Gulfstream G550

Overview & History

The G550 was introduced in 2003 and over 600 units have been produced & delivered across the globe.

The G550 is produced by Gulfstream at their headquarters in Savannah, Georgia and is based off the Gulfstream V platform.

The original Gulfstream V was produced in the 1990’s in response to the Bombardier Global Express. Gulfstream’s have always been able to maintain their image as a pop-culture icon.

The term Gulfstream is synonymous with private jet and are often regarded as the best of the best. While Bombardier, Embraer, Dassault Falcon and Cessna all make fantastic competitors, none hold the pop culture status quite like a Gulfstream.

The G550 helps to uphold this image, despite having been in production for nearly two decades, and has led to variants such as the G500.

Gulfstream G550 Performance

The G550 is powered by two Rolls-Royce BR710 engines mounted to the rear of the fuselage. Each BR710 produces 15,385 lb of thrust (30,770 lb total), which means the G550 can take-off in just 5,910 feet and can land in just 2,770 feet.

The engines are able to push the G550 to a maximum altitude of 51,000 feet and a maximum cruise speed of 488 knots.

With a Max Take-Off Weight (MTOW) of 91,000 lbs, the G550 has a range of 6,750 nautical miles, allowing it to hop from Europe to the Americas, Africa and most of Asia without issue.

Gulfstream G550 Interior

The G550 is efficient with its use of space with a total cabin length of 15.27 metres (50 ft 1 in), width of 2.13 metres (7 ft) and a cabin height of 1.83 metres (6 ft), totalling a cabin volume of 47.26 cubic metres (1,669 cubic feet).

With all this space the G550 is able to carry up to 19 passengers (dependent upon the configuration) and sleep up to eight passengers.

One of the most notable features with all Gulfstream’s are the large, oval shaped windows.

These windows are larger than the competition and the G550 features 14 Gulfstream Signature Oval Windows throughout the cabin, making the cabin feel even larger and help boost wellness through the abundance of natural light.

Matti Blume, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Despite the length of time that the G550 has been in service it still features all the modern technology that one would expect from a private jet.

All seats feature a personal audio/visual display and cabin settings are able to be controlled through a smartphone app, such as the window shades, the cabin temperature, video input, cabin audio and flight information.

When configuring the aircraft everything is bespoke to the customer with a wide range of cabin configurations available.

You can option forward or aft galley configurations, with or without a crew compartment and up to four living areas.

If you want a rice cooker in the galley this can be optioned. As standard the G550 features a wireless network, satellite communication, Iridium phone and a fax/printer.

Cockpit

The G550 requires two pilots to operate the aircraft which is standard within this category of aircraft. The G550 features Gulfstream’s PlaneView avionics system which was developed in conjunction with Honeywell.

When the G550 was released it pioneered several performance capabilities and flight deck innovations. The PlaneView system is no exception and is an entirely glass flight deck.

Four 14-inch LCD displays dominate the control center, increasing the viewing area while decreasing pilot workload with streamlined flight data.

Additionally, the Enhanced Vision System (EVS) on the G550 leverages infrared imaging technology to display what the human eye cannot see when visibility is reduced or obscured.

The flight deck can also feature an innovative Head-Up Display (HUD) which projects flight data to a transparent screen in the pilot’s forward field of vision, increasing safety during critical moments such as during take-off and landing.

Matti Blume, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Gulfstream G550 Charter Cost

The estimated hourly cost to rent a G550 is $7,650 per flight hour.

Slightly more than the shorter range variant of it, the G500 but approximately $3,000 dollars less per flight hour than its bigger brother, the G650.

Purchase Price

The G550 cost from new is $62 million before options. Finding a G550 for sale is a simple task as there are lots of aircraft on the market.

However, finding a year and specification that fits your needs will be trickier as the age of aircraft span from decades to months.

A pre-owned G550 from 2006 will cost $15 million, with a 2012 model costing $23 million.