Gulfstream's G650 and G650ER Earn China CAA Nod

Gulfstream announced yesterday that its flagship G650 and G650ER ultra-long-range twinjets have received type certificate validation from China’s Civil Aviation Administration, confirming the authorization given by the FAA, and removing the last barriers for an aircraft to be registered in the Asian country. The approval marks the 26th country approval for the G650 and the 16th for the G650ER.

“The G650 and G650ER demonstrate real-world capability that our customers value,” said Scott Neal, the Savannah airframer’s senior vice president of worldwide sales. “As business aviation needs in the Asia-Pacific region continue to increase, we are pleased to offer our customers in China the safety, performance and reliability [of] the G650 and G650ER.” At Mach 0.85, the G650 offers a range of 7,000 nm, while its longer-legged G650ER sister can travel 7,500 nm.

In February 2015, the G650ER set two city-pair speed records, during a one-stop, around-the-world trip, traveling 6,939 nm from White Plains, N.Y., to Beijing at Mach 0.87, and a 6,572-nm return from Beijing to Savannah at Mach 0.89.