Gulfstream G600: Buyer’s and Investor’s guide
A buyer’s guide to the Gulfstream G600 business jet.
Pros
It has potential to be one of the most well-rounded aircraft, from one of the best manufacturers. The G600 boasts comfort, speed and range for a reasonable price.
Cons
Unavailable to customers yet. The aircraft is still in its flight-testing stage, with customer deliveries expected to start at the end of 2018.
The G600 is one of the newest aircraft created by Gulfstream in the large jet sector to replace the G550. Announced alongside the G500 in 2014, the G600 will be able to carry 19 passengers up to 6,500nm.
Flying
Gulfstream announced at NBAA 2017 that it would increase the range of the G600 by 300nm over the original range, making the G600 capable of flying 7,480miles/12,038km /6,500nm – far enough to pair New York with New Delhi and London with Singapore.
A high speed cruise of 690mph/1,111kph/Mach 0.90 and a long-range cruise speed of 652mph/1,049kph/Mach 0.85 makes it one of the faster large-cabin jets available. In fact, Gulfstream claim that frequent flyers – over the course of a year – will save more than 50 hours by flying in the G600 over its (unnamed) competitors.
In the cockpit, the G600 will be equipped with the new Symmetry Flight Deck – a Gulfstream development that calibrates flight controls for safer landings, and that provides pilots with an enhanced vision system – to overcome the effects of low-visibility conditions. For passengers, this equates to a safer and smoother flight.
For the G600 (and G500), Gulfstream has chosen Pratt & Whitney to supply the engines over Rolls-Royce –a big change for existing customers. So far this decision hasn’t reduced interest in the next generation aircraft, with the PW800 engines expecting to increase fuel efficiency. Customers can also take advantage of a comprehensive engine-service plan provided by Pratt & Whitney.
Travelling
Airframe advancements provide passengers with a very spacious cabin. A width of 7ft 11in and headroom of 6ft 4in allow passengers to move around the aircraft with ease. The G600 cabin is split into four separate living areas, which can be configured from a choice of 10 cabin options – including a TV lounge and a bedroom. A forward or aft galley can be fitted, as well as a shower – allowing an impressive amount of cabin customisation and flexibility. In a high-density configuration, the G600 can fly up to 19 passengers and two crew members.
The interior is highly spacious, with four separate areas to configure.
In terms of technology, the cabin boasts HD monitors, satellite communication, the option of high-speed broadband as well as a printer and scanner – not the most exciting features – but invaluable when working inflight.
A low cabin altitude of 4,850ft, alongside a 100% fresh air replenishment system reduces the effects of jetlag and keeps passengers feeling refreshed throughout the flight. For reference, the maximum cabin altitude of a commercial aircraft is around 8,000ft.
Owning
Gulfstream aircraft are proving to be very popular with owners – with one major aircraft broker expecting 30% of its aircraft sales in the next 10 years to be Gulfstream aircraft. This means that the G600 is likely to see high demand on the pre-owned market. Gulfstream also has a long heritage and a good safety record, making the purchase of a G600 less of a risk.
A next generation cockpit alongside the cabin flexibility and the capability of the aircraft should make the G600 a popular aircraft, keeping residual values high. Be aware, over time, some cabin configurations and options may be seen as a ‘must have’ for pre-owned buyers – meaning aircraft that are configured in a less orthodox fashion may take longer to sell on pre-owned market.
A list price of $54.5 million makes the G600 slightly cheaper than competitors such as the Global 6000 ($60.5 million) or the Falcon 8X ($58 million).
Hard facts:
Maximum range: 7,134miles/11,482km /6,200nm
Maximum speed: 690mph/1,111kmh/Mach 0.90
Typical passengers: 6-9
Typical crew: 3
List price for new aircraft: $54.5 million
Pre-owned price: N/A
