Latest news with #G650
Extra.ie
24-04-2025
- Business
- Extra.ie
Gulfstream G650: Take a peek inside Rory McIlroy's record-breaking €50m private jet
Rory McIlroy is a Grand Slam champion after his Masters heroics at Augusta earlier this month and the win gave his coffers a healthy boost to the tune of just under €4m. That's helped his life off the course considerably, as has the purchase of a private jet acquired in 2024 to take him around the globe in style throughout the golf season. Here is the inside and out of McIlroy's private jet, the Gulfstream G650ER: Rory McIlroy purchased a 2022 Gulfstream G650ER late last year. Pic:With over 500 aircraft currently in use, the G650 is one of the most trusted business jets globally, according to the manufacturer. The G650ER is an extended-range version of the G650, adding about 500 nmi (930 km; 580 mi) by modifying the fuel system. It is powered by two Rolls-Royce BR725 turbofans mounted to the rear fuselage. The interior of the Gulfstream G650ER business jet. Pic: SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg via Getty Images Cost depends on the aircraft's configuration, usage, and model year. A used G650ER could cost anywhere between $40m (€35.1m) and $60m (€52.7m) which helps as a gauge for the price McIlroy paid. A used Gulfstream G650ER could still set a customer back over €50m. Pic: SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg via Getty Images The latest model bought new can cost up to $78m (€68.6m) depending on various factors such as how the aircraft is configured, how it was utilised and its model year. McIlroy was known to have acquired a 2022 model in late 2024 – putting his bird at the upper end on the price scale. The G650ER can carry between up to 16 passengers in the supreme comfort of its luxury interior. There are four separate living areas contained within the jet, with the interior completely customisable for the owner. The Gulfstream G650ER is fitted with 16 panoramic oval windows which reveal more natural light in the main cabin. Pic: SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg via Getty Images The plane is fitted with 16 panoramic oval windows which reveal more natural light in the main cabin, which is 47 feet long. The plane flies 16 passengers and sleeps seven, with some seats converting into beds. There is also a galley kitchen where flight attendants prepare food. The spacious main cabin offers options for meeting and dining room spaces, while there are also two lavatories on board at either end of the plane. McIlroy purchased his jet late last year before changing its tail number, a move which allowed fans to track where the golfer was headed, according to RadarAtlas. The G650 holds 120 world speed records and had the fastest westbound, around-the-world flight for a non-supersonic aircraft back in 2013 when a model circled the globe in 41 hours, 7 minutes after making stops along the way in Guam, Dubai and Cape Verde.
Epoch Times
24-04-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
General Dynamics Profits Jet Higher on Sales of Business Aircraft
General Dynamics' profits jumped more than 27 percent in the first quarter as the company's aerospace business is expected to begin making deliveries of its new long-range executive jet later this summer. Based in Reston, Virginia, the aerospace and military contractor provides a range of products and services for the Pentagon and other U.S. government agencies, as well as private sector and commercial customers worldwide. In a conference call with Wall Street analysts on April 23, General Dynamics CEO Phebe Novakovic said the company's four business segments saw increases in earnings and revenue compared to a year ago. She noted the company's growth and strong performance in the defense and aerospace sectors, which saw a 50 percent increase in aircraft deliveries. 'This business has become a real jewel. In summary, the aerospace team has had a good quarter,' Novakovic said of the company's Gulfstream subsidiary and jet aviation business. During the quarter, Gulfstream delivered 36 business jets to customers worldwide, including 13 of its new ultra-large-cabin G700 aircraft that can carry up to 19 passengers. A year ago, Gulfstream delivered its first G700 to customers, providing the company with a new flagship executive jet to rival Bombardier's Global 7500 and Dassault Falcon's new 10X entry. Last week, Gulfstream also announced that the company's new G800 was certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. Produced at the Savannah, Georgia, production facility, the G800 is billed as the world's longest-range business jet, capable of traveling over 8,200 nautical miles (9,400 miles) at speeds nearing Mach 0.935. Related Stories 4/23/2025 4/22/2025 Gulfstream's fleet of executive business aircraft also includes the G400, G500, G600, and G650. The latter recently recorded the farthest and fastest flight in business aviation history, traveling from Singapore to Tucson, Arizona, a distance of about 9,200 miles, in just over 15 hours, and completed production in February. Since then, the new executive jet entry has moved to the company's completion center in Appleton, Wisconsin, where the first G650 will be delivered to the first customer later this year. During the conference call, Novakovic also highlighted General Dynamics' position as one of the nation's top prime defense contractors, providing a full spectrum of technology, artificial intelligence, and machine learning services and products to military, intelligence, and federal civilian customers. Under the company's combat and marine subsidiaries, the prime defense contractor General Dynamics' brand-name products for the U.S. military include the M1 Abrams tank, Virginia-Class submarines, and Stryker anti-tank missiles and armored vehicles used by Ukraine in the ongoing war with Russia. 'Demand for combat system products continues to be robust, with particular strength in Europe,' said Novakovic, citing 'the heightened threat environment' globally. The General Dynamics chief executive said that in addition to recent contracts exceeding $1 billion to supply the U.S. Army with battlefront combat vehicles, which Ukrainian soldiers are now using against Russian infantry, the company is also working with the Pentagon to accelerate the modernization of the Abrams M-1 tank. In late 2023, the U.S. Army first After earlier upgrades in 2018, the new Army tank is considered the world's most lethal battlefield tank. Army officials have said publicly that the latest version will be updated with the latest modular systems, allowing quicker technological upgrades and requiring fewer resources. 'We are rapidly increasing munitions capacity and production with the opening of our projectile facility in Texas and our load, assembly, and pack facility in Arkansas,' Novakovic confirmed. 'All in all, combat had a solid quarter and is off to a good start for the year.' General Dynamics On a company-wide basis, orders in the quarter totaled $10.2 billion, and backlog at the end of the quarter was $88.7 billion. As the Trump administration and Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) move forward with In response to analyst questions about the impact of Trump administration tariffs, trade policy, and possible DOGE and Department of Defense budget cuts on company operations, the General Dynamics CEO said the company preferred to hold comments until more information is available. 'If I were more specific, I would be wrong. I am just really sharing how we see it from our foxhole,' said Novakovic. 'Rumors are rampant, and I just want to see what the [Trump] budget shows.' Taking a page from a growing number of Fortune 500 companies, Novakovic said General Dynamics would not revise or update its yearly financial forecast. Earlier in January, the company provided earnings per share guidance of $14.75 billion to $14.85 billion for the first quarter, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of $13.7 billion. In Wednesday's New York Stock Exchange session, General Dynamics' shares settled at $265.53, down $9.27 or 3.3 percent.
