Gulfstream's speedy, spacious G700 business jet gets FAA certification

Gulfstream Aerospace announced Friday its new G700 jet has finally received certification from the Federal Aviation Administration.

It has been nearly five years since Savannah, Georgia-based Gulfstream first announced plans for the G700, a ultra long-range business jet that has the most spacious cabin in its class. It has a range of 7,750 nautical miles — enough to go from Atlanta to Dubai — at Mach 0.85 speed, or about 560 nautical miles per hour.

The clearance from the FAA paves the way for Gulfstream to start delivering the jet to customers who have placed orders.

Gulfstream originally planned to get certification and start delivering the G700 in 2022, but that timeline was pushed back as certification took longer than expected.

That’s in part because FAA aircraft certification regulations were revamped in 2020 after the crashes of two Boeing 737 Max commercial jets, resulting in a more rigorous vetting process.

“The G700 brings a new level of performance and cabin comfort to business aviation and is doing so while meeting the highest certification standards our industry has ever seen,” said Gulfstream President Mark Burns in a written statement.

General Dynamics, Gulfstream’s parent company, has been expecting a “surge in deliveries upon FAA certification of the G700,” according to General Dynamics CEO Phebe Novakovic in a written statement when company released its quarterly financial results earlier this year.

Gulfstream showed off the G700 at an event at Cobb County International Airport in Kennesaw last September, allowing visitors to peek inside the cabin that has room for up to 19 passengers and options including a suite with a bed and multiple “living areas.” The 2023 list price: $79 million.

In Georgia, aerospace products are the No. 1 export, totaling $11.1 billion in 2023, and Gulfstream is one of the industry’s flagship companies in the state.