Gulfstream G550 sets speed record

A Gulfstream G550 has set a city-pair speed record between Savannah, Georgia in the US and Campinas in Brazil.

The large-cabin, ultra-long-range G550, which has set more than 50 city-pair speed records since it entered service in 2003, made the flight on August 8 in a record time of eight hours and 28 minutes.

Taking off from Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport at 0756 with 11 passengers and one flight attendant on board and international captains Eric Parker and Anthony Briotta in the cockpit, the G550 made the 3894nm (7212km) flight to Viracopos-Campinas International Airport at an average cruise speed of 519mph (835km/h).

The National Aeronautic Association confirmed the flight as a US record and forwarded the figures to the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) in Switzerland for approval as a world record. The Savannah-Campinos record had previously been unclaimed.

Powered by enhanced Rolls-Royce BR710 turbofan engines, the G550 has a range of 6750nm (12,501km) at Mach 0.80 and a high-speed cruise capability of Mach 0.87. With its long legs, the G550 can fly direct from London to Singapore and Tokyo to Paris.

The G550 is equipped with an advanced Gulfstream PlaneView cockpit, and the cabin features four distinct living areas, three temperature zones and a choice of 12 floor-plan configurations with seating for up to 18 passengers.

CAPTION: Gulfstream international captains Eric Parker (left) and Anthony Briotta. (Gulfstream)