Gulfstream said Thursday its G700 completed a flight from Los Angeles to Farnborough, England, in 8 hours and 27 minutes, claiming a new speed record for the city pair. The aircraft averaged Mach 0.91 during the flight.
G700 Tops Recent Global 8000 Flight
The trip came shortly after Bombardier announced that a Global 8000 had flown the same route in 8 hours and 46 minutes. Bombardier said its aircraft reached Mach 0.93 and improved on the previous city-pair mark by 2.2%.
Business-jet manufacturers regularly use city-pair flights to demonstrate high-speed cruise and long-range performance, and aircraft can accumulate dozens of records across different routes.
Certification Status Unclear
Formal U.S. aviation records can be submitted to the National Aeronautic Association for review using flight data and independent observation. Gulfstream’s announcement did not say whether the G700 flight had been submitted for NAA certification.
Gulfstream lists the G700’s maximum operating speed at Mach 0.935 and a high-speed range of 6,650 nautical miles at Mach 0.90. Bombardier lists the Global 8000’s maximum speed at Mach 0.95 and a range of 8,000 nautical miles.
Next, they can attempt to set an in-state city pair record between Zzyzx, CA and Bummerville, CA.