As Gulfstream Aerospace heads toward certification of the G700 later this year, international launch customer Qatar Airways unveiled its model in the presence of Qatari dignitaries on the opening day of the Paris Airshow. In 2019, Qatar ordered 10 of the ultra-long-range, large-cabin aircraft valued at $750 million. Its private jet charter division, Qatar Executive, will operate the aircraft and anticipates receiving its first copy this year.
Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker led the ceremonial unveiling in the presence of Qatar Minister of Transport Jassim bin Saif bin Ahmed Al Sulaiti, Ambassador of the State of Qatar to France Sheikh Ali bin Jassem Al-Thani, and Hamad International Airport COO Badr Mohammed Al Meer. Gulfstream Aerospace president Mark Burns also joined them.
En route to the show, the aircraft established a new city-pair record, flying from the manufacturer’s facility in Savannah, Georgia, to Paris in 7 hours 19 minutes at Mach 0.90, Gulfstream reported. The G700 is powered by Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 engines and flies to a 7,500-nm range at Mach 0.85 or a 6,400-nm range at Mach 0.90. Gulfstream noted that it also has reached a record Mach 0.89 speed between Savannah and Tokyo using sustainable aviation fuel.
Importantly for Qatar Executive, the aircraft can operate nonstop from Doha to New York in 13.5 hours and from Doha to Seoul, South Korea, in less than eight hours.
“The G700 represents the pinnacle of business jet travel and will provide Qatar Executive customers with an unsurpassed experience,” Al Baker said. “The technological advances, innovation, flight instruments, cabin configurability, and environmental performance make the G700 a genuine game changer and we look forward to introducing the first G700 into Qatar Executive’s fleet in 2023.”
While Burns recently noted that pandemic-related issues, including staffing shortages at the regulatory agency, have caused the certification process to take “much longer than anticipated,” he was encouraged that the aircraft is nearing approval.
Phebe Novakovic, chair of Gulfstream parent General Dynamics, echoed those sentiments late last month to analysts. “The G700 has done beautifully in the certification process. We are now at a point where the certification process is about compliance,” she said. “The technical issues are behind us. That said, we expect to be done with that process at the beginning of September. We do not, however, control certification. So that could come in the third quarter, more likely in the fourth quarter.”