Summary

  • Oprah operates a Gulfstream G650ER (registered as N54QW) that has flown 61 times in 2023.
  • The G650 is Gulfstream’s biggest and fastest business jet, setting range records and equipped with advanced features.
  • The G650 has a non-circular fuselage, fitting 19 passengers, and powerful Rolls-Royce engines for high performance.

Oprah Winfrey is one of the world’s most famous talk show hosts. She famously hosted The Oprah Winfrey Show, which ran for over 25 years, from 1986 to 2011. However, prior to her show’s conclusion, she was already ranked as one of the world’s most influential women in the world.

Oprah grew up in poverty in rural Mississippi. However, she fell in love with television and radio, and by the age of 19, she was a co-anchor for her local evening news. Her story-telling abilities eventually led her to Chicago, where she hosted her local talk show. Eventually, she launched her own production company and reinvented her daily talk show. From this point on, Oprah dominated the tabloid talk shows.

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Gulfstream G650: The Celebrity Private Jet Of Choice

As of September 2022, Gulfstream has built 500 G650s.

Her production company, as well as many other endeavors, helped launch her to incredible wealth, and she was listed as the richest African American of the 20th century. Due to Oprah’s extreme wealth, it is no wonder she is able to travel privately. Travelers who have the ability to travel privately are treated to the ultimate luxury. These travelers are able to depart from a wide variety of airports, as the smaller private jets are capable of landing on shorter runways at smaller airports. Private jet operators are also able to depart whenever they truly want and fly to wherever they feel is necessary. Because of this, it is no wonder that Oprah operates a private jet. Let’s take a closer look at the private jet that Oprah uses, and also some of the unique features that make this aircraft so special.

Oprah’s Gulfstream G650

Oprah currently operates a Gulfstream G650ER, which is registered as N54QW. According to JetSpy, this aircraft was originally built in 2015. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has Wilmington Trust as the registered owner, although Oprah and her team operate the aircraft.

A Qatar Executive Gulfstream G650ER flying in the sky.

Photo: InsectWorld | Shutterstock

According to JetSpy, this aircraft has flown 61 times this year and accumulated over 140 flight hours. This required over 70,000 gallons of fuel for a cost of an estimated $436,000. Additionally, N54QW has visited the following airports the most:

  • Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA)
  • Telluride Regional Airport (TEX)
  • Van Nuys Airport (VNY)

In 2023, per JetSpy, the aircraft recorded just under 150 total flights for an estimated 348 flight hours.

About the Gulfstream G650

Gulfstream began developing the G650 as early as 2005. It was the first clean-sheet aircraft that the company designed and developed in the 21st century. Gulfstream officially announced the aircraft to the public in March 2008. Once it was introduced, the aircraft would be Gulfstream’s biggest and fastest business jet. However, it was recently surpassed in both terms by the recently certified Gulfstream G700. The aircraft underwent a lengthy development process that included over 1,400 hours of wind tunnel testing. The aircraft flew for the first time in November 2009.

However, in April 2011, a G650 that was undergoing flight testing crashed shortly after liftoff. This aircraft was the second test aircraft that Gulfstream had produced. The crash occurred shortly after takeoff from Roswell International Air Center (ROW) and resulted in the death of four Gulfstream employees. The resulting investigation caused the company to raise the aircraft’s minimum takeoff safety speed to 150 knots (173 miles per hour).

G650ER landing in malta

Photo: InsectWorld | Shutterstock

The aircraft was officially awarded its type certificate by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in September 2012, and deliveries of the aircraft began in December 2012.

In May 2014, Gulfstream announced at the annual European Business Aviation Association convention that it had developed a longer-range version of the G650, designated the G650ER. This aircraft increased its fuel capacity by nearly 4,000 pounds and reached a maximum range of 7,500 nautical miles (8,630 miles). This aircraft was certified in October 2014, and deliveries began at the end of the year. The aircraft eventually set several range records, including flying 8,379 nautical miles (9,642 miles) from Singapore to Tuscon in April 2019.

Notable design features of the Gulfstream G650

One of the most interesting features of the G650 is its non-circular fuselage. It is more ovular, and it has the following interior dimensions:

  • Cabin length: 46 feet ten inches
  • Cabin height: Six feet three inches
  • Cabin width: Eight feet two inches

This allows the aircraft to fit 19 passengers and features eight panoramic windows on each side of the fuselage. Inside the cockpit, the G650 uses the same yoke and column as the G550, which allows it to achieve a common type rating. Its avionics system is the Honeywell Primus Epic avionics suite.

Gulfstream G650 shutterstock_2434523891

Photo: Kevin Porter I Shutterstock 

The newly designed wing has a sweep of 36 degrees, more than any previous Gulfstream, and features swept winglets. The G650 also utilizes all fly-by-wire flight controls, becoming only the second business jet to utilize them. The G650 is powered by two Rolls-Royce BR725 engines, which provide nearly 17,000 pounds of thrust each. The powerful engines help the aircraft achieve the following performance measures:

Length

99 feet nine inches

Wingspan

99 feet seven inches

Height

25 feet eight inches

Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW)

103,600 pounds

Range

7,500 nautical miles (8,600 miles)

Cruise speed

Mach 0.90 (594 miles per hour)

Maximum speed

Mach 0.925 (611 miles per hour)

Ceiling

51,000 feet

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