Luxury Jet Gulfstream G550
© gulfstream.com Edinburgh, Jan 1: A luxury jet flying between Edinburgh and Beijing has set a new world record by completing the journey in just eight hours, 47 minutes - around half the time it takes on a commercial flight via London.
The Gulfstream special charter flight from Edinburgh took place to demonstrate the 23 million pound luxury jet plane's performance for potential buyers.
Four passengers, thought likely to be ultra-rich businessmen with links in China, were on board.
Gulfstream has now submitted applications to the National Aeronautic Association to confirm the new records.
The Scotsman quoted aviation writer Jim Ferguson as saying that the number of luxury jet planes at Edinburgh Airport was likely to increase in coming years as with the city’s growing economy, which was attracting more wealthy executives.
"This is the kind of aircraft that can only be afforded by the seriously rich and has interior lay-outs that can be mind-boggling. Gulfstream was clearly out to impress people who are not normally impressed," he said.
The G550 business jet aircraft comes with four living areas for up to 18 passengers, which can be transformed into dining rooms or offices. The plane boasts of state of the art modern gadgets.
Released on the market in 2003, it can travel 6750 nautical miles and is the longest-range business jet in the world.
According to Ferguson, the secret behind the plane’s speed is that it climbs higher than normal commercial aircraft.
Speed is the main reason why airliners fly at an altitude above 30,000 feet - or ten kilometres. Air is thinner the higher a plane flies, and at 10km the density is about one quarter of its value at sea level, he said.
“Planes stay aloft because of the flow of air above and below their wings. That flow creates an upward lift force opposing gravity, which keeps the plane from falling. At higher altitudes, planes need to fly faster to get the same lift, but there is also less drag - the force that resists the motion of an object though the air,” he added.
He said the jet that flew to Beijing must have been flown at around 40,000ft at an average speed of 0.87 Mach - just short of the speed of sound.
Incidentally, only a week after the trip, the jet set another record, flying 6216 nautical miles between Beijing and Louisville in Kentucky in 13 hours and 27 minutes. (ANI)