All you need is about 65 million USD to have one of the immense luxuries that your favourite ultra-rich celebrities have - private jets, no biggie. Unparalleled comfort, convenience and privacy are some of the main motivations for owning one.
Just like cars, there are different brands of private jets, all of them with varying designs, engineering, and functionality. The Ferraris of the private jet world have to be the Gulfstreams, their jets are coveted and owned by many of the rich and famous.
Their distinctive style, lavish interiors, and state-of-the-art onboard technology make them oh-so-lovable. Naturally, owning a Gulfstream undeniably adds a certain oomph to a celebrity’s overall image and brand. And so, we introduce the 2 Gulfstreams that have captured the hearts of many celebrities - the G650 and G550.
The G650 Family
The G650ER
The G650 family features both the G650 jet and its big brother - the extended range version, also known as the G650ER. While they both are mostly similar in everything else, the G650ER does have an edge with its bigger fuel tanks, allowing for an additional 1,800 kg of jet fuel for a total fuel capacity of 21,900 kg.
Thus, the G650 has a range of 7,000 nm at Mach 0.85 whereas the G650ER goes beyond with 7,500 nm at Mach 0.85, giving it one of the longest legs of any business jet on paper. It is an impressive ultra-high-speed, ultra-long-range business jet. Being the most technologically advanced business aircraft with the most sophisticated avionics, it also carries the latest safety features and a sleek interior.
The G650ER Interior
G650 ER’s Key Features
PASSENGERS: Up to 19
RANGE (Max): 7,500 nm
CABIN DIMENSIONS (Height x Width x Length): 1.9 x 2.5 x 14.3 m
SPEED (Max): 616 knots
CARGO VOLUME: 5.5 cu m
MODEL CLASS: Large
A pair of Rolls-Royce BR725 engines power it. The extended range allows the G650ER to reach destinations that were previously not possible without a fuel stop. During flight testing, the G650ER flew from Hong Kong to Teterboro, New Jersey, a distance of 7,494 nm, in 14 hours and 7 minutes. It’s a key model in Gulfstream’s line-up and has a starting price of US$66.5 million, and it’s likely Musk’s costs more. That’s right, Elon Musk owns one and Jeff Bezos owns two of the big brother jets.
On the other hand, notable celebrities who own the G650 include Dwayne Johnson, Robert Kraft, Elon Musk, Cristiano Ronaldo, Steven Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey and Bill Gates, you know just your good ol’ run-of-the-mill-totally-average people. And of course, we can’t forget how Bill Gates he considers it a guilty pleasure to collect business jets. Damn, talk about a costly hobby.
G550
The G550
G550’s Key Features
PASSENGERS: Up to 16
RANGE (Max): 6750 nm
CABIN DIMENSIONS (Height x Width x Length): 1.9 x 2.2 x 15.3 m
SPEED (Max): 590 Knots
CARGO VOLUME: 6.4 cu m
MODEL CLASS: Large
The G550 Engine
The G550 is another mighty private jet that was produced from 2003 to 2021. In 2015, it had 70% of the market share in its category. Two Rolls-Royce BR710 turbofan engines power it.
Being Gulfstream’s first aircraft of the 21st century, it has proved to be the most popular business jet exclusively of the 21st Century. It has sold close to 500 of them for two big reasons: range and cabin comfort.
The aircraft boasts a big, comfortable passenger cabin and standard configurations that offer up to four separate living areas. Though the larger and faster G650 had replaced the G550 as the manufacturer’s flagship, the latter still remained popular – given all that G550 had to offer, its price was a steal. Tom Brady, Mark Cuban, Michael Jordan, Jack Ma, Elon Musk and Tiger Woods all own the G550.
Fun fact: Proving popular as a VIP transport for high net worth individuals and billion-dollar corporations, several militaries became interested in replacing their ageing VIP transports with the more luxurious G550 - eg. US military, with the Air Force, Navy, Army and Coast Guard
You might just want to get your hands on these luxurious sky chariots and understand first-hand what’s all the hype about. But, you don’t have to blow $65 million on it. You can experience the same benefits as Bill Gates does, such as saving time and energy as well as accessing remote islands, by chartering your own private jet. Simply contact AP for your next trip and request for the private jet model that you fancy. We will take care of the rest from sourcing the jet to selecting the best FBO for you to land at.