Gulfstream Upgrades the G650

It's already the fastest jet in Gulfstream's line up, what with the G650 having scooped up a world speed record at the end of 2013. The $65 million business jet, which can seat up to 18, is Gulfstream's best-seller; with over 200 units of the jet being ordered or sold.

And, when it G650 made its way to India for the aviation show in Hyderabad , it set a record for a New York (state) to Mumbai flight earlier this year, when it reached Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport on March 10 in 13 hours and 49 minutes, with an average cruise speed of Mach 0.85 for the 13,177km flight.

New, Improved

And now, Gulfstream has tweaked this plane to fly longer distances. At the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva this May, the company announced that the G650 ER - the letters stand for Extended Range- could travel 13,890km at Mach 0.85 and 11,853km at Mach 0.90, or about 926km more than the regular G650. This will, no doubt, allow for more non-stop city pairings. For example, the company says, the G650ER can now fly non-stop from San Francisco to New Delhi. Are you Silicon Valley big shots listening?

This increase in range comes as Gulfstream has begun fitting its jets with twin Rolls-Royce BR725 engines that promote fuel efficiency and create ample thrust margins, according to Russell Buxton, president of Civil Small and Medium Engines at Rolls-Royce.

Gulfstream reports that two flights made using these engines - one from Los Angeles to Melbourne, Australia and the other from New Jersey to Hong Kong - were completed at speeds of Mach 0.86, with fuel well in excess of the National Business Aviation Association's (NBAA) instrument flight rules (IFR) reserves.

The good news is, owner of G650s can go in for engine upgrades from 2015