Inside Elon Musk’s new US$78 million Gulfstream G700 private jet: the Twitter CEO’s plane, arriving in 2023, has the largest cabin of any business jet in the world – and 5 different living areas
The 51-year-old recently bought a Gulfstream G700, according to Texas-based news site Austonia, which is expected to replace his Gulfstream G650ER.
The Tesla boss regularly travels by private plane. In 2018, the billionaire flew more than 241,000km (150,000 miles) on his G650ER, according to flight records obtained by The Washington Post – that’s the equivalent of more than six times around the Earth.
According to a June report by Austonia, Musk has placed an order for the Gulfstream G700 – one of Gulfstream’s newest jets – with delivery expected in early 2023.
But the G700’s deliveries might be delayed by three to six months, as the Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA, continues to review the jet’s software, reported Flight Global.
So, what do we know about his new purchase?
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It’s got a price tag of US$78 million
Aside from its hefty upfront cost, operating the G700 can be pricey too. Flying the jet for 400 hours can rack up operating expenses of around US$3.5 million, according to Liberty Jet. Fuel and engine overhaul are the most expensive parts of operating the plane, per the aviation site.
Musk is no stranger to these expensive operating costs: his October 31 flight on the G650ER from Los Angeles to New Jersey in the US racked up US$14,830 in fuel expenses, according to Twitter account @ElonJet, which tracks Musk’s flights. Musk was in the air for around four and a half hours, per the account.
It’s the world’s largest purpose-built private jet
The G700 can seat up to 19 passengers, according to a specification sheet by Gulfstream. The new model is reportedly the “stretched” version of the G650, and aims to rival the Bombardier 7500 in size, according to Bloomberg. It measures 33 metres (109 feet) in length and eight metres (25 feet) in height, according to Gulfstream.
It can fly from Singapore to San Francisco non-stop
The small but mighty G700 has a range of 13,900km (7,500 nautical miles), which means the jet can fly from Singapore in Asia to San Francisco in the US without a stop. The G700 also has a cruising speed of Mach 0.925, according to the aforementioned Gulfstream spec sheet.
According to a May press release by Gulfstream, the G700 flew from Georgia in the US to Geneva, Switzerland in seven hours and 37 minutes at a cruising speed of Mach 0.90. That’s pretty nippy for a small plane.
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Its has the largest cabin among business jets
The G700 has the largest cabin among business jets, measuring 17 metres (56 feet and 11 inches) in length, which allows it to have five “living areas”, according to Gulfstream. Its cabin is split into various sections including a lavatory, galley, forward seating, entertainment suite and dining area, the jet’s virtual tour shows.
It has a luxurious stateroom
The stateroom is designed with either a single or double bed, as photos of the G700’s interior show, and its en suite bathroom is one of the jet’s most luxurious features. It has several compartments for toiletries and valuables, a full-length mirror, and a leather-seat toilet, the virtual tour shows.
The G700 can also be customised for the bathroom to be designed with a shower. The G700 also has 20 “wellness boosting” oval shaped windows, which allow ample light to stream into the jet’s interior.
A baggage compartment that measures 5.5 cubic metres (195 cubic feet) is located at the aft of the plane, per Gulfstream.
- In 2018, the Tesla billionaire flew the equivalent of more than six times around the world on his G650ER private jet – now he’s set to replace it with a state of the art G700
- The new jet is crammed with luxurious features, from a dining table and double bed, to a bathroom with a leather toilet seat that can even be configured with a shower