appears to be on target, thereby enabling
the aircraft to depart 6,000-ft. runways at its 99,600-lb MTOW. At its 83,500-lb max
landing weight, the G650 should have a 3,000-ft. landing distance. Most operators,
though, are likely to use runways that are least 5,000-ft. long, the minimum runway
length needed for landing the aircraft in accordance with FAR Part 135 rules.
Hot-and-high performance initially will be verified at Roswell, N.M., later this year. In
2011, the G650 will undergo comprehensive hot-and-high airport testing at Roswell,
Telluride, Colo., and in Mexico, Erbacher said. Engineers predict that the aircraft will be
able to depart our 5,000-ft. elevation, ISA+20°C airport and fly eight passengers 6,200
nm at Mach 0.85. Unlike the G550, though, the G650 may be
weight/altitude/temperature limited when departing our hot-and-high airport, and thus
perhaps unable to fly its maximum 7,000-nm range under those conditions.

Gulfstream believes that cabin development is on track to meet the design goals of 10-7
essential-level system availability and a 5- to 6-dB reduction in sound levels compared to
the G550. Cabin Essential systems have been tested to assure they'll meet the
availability specification and new insulation materials and cabin shell isolators have been
developed to help quiet the cabin. In addition, the cabin air distribution system has been
upgraded to reduce air noise.

Program managers still are negotiating with the FAA about certification requirements for
the aircraft's four Type IV over-wing emergency exits.

Perhaps as important to operators, Gulfstream's maintenance-friendly MSG-3
certification is on schedule, according to Erbacher. Dozens of working groups have been
convened and a final MSG-3 team meeting will be held before the end of this year.
Erbacher said that all MSG-3 documents will be submitted to the FAA in early 2011.
Company officials confirmed that G650 pilots will need a separate type rating, but those
holding G450/G550 type ratings will undergo an accelerated initial training program
because of systems and PlaneView avionics similarities.

As of mid-September, the newest Gulfstream appeared to be on target to fly eight
passengers at Mach 0.85 from New York to Nanjing, Delhi to Detroit or St. Petersburg to
São Paulo, should the need arise. Just as importantly, the G650 will be the most
thoroughly tested aircraft ever produced by a general aviation manufacturer when it
enters service in 2012. Thus the G650 also could set new reliability and maintainability
standards. That may score more points with operators than the aircraft's speed, range
and cabin comfort.

Henne said that Gulfstream has 200 firm orders for the G650 out of an estimated 500
letters of intent the company held in mid-2008. The net $13 billion order book still is a
respectable number, considering the state of the world economy and the aircraft's $65
million price tag. Assuming both that the G650 meets its design goals when it enters
service and that the world economy continues to improve, Gulfstream's order book could
swell considerably. BCA
 
Gulfstream Speed and Distance Record Out of the Ballpark

FltPlan.com BY J. MAC MCCLELLAN Posted: 10.19.10

Editor's note: FltPlan.com is an online company that serves the general and corporate aviation community. Founded in 1999, it originally concentrated on flight planning, but has since expanded. FltPlan.com’s services now include flight tracking, e-APIS submissions, GPS RAIM predictions, and full-service, FAA-approved weather. Seventy percent of business-jets flights are filed through FltPlan.com.

Not long ago, Gulfstream test pilots flew the G650 prototype for 5,000 nm at a constant cruise speed of Mach .90. This accomplishment by the ultra-long-range ultra-large-cabin G650 is so over the top of any previous flight it’s almost hard to believe.

There is only one other business jet capable of Mach .90 cruise and that is the Citation X. The X is a remarkable airplane and has been the fastest civilian airplane for many years. But the Citation has a maximum range of around 3,400 nm, and that only is possible at speeds of around Mach .85 or a little less. To cruise at Mach .90 the X is needs to be below full fuel capacity and range drops drastically.

But the G650 held the constant Mach .90 as it cruised over a big race track pattern with the altitude starting at 39,000 feet and increasing to above 41,000 feet as the fuel burned off. Only a handful of business jet models can even fly 5,000 nm nonstop, and to do it at such a high Mach number is astonishing. It’s a record, I’m sure, but it’s a record so all alone there is nothing to compare.

What makes cruise at such Mach number so difficult is that the air flowing over the wings, fuselage, nacelles and just about every other part of the airplane is traveling as supersonic speed. The airplane is moving at 90 percent of the speed of sound, but the air flowing over and around it must accelerate to pass and that acceleration causes it to go supersonic.

I asked Gulfstream’s head tech guy Pres Henne if the local airflow over the G650 was below supersonic speed at a Mach .90 cruise and he had to stop and think. His answer was that the flow at the tip of the nose, at the engine inlet rings, and at the wing roots of the wings and tail were probably the only place the airflow was subsonic.

As I’m sure you know, when airflow reaches sonic velocity the air molecules can no longer get out of the way of the advancing airplane so they pile up into a powerful shock wave. This shock wave generates huge amounts of drag and the wave must be pushed ahead by the airplane as though it was dragging a parachute. The key to the G650′s range at such high speeds is that its wings and fuselage shape are specifically tailored to minimize the size and thus drag of the shock wave. It’s a technology not well understood even a generation ago, but Gulfstream has mastered the design, and does it with a wing that doesn’t have leading edge slats or other devices.

Bombardier is promising even greater range at Mach .90 cruise for its new Global 7000 and 8000 models and those airplanes may achieve their goal when they start flying in a few years. Cessna promises to increase the maximum Mach operating (MMo) of the Citation X to stay just ahead of the G650′s Mach .925 speed limit. But for now, Gulfstream’s real life demonstration of 5,000 miles at Mach .90 is king of the hill in the race for great range at unheard of speed.
 
Gulfstream G200 Sets Two City-Pair Speed Records

A Gulfstream G200 business jet recently set two city-pair speed records, connecting Savannah to Keflavik, Iceland, and Keflavik to Vnukovo, Russia.

The large-cabin, mid-range G200 took off from Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport on Sept. 13 and flew 2,915 nautical miles northeast bound, with 32-knot tailwinds, at an average speed of Mach 0.75. It landed 6 hours and 28 minutes later at Keflavik International Airport.

Piloting the G200 were international demonstration captains Erik Kauber and Nicholas Rose. On board the aircraft were flight attendant Jeanette Brewer and four passengers.

The same day, the same flight crew and passengers boarded the G200 for a flight of 1,827 nautical miles from Keflavik to Vnukovo, near Moscow. The aircraft left Iceland traveling eastbound at Mach 0.80, arriving 4 hours, 16 minutes later in Vnukovo.

The National Aeronautic Association (NAA) confirmed the flights as U.S. records and forwarded the figures to the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) in Switzerland for approval as world records.

The G200’s outstanding performance characteristics include excellent climbing, high-cruising altitude, high-speed, long-range and short-landing capabilities. Powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW 306A engines, the G200 can reach speeds up to Mach 0.85 at altitudes up to 45,000 feet. Even with this level of performance, the G200 boasts an hourly operating cost lower than other large-cabin, mid-range jets.

Since the delivery of the first G200 in January 2000, the aircraft has amassed 12 city-pair speed records.
 
Lagging Private-Jet Industry Resumes Takeoff

Wall Street Journal
BY SCOTT MCCARTNEY (The Middle Seat column)
Published/posted: 02.10.11

Judging by last week's Super Bowl, the jet set is soaring again.

Soon after the Green Bay Packers beat the Pittsburgh Steelers at Cowboys Stadium, about 400 private planes departed Dallas-area airports on Sunday night and the wee hours of Monday morning. Another 700 left during the day on Monday. Those 1,100 departures far surpassed last year's Super Bowl of about 700 departures, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Lynn Lunsford said.

The fanciest, easiest, most-expensive mode of air travel is bouncing back after the private-jet bubble burst in 2008, jet prices plunged 30% to 50% and actual flying time dropped by 40% in some measures. Flights by business aircraft were up 6.3% in November and 4.4% in December, compared to year-earlier sales those months, according to Argus International Inc., which provides services to private-jet operators. Fractional ownership companies that cater to celebrities and wealthy travelers say sales are inching up. Prices for private jets are climbing, too, although shipments of new planes are still down.

"We're hoping it's the beginning of a recovery," said Ed Bolen, president of the National Business Aviation Association.

Few events showcase the private-jet scene more than the Super Bowl, offering a glimpse of how the rich and famous travel. And what's not to like? You can come and go just about whenever you want, and you can fly into and out of airports much closer to your actual destination. Cars or limousines drive right up to planes—no schlepping through airport terminals or parking lots. Cabins have fine food and drink, if you order it, plus room to stretch legs and tables for work without someone reclining a seat into your lap. Some jets have in-flight phones and Internet; some have beds and couches.

Equally important is what you don't get: There are no TSA security pat-downs and body scans for private-jet travelers, no lines at the airport and often fewer delays because private jets can avoid big congested hub airports. The flight never leaves without you.

Of course all that comes at a steep price. Many typical business jets are in the $5 million to $20 million range. The four-passenger Embraer Phenom 100 jet is a mere $3.9 million.

Coming soon is a new crop of jets offering ultra long-range travel to places like China and India non-stop. Next year, Gulfstream plans to start delivering its G650 jet capable of flying 7,000 nautical miles and cruising as fast as .925 Mach–92.5% of the speed of sound, or 628 miles per hour at 30,000 feet. That's faster than the maximum operating speed of a Boeing 747-400. The eight-passenger G650 has a list price of $64.5 million—almost as much as a Boeing 737-700.

About 15% of the overall market comes from fractional ownership programs, the NBAA says. In these, wealthy individuals and some companies buy a share of a plane, pay monthly maintenance and management fees and then pay hourly operating costs, including fuel.

A one-sixteenth share, or about 50 flying hours per year, of a six-passenger Learjet 40 XR currently costs $400,000 at Flexjet, plus a monthly management fee of $7,850 and per-hour operating cost of $3,113, including fuel. After five years, fractional owners can sell their share back to the company at fair market value. In good times, planes can actually hold their value or even increase in value. But in recent years aircraft lost 40% to 60% of their value during some five-year ownership deals.

If you don't want to actually own part of a plane, several companies offer hourly jet cards. A 25-hour card for a Learjet 40 XR costs $124,900 through Flexjet. With a current fuel adjustment of $1,041 an hour, that works out to about $30,000 for a five-hour flight across the country (plus a fuel stop), or $5,000 per person if you fill all six seats.

After several rough years, fractional companies say business is picking up.

NetJets, the largest of the fractional programs, said recently that it made a profit in 2010 after 2009 losses of about $720 million. The Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary, which laid off hundreds of employees and sold off surplus jets, hasn't yet reported actual numbers for 2010.

Flexjet, Bombardier's fractional-ownership program, says that last year, its owners flew 6% more flight hours than they contractually bought. The company says it returned to profitability in late 2009 and made money last year.

"We're seeing steady signs of a slow recovery," said Fred Reid, Flexjet's president.

Because of the high cost, most private-jet travel is paid for by corporations—planes leased or owned by big companies that use them to whisk executives around the world and reward customers and employees with special events.

Business aviation typically trails an economic recovery, and deliveries of planes are still depressed. Through the third quarter last year, 491 business jets were delivered worldwide, according to the General Aviation Manufacturing Association. That was down 20% from the same period of 2009.

But things are looking up, if the Super Bowl is any indicator. At Dallas Love Field, where Landmark Aviation hired a pair of Cowboys cheerleaders to meet passengers at its terminal the day before the big game, hundreds of jets parked over the weekend, from small four-passenger jets to planes as big as a chartered Delta Air Lines A319. Taxiways and one little-used runway were closed to accommodate billions of dollars worth of sleek jets. Rental car companies trucked in extra cars.

Business Jet Center, another of the private terminals at Love Field, not only had to carefully park all 100 planes that had reservations, but also find room for all the rental cars and limousines. The company also brought in a 70-inch television so pilots could watch the game and be ready when passengers showed up. On Monday morning manager Bill Moltenbrey had a chef prepare omelets for customers who had to wait for takeoff slots because so many jets wanted to leave at the same time. "It's the largest amount of airplanes we've ever handled," Mr. Moltenbrey said.

GRAPHIC INCLUDED WITH STORY

Peanuts Not Included
A look at one of the most expensive and one of the least expensive business jets:

EMBRAER PHENOM 100

Wingspan: 40 feet, 4 inches
Length: 42 feet, 1 inch
Engine thrust: 1,695 pounds each
Passengers: Up to four
Maximum range: 1,178 nautical miles
Maximum speed: Mach 0.70
Maximum altitude: 41,000 feet
Baggage compartment: 53 cubic feet
Cabin width: 5 feet, 1 inch
Cabin height: 4 feet, 11 inches
List price: $3.9 million

GULFSTREAM G650

Wingspan 99 feet, 7 inches
Length: 99 feet, 9 inches
Engine thrust: 16,100 pounds each
Passengers: Up to eight
Maximum range: 7,000 nautical miles
Maximum speed: Mach 0.925
Maximum altitude: 51,000 feet
Baggage compartment: 195 cubic feet
Cabin width: 8 feet, 6 inches
Cabin height: 6 feet, 5 inches
List price: $64.5 million
 
New Gulfstream G650 Crosses the Country at Mach .91

BY MAC MCLELLAN
Posted: 02.10.11

February 10, 2011 — The new Gulfstream G650 that will be the fastest civilian jet when it is certified later this year dashed across the country at speeds ranging from Mach .91 to .92 on February 8. At a cruise altitude of 43,000 feet, that Mach number is faster than 525 knots true airspeed. Average groundspeed for the flight was faster than 550 knots.

The G650, the fourth one built and one of five in the flight test program, departed from Burbank, California, with a crew of 10 pilots and engineers and covered the more than 1,900 nautical miles to Savannah, Georgia, in three hours and 26 minutes. The highest ground speed on the trip was 660 knots.

No speed record for the flight has been announced, but it’s impossible to imagine what civilian airplane could have come close to such speed. The G650 climbed at Mach .85, which is faster than all but a handful of business jets or airliners can cruise at. And only the Citation X can fly faster than Mach .90, but it doesn’t have the endurance to maintain that speed across the country.

Equally impressive is that the G650 needed only 4,500 feet of runway for a required balanced field takeoff. A balanced field means there is enough runway for the takeoff to continue safely if an engine fails at the worst possible moment.

The maximum speed certification goal for the G650 is Mach .925 and at points during the cross-country flight the airplane touched that speed. During the high speed dive testing for certification that the G650 completed last year, the airplane had to perform beyond the Mach .925 operating limit and came very close to Mach 1 to satisfy the FAA requirements.

The G650 has already flown 5,000 nautical miles nonstop at Mach .90 in a test flight, and it is believed only a missile has flown that fast for that distance. If the airplane slows down to Mach .85 - a true airspeed of 488 knots - it can fly 7,000 nautical miles with complete IFR reserve fuel.

Gulfstream is on track to certify the G650 later this year with the first airplanes entering service early in 2012.
 
Relatively speaking, Mach 1 is 768 MPH.

That is the speed a commercial aircraft is not suppose to exceed. Generally they cruise at 520 to 560. But knowing our renegade cowboy test pilots who know what happens out over the Atlantic Ocean where the Vietnamese Shrimp Trawlers tell no tales.

Even if our aircraft in getting real close to Mach 1, their are surfaces that are exceeding Mach 1 due to the surfaces being curves so that when the airflow goes over them, they all meet at the same time at the tail of the aircraft. That means, a straight line through the aircraft is closing in on Mach 1, surfaces are exceeding Mach 1 due to the surface distance being further.
 

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