Gulfstream Celebrates Ultra-long-range G700 in NYC

Gulfstream Aerospace celebrated the recent achievements of the soon-to-be-certified G700 earlier this week at its Manhattan Sales and Design Center. Guests mingled with Gulfstream president Mark Burns, senior v-p of worldwide sales Scott Neal, and director of demonstration and corporate flight operations Scott Evans. Greg Principato, CEO of the National Aeronautic Association (NAA), also attended the event.

The G700 recently completed a world tour that resulted in 25 speed records. NAA has been validating such records since the Kitty Hawk days and uses specific and disciplined metrics and systems—including data from the FAA and taken directly from flight decks—to make sure the times are accurate.

"If you want to make progress," Principato explained, "you have to see where you are and where you've been. Measuring progress must have integrity. NAA is completely neutral—we don't work for any particular manufacturer or company or anybody, and we certify those records. You have to meet certain standards, the equipment has to be checked. You can't just say you did it."

NAA is known for its Collier Trophy, which it awards annually to a company that illustrates the "greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America." Gulfstream has received the Collier three times: in 1997 for the Gulfstream V, in 2003 for the G550, and in 2014 for the G650.

At a February 27 gathering at its Manhattan Sales and Design Center, Gulfstream Aerospace president Mark Burns (center) and other company executives celebrate the 25 speed records amassed by the G700 on its recently concluded world tour. The G700 is slated to be FAA certified and enter service this summer. (Photo: Gulfstream Aerospace)

As far as Gulfstream is concerned, speed records are mostly achieved as a service to customers. "This is to show our customers the capabilities of our airplane," Evans said. "Ultimately, we want to take off just as they would on any given day and connect another point in space and destination the same way they would. And so, when they look at those city pairs for their own operations, they can know that the airplane has the ability to do what we at Gulfstream are telling them it will do."

Neal validated that the world tour allowed those customers to experience the aircraft—which according to Gulfstream has the widest, tallest, and longest cabin available on a business jet—firsthand in more than 20 countries. "It was a hit at every stop," Neal said. "One of the first reactions was just a gasp. It took their breath away. One customer spent just 10 minutes in the cabin and then bought one."

Burns was visibly emotional when discussing how proud he is of the 18,000 Gulfstream employees who participated in the vision, design, and manufacturing of the G700 over seven years, saying, "I've been here for 40 years, and this is the best of the best. As a long-term Gulfstream employee, just being able to see the reaction that people have when they look at something that you've put so much time and energy into—it is really gratifying for us as a team."

Gulfstream expects the ultra-long-range jet to enter service this year.