Summary
- High-profile owners prioritize comfort and productivity in ultra-long-range private jets.
- Innovative technologies enhance passenger experience on private jets, including circadian lighting, fresh air circulation and lower cabin pressure.
- The Bombardier Global 8000 stands out as the fastest ultra-long-range civilian aircraft with a top speed of Mach 0.94.
Aircraft manufacturers always have the challenge of producing the fastest ultra-long-range aircraft and today is no exception. Purposely designed business jets from the leading three manufacturers, Bombardier, Gulfstream and Dassault, compete to be the fastest and the very best. So, which will be the fastest ultra-long range aircraft?
Customer comfort
Along with the need for speed and range, comfort is still very important considering the distances traveled. Larger cabins allow for living and sleeping areas or can be turned into a boardroom if necessary. Combining comfort and productivity meets the needs of high-profile owners, who need to arrive at their destination refreshed instead of jet-lagged.
Innovative technologies
The latest in innovative technologies can also improve how passengers feel better when traveling by private jet. Circadian lighting, natural lighting from larger windows, fresh air filters, and lower cabin pressurization are all examples. Redesigned seating and private areas make travel more comfortable. Passengers can travel across numerous time zones whilst feeling healthier than ever before. High-speed Wi-Fi and cabin management systems are a necessity.
Photo: Bombardier
The Global 8000: Fastest private jet of the future?
Maximum Speed: Mach 0.94 (1,150 km/h)
Performance characteristics |
Specifications |
---|---|
Passenger capacity |
19 |
Power plants |
2x General Electric Passport engines |
Thrust per engine |
18,920 lbf (84.2 kN) |
Operational range |
8,000 NM (15,000 km) |
Cruise speed |
Mach 0.92 (609 knots, 594 mph, 1,130 km/h) |
Service ceiling |
51,000 ft (16,000 m) |
The Bombardier Global 8000 will be the fastest civilian aircraft in the world since Concorde. Tests in May 2021, showed that the aircraft exceeded the speed of sound and went supersonic at a Mach of 1.015. The aircraft has the longest maximum range of a private jet at 8000 nautical miles or 14,816 kilometers. Its top maximum speed is Mach 0.94 or a stunning 1,100 kilometers per hour. This means the aircraft can fly between Los Angeles and Sydney with ease.
Photo: Gulfstream Aerospace
The Gulfstream G700
Maximum Speed: Mach 0.935 (993 km/h)
Performance characteristics |
Specifications |
---|---|
Passenger capacity |
19 |
Power plants |
2x Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 turbofan engines |
Thrust per engine |
18,250 lbf (81.2 kN) |
Operational range |
7,750 NM (14,350 km) |
Cruise speed |
Mach 0.9 (516 knots, 956 km/h) |
Service ceiling |
51,000 ft (15,545 m) |
The much-awaited Gulfstream G700 has just been certified and deliveries have started. It has a range of 7,750 nautical miles or 14,353 kilometers, meaning you can fly almost anywhere in the world non-stop. It has a maximum speed of Mach 0.935. The aircraft has an aerodynamic wing and winglets to help improve efficiency. The Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 engines provide 18,250 pounds of thrust.
Photo: Dassault
The Dassault Falcon 10X
Maximum Speed: Mach 0.925 (983 km/h)
Performance characteristics |
Specifications |
---|---|
Passenger capacity |
19 |
Power plants |
2x Rolls-Royce 10X turbofan engines |
Thrust per engine |
18,000 lbf (80.0 kN) |
Operational range |
7,500 NM (8,600 miles, 13,900 km) |
Cruise speed |
Mach 0.9 (516 knots, 594 mph, 956 km/h) |
Service ceiling |
51,000 ft (15,545 m) |
Although the Falcon 10X was originally scheduled for 2025, the schedule was delayed to 2027 due to material shortages and supply chain issues. The Falcon 10X is the largest long-range Falcon aircraft and is comparable to the Global 7500 and the Gulfstream G700. It is powered by Rolls-Royce 10X turbofan engines that produce 18,000 pounds of thrust. A trip between Shanghai and New York would be possible with a range of 7,500 nautical miles and at a top Mach of 0.925.
Photo: Gulfstream
The Gulfstream G800
Maximum Speed: Mach 0.925 (982 km/h)
Performance characteristics |
Specifications |
---|---|
Passenger capacity |
19 |
Power plants |
2x Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 engines |
Thrust per engine |
18,250 lbf (81.2 kN) |
Operational range |
8,000 NM (14,800 km) |
Cruise speed |
Mach 0.85 (488 knots, 903 km/h) |
Service ceiling |
51,000 ft (15,545 m) |
The Gulfstream G800 was first introduced in 2021. It has the wings of the G700 and the Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 engines as well as the cabin of the G650, making it slightly smaller. It will have a range of 8,000 nautical miles or 14,800 kilometers and a Mach of 0.925, the same speed as the Falcon 10X but with more range. It will be designed for fuel efficiency so that owners can travel long distances faster but more efficiently.
Photo: Bombardier
The Global 7500
Maximum Speed: Mach 0.925 (982 km/h)
Performance characteristics |
Specifications |
---|---|
Passenger capacity |
19 |
Power plants |
2x GE Passport engines |
Thrust per engine |
18,920 lbf (84.2 kN) |
Operational range |
7,700 NM (14,260 km) |
Cruise speed |
Mach 0.85 (562 knots, 1,040 km/h) |
Service ceiling |
51,000 ft (15,545m) |
The Bombardier Global 7500 is in production and more than 150 have been built since it was first introduced. It has a range of 7,700 nautical miles or 14,260 km meaning it could fly from Perth to Munich and has up to 17 hours endurance. It has a speed of Mach 0.925 or 982 kilometers per hour. The Global 7500 has the same engines as the Global 8000, the General Electric Passport engines which produce over 18,000 pounds of thrust.
In conclusion
There is a lot of competition between the manufacturers to produce the fastest ultra long-range business jet, certainly as market needs change. All five of these business jets are comparable and are very close in competition. Owners and operators will always have personal preferences regarding which they prefer and the configuration and technology required. It is fair to say that as the Global 8000 broke the speed barrier in tests, it will probably be the fastest private jet of the future.