Gulfstream G650 Reaches Top Speed, May Spawn New Models

A Gulfstream G650 reached its top operating speed of Mach 0.925 during a test flight from the company's headquarters in Savannah, Ga. on May 2. When certified, the G650 will become the fastest business jet in service, a distinction now held by Cessna's Citation X. Gulfstream expects the wide-cabin, ultra-long-range G650 to in service in 2012. Meanwhile, the manufacturer is working on designs that may leverage elements of the G650, according to BJT sister publication Aviation International News. One source speculated that a shorter G650 fuselage with new engines could provide a modern replacement for the G450/G550.