Marc Serafino
You’ve probably already heard about G5 or G-V, which is a short name for the popular private/business jet Gulfstream V that is used by rich individuals, government officials and CEOs of major corporations to fly around the world. Here we want to demystify this plane and answer commonly asked questions about it.
1. What’s it all about?
Gulfstream V aka G5 is a business jet aircraft made by General Dynamics’ Gulfstream Aerospace unit and one of the first such planes that can handle “ultra-long range.” It had the first flight in 1995, got certification in 1997 and was introduced to the buyers one year later. The G5 is operated by 2 pilots and has a capacity of 14-19 passengers.
2. Different models?
The G5s sold today are improved versions of the original aircraft – G500 and G550, the latter of which has a longer range (6,750 nautical miles / 12,500 km vs 5,800 nautical miles / 10,700 km). The G500 was designed for customers who require the reliability of the G550, but neither the range nor the level of interior customization. Both versions have the maximum speed of 0.885 Mach (585 mph, 941 km/h) and cruise speed of 488 knots (562 mph, 0.85 Mach, 904 km/h).
3. Is there some competition?
It’s only natural that General Dynamics isn’t the only company in this space. The Gulfstream 550 competes against the Airbus Corporate Jet, Boeing Business Jet and the Bombardier Global Express.
4. Who flies these jets?
Most G5s are owned by private individuals, companies, governments and executive charter operators. Moreover, there are a number of companies who use the aircraft as part of fractional ownership programs — like Berkshire Hathaway-owned NetJets.
Google owns two G5s for Google executives, Oracle’s Larry Ellison has one, Steve Jobs has been using a G5 while he was an Apple CEO, and there’s also Mark Cuban who bought his plane via Internet, earning a Guinness Record of “largest single e-commerce transaction.”
5. What about military?
Yup, they like business jets, too. Model number C-37A is the version of the original G5 made for the U.S. Air Force service, Defense Department officials and other army/government needs. The updated C-37B model, based on the Gulfstream G550, is also in use by Navy, Army and there’s one plane used as VIP transport for the President during certain operations.
6. Numbers and the money?
As I’m writing this, more than 200 G5s have been made. The more “affordable” Gulfstream G500 could be yours for $42 million, while the longer-range G550 version costs $8 million more. We’ll get the cheaper version, what about you? 😉
[Image from gulfstream.com]
