Qatar Executive has just taken delivery of the first two of nine G700s – A7-CHA and A7-CHB – which it unveiled at an event in Doha this week. As the worldwide exclusive commercial operator, Qatar Executive will be the first carrier to offer the aircraft to charter customers. Expressions of interest are growing fast and the new G700 fleet will be ready to begin commercial operations within the next fortnight, according to Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, group CEO, Qatar Airways. 

“Today we welcome the industry’s highest performance, ultra-long-range business jet to the Qatar Executive fleet,” said Al-Meer. “We are proud to enhance our existing fleet of 15 Gulfstream G650ER aircraft to include the pinnacle of business aviation excellence and look forward to seeing our guests on board soon.”

The G700 is fitted with Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 engines, bringing with it greater efficiency and more range than its predecessors. It’s originally quoted range of 7,500nm was upgraded to 7,750nm in September 2023. It is the fastest Gulfstream business jet ever produced with a top speed of Mach 0.935. The aircraft also boasts a balanced field length take-off distance of 5,995ft (1,827m) and a landing distance of 3,150 ft (960m) at sea level. 

‘Aircraft delivered using SAF’

The G700 is sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) ready. In fact the first G700 was delivered to Qatar Executive from Gulfstream’s HQ in Georgia, US fuelled by a SAF blend. “From our vantage point, sustainable aviation fuel is one of the key points that will help us achieve industry sustainability goals,” Mark Burns, president of Gulfstream told CJI. “We are offering all new customers of the G700 the chance to have their aircraft delivered using SAF, just as we fly it as part of our test programme.”

Inside, the G700 features the industry’s lowest cabin pressure altitude making flights at 41,000ft feel like 2,840ft. The cabin itself is split across four individual living areas including a private rear stateroom with a permanent fixed bed – all naturally lit via 20 trademark oval windows. Also, an ionising system for cabin air and 100% fresh air replenishment every three minutes provide the highest air quality ever in a business jet, according to Gulfstream. 

“Qatar Executive has been a valued Gulfstream customer for nearly 10 years,” said Burns. “We are honoured to have them as our international partner for the launch and first deliveries of the all-new G700. We look forward to growing their fleet in the months ahead.”

The G700 joins Qatar Executive’s fleet which includes 15 Gulfstream G650ERs, two Bombardier Global 5000s and an ACJ CRT. Keen to emphasise the growth outlook of Qatar Executive, the new aircraft are an addition not a replacement, according to Al-Meer. In addition to A7-CHA and A7-CHB, two further aircraft are in the final stages of acceptance and expected to arrive in Qatar in the coming weeks. Once all nine deliveries have been completed, Qatar Executive’s Gulfstream fleet will comprise 24 aircraft.

Fifa World Cup

Numerous airlines have tried before – including Delta and Lufthansa – to establish an executive division. Most have failed. But 15 years on from launching at the Paris Air Show in 2009, Qatar Executive says it is going from strength to strength. After seeing huge increases in traffic as a result of the 2022 Fifa World Cup, the subsidiary reported a 49% year-on-year increase in commercial revenue growth in 2023. 

“I want to be as humble as possible,” said Al-Meer. “But especially when it comes to high-level customers we understand this better than other businesses because we have been working with high-level customers for a very long time. We understand their needs. 

“We also have a base of very loyal returning customers, who often travel with the same cabin crew and who in turn understand their needs and requirements,” he added.

One of Qatar’s G700s (A7-CHB) will be on display at next week’s European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE2024) in Geneva. It will be the only Gulfstream aircraft exhibited at the show this year after the OEM decided to pull out.

“Every two to three years we assess the most effective use of our marketing,” explained Burns. “We have decided on a strategy that includes more personal shows in regions like here in the Gulf, the wider Middle East and Asia.”

The G700 was due to be delivered in 2023, but delays with the FAA certification programme saw deliveries pushed out to this year. However, good things come to those who wait. Doha’s main airport Hamad International was six years overdue when it opened in 2014. Now, the third busiest airport in the Middle East, it just took the tile for World’s Best Airport 2024 at the World Airport Awards.

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With its Pearl engine family, it managed to keep everyone happy. It has never said if the engine is named after the Chinese Pearl River or the one that flows through Mississippi and Louisiana. Canada, Costa Rica and New York state also have Pearl Rivers or Rio Perlas so it could be theirs.

This week Rolls-Royce started flight-testing the Pearl 10X which will power Dassault’s flagship Falcon 10X. The Pearl 10X is the most powerful business aircraft engine the manufacturer has ever made. 

A Pearl 10X test engine has been fitted to Rolls-Royce’s Boeing 747 flying test bed. Plane spotters wanting to see the five-engine aircraft need to go to Tucson, Arizona. The testing includes engine performance and handling checks at various speeds and altitudes, in-flight relights, tests of the nacelle’s anti-icing system and fan vibration tests at various altitudes. It has already been tested for more than 2,300 hours on the ground and can use 100% sustainable aviation fuel.

Rolls-Royce and Dassault got very close to working together in the past. But this will be the first Rolls-Royce engine to power a Dassault aircraft.

“The market success of the Pearl engine family has been outstanding,” said Dr Rob Watson, president civil aerospace, Rolls-Royce at the company’s capital markets day last year. It has been key to its business aviation division. Before the launch of the engine in 2018 there was talk of Rolls-Royce losing market share.

Textron had selected Snecma’s Silvercrest for its Hemisphere and in 2013 Dassault chose it for its planned Falcon 5X. Neither aircraft happened, but in 2014 Gulfstream chose Pratt & Whitney engines for the G500 and G600. This was a blow as the company had powered every large-cabin Gulfstream since the G1 in 1958.

Rolls-Royce announced the Pearl family when the engine was picked for Bombardier’s Global 5500 and Global 6500 aircraft. It then went on to win hard-fought campaigns for Gulfstream’s newly certificated G700, the upcoming G800 and Dassault’s Falcon 10X. Rolls-Royce says it had 70% market share in the large business jet market in 2022 and 85% in the ultra-long-range market. 

Large commercial engines that power widebody airliners dominate Rolls-Royce’s commercial aviation division – making up 72% of its 2023 aerospace sales. But business aviation is the next biggest part with 21% of sales. Tufan Erginbilgic, who became Rolls-Royce’s CEO in January 2023, has stressed the importance of business aircraft to the company. 

Rolls-Royce is ramping up production. It delivered 165 business aviation engines in 2022, 223 in 2023 and it is aiming for close to 300 in 2024. As new aircraft with its engines are delivered it will, of course, see flight hours rise and aim to enrol new customers in its Corporate Care programme.

The newly certificated Gulfstream G700 will drive a lot of this as the Savannah manufacturer ramps up delivery. Gulfstream is planning to deliver 50 G700s in 2024.

At its investor day last year, the company forecast 8-9% annual delivery growth for its business aviation engines. This is compared with 3% for the large aircraft market.

The Falcon 10X still has a way to go before it is certificated, but Rolls-Royce should still celebrate the start of flight testing. If anyone is looking for a venue, there are hundreds of Pearl River Chinese restaurants to choose from.

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Philipp Zeller, senior vice president Dassault, Business Aviation, Rolls-Royce welcomed the next phase of the engine development programme. “All the tests completed to date confirm the reliability of the engine and show it will meet the performance requirements to power Dassault’s flagship, the Falcon 10X,” said Zeller.

The flight test programme, based at in Tucson, Arizona will include engine performance and handling checks at various speeds and altitudes, inflight engine relights, tests of the nacelle’s anti-icing system and fan vibration tests at various altitudes.

Air tests follow a ground test programme which included the evaluation of the Pearl 10X’s e new ultra-low emissions Additive Layer Manufacturing (ALM) combustor, which is compatible with 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and a new accessory gearbox, which enables higher additional power extraction. The engine is said to have exceeded its target thrust levels on its first test run will be the most powerful business aviation engine in the Rolls-Royce portfolio, according to the company.

The test programme has now logged more than 2,300 testing hours, both on the Advance 2 demonstrator and the Pearl 10X engine configuration. Combining what is claimed to be the most efficient core of any business jet engine with a high-performance low-pressure system, the Pearl 10X delivers more than 18,000lbf of thrust. Compared with the manufacturer’s last generation of business aviation engines, the Pearl 10X offers a 5% higher efficiency, while delivering outstanding low noise and emissions performance, according to Rolls-Royce. “This combination will enable customers and operators to have premium airport accessibility and fly ultra-long-range connections, whilst also being able to travel close to the speed of sound,” said the company.

The 10X engine is the third power plant in Rolls-Royce’s Pearl line. The Pearl 15 engine equips the Bombardier Global 5500/6500 and the Pearl 700 powers the Gulfstream G700/G800.

Rolls-Royce traditionally names engines after British rivers, featuring in its portfolio the Trent, Tay, Derwent and Welland engines. Striking a more international nomenclature, its Pearl engine may have drawn inspiration from rivers located in two vast potential markets. There are Pearl rivers in the US, located in Mississippi and Louisiana, and in Guangdong Province, southern China.

The Falcon 10X, powered by the Pearl 10X, is expected to enter service in 2027 – two years behind schedule.

The Pearl 10X engine undergoing flight tests on a Boeing 747, based in Tucson, Arizonia.

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The company said the companies using any business aircraft and engines will be eligible to participate in the SAFinity programme.

“We are excited about leaving the pilot phase of our pioneering SAFinity service and opening it up to the wider market. We have worked hard over the last months to ensure a smooth customer experience, integrating STRIPE payment and making it as easy as possible for customers to fuel their journey to net zero,” said Frank Moesta, senior vice president, Rolls‑Royce.

Rolls-Royce and Shell Aviation are working together on SAFinity. The two firms have also agreed to integrate Avelia, a blockchain-powered book and claim platform for SAF. Avelia uses blockchain technology to ensure secured allocation of SAF’s environmental attributes to companies and operators after the fuel has been delivered into the fuel network.

“Unlocking SAF demand in the business aviation segment can help bolster overall demand signals, so we’re pleased to continue our work with Rolls-Royce and the SAFinity programme into the commercial phase. Integrating Avelia, our blockchain SAF platform, into the SAFinity offering showcases how digital technology can support this customer group to support their investment into SAF regardless of geographical or scale limitations,” said Jan Toschka, president, Shell Aviation.

Rolls-Royce, through various test flights, recently demonstrated that current engines for large civil and business jet applications can operate with 100% SAF as a full drop-in option.

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This make not sound like a lot of extra range, but if you look at Gulfstream’s aircraft portfolio it roughly costs more than $10m for another 1,000nm. A Gulfstream G500 has a list price of $49.5m and a top range of 5,300nm. You pay $59.5m for the G600s which can fly 6,600nm.

So, the 250nm it has thrown in for the G700 is worth more than $2.5m. The G700 has a list price of $79.5m.

The extra range is not a surprise (no one like a show-off, but we predicted that this would happen almost three years ago). It does mean that the G700 edges Bombardier’s Global 7500’s 7,700nm maximum range. It is hard to think of any mission where that extra 50nm of range will make a difference, but it give the Savannah manufacturer bragging rights.

The next big announcement about the G700 will be the aircraft’s certification. Pilot certification will come 10 days after this. In July, General Dynamics, Gulfstream parent, said it was hoping to deliver 19 G700s before the end of the year.

When Gulfstream launched the aircraft at NBAA BACE in October 2019 it originally hoped to deliver the aircraft in 2022. Delays at the FAA have pushed this to the end of this year. Although this is frustrating, this is not necessarily a bad thing for customers. Gulfstream has not wasted this extra time.

In the past, the first few aircraft off the production line were often heavier and suffered from snags making them less reliable. This is why savvy buyers tended to avoid the first 50 aircraft.

Modern manufacturing and design has made this less of an issue. Now – as Gulfstream did last week –  manufacturers often announce better performance. But operators say that reliability (particularly issues with interiors) can still affect early aircraft.

When Gulfstream received type certification for the G650, the four flight-test G650s had flown 2,225 hours. The five G700 test aircraft have flown more than 4,100 hours.

To be fair, the G650 had a very good entry-into-service with customers – partly because a G650 with a fitted interior had been flying for 13 months. But the G700 has been tested even more thoroughly.

As well as the test aircraft, Gulfstream has also worked two outfitted production-test aircraft hard.

These aircraft have been used on world demo tours flying 246,000 nm and setting more than 45 speed records. Mark Burns, Gulfstream’s president, and Scott Neal, senior vice president worldwide sales, have been on many of these flights. They have personally tested the cabin for their customers.

This week Gulfstream also announced that it has lowered the G700’s cabin altitude to 2,840ft (866m) when the aircraft is flying at 41,000ft (12,497m). It says this is the lowest for all business aircraft.

“You can definitely feel the difference, not just with the cabin altitude but with the noise, 100% fresh air and the 20 windows,” Burns told CJI earlier this year.

It is worth remembering that he is comparing flying in a G700 to the G650 – with a cabin altitude of 4,100ft – and not commercial airliners. Airbus’ A350 has a cabin altitude of 5,500ft mid-flight. This is a big improvement in older aluminium tube commercial aircraft that typically have a cabin altitude of around 8,000ft.

“It really does make a difference when you arrive,” said Neal. “I have spent a lot of time on the G700 and you really can feel it when you arrive.”

The delays with certification are frustrating for both manufacturers and customers waiting for aircraft. But it means that Burns and Neal have checked the aircraft for them. And they have thrown in at least $2.5m of extra range for free.

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It flew using two types of SAF. One made from used cooking oil by World Energy and one made from plant-based sugars by Virent.

The SAF was provided by World Energy and Virent. World Energy made it in Paramount, California and Virent who made it from plant-based sugars.

“At Gulfstream, leading our industry closer to decarbonization is a long-standing priority, and testing, evaluating and promoting new developments in SAF takes us another step closer to that goal,” said Mark Burns, president, Gulfstream.

Dr Joerg Au, Chief Engineer – Business Aviation and Engineering Director Rolls-Royce Deutschland, said: “Sustainable aviation fuels are essential for the decarbonisation of the skies, as they have the potential to significantly reduce the carbon emissions of aviation and we have already proved they can be used as a drop-in fuel to power existing engines. This flight test with Gulfstream is another proof point that demonstrates the compatibility of our engines with SAF, bringing us another important step closer to enabling our customers to achieve net zero carbon emissions.”

For more on Sustainable Aviation Fuel see SAF Investor – a specialist site focused on how aviation can cut emissions

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Across aircraft OEMs including Bombardier, Gulfstream (including Jet Aviation) and Textron Aviation, aftermarket services made between 26% and a third of sales.

More than a quarter of Bombardier’s revenue came from aftermarket services in its most recently filed accounts. The firm made $1.46bn in the third quarter (Q3) of 2022 and 26% of this ($380m) was generated through aftermarket.

At our CJI Singapore 2022 conference, Éric Martel, CEO, Bombardier said: “We’ve made the commitment that for 2025 we will grow our business to around $7.5bn of revenue, 73% of this will come from selling and delivering airplanes, but also we are going to grow our service business to be about 27% of our revenue.

“Anywhere we are in the world, we want to make sure we can serve our customers in their time zone, in their geography, with a service centre and with parts available. It’s been a long journey but a very successful journey so far. We want to significantly grow our service presence.”

In July, Bombardier quadrupled the size of its Singapore service centre to become the largest OEM business aviation facility in Asia Pacific. Located at Seletar Aerospace Park, the centre which opened in 2014 was expanded from 70,000sq ft (6,500sq m) to 290,000sq ft (27,000sq m).

Including Jet Aviation, Gulfstream’s total revenue for its aerospace division in Q3 of 2022 was $2.35bn, with 27% of this due to services.

Textron’s most recent results, its annual report for 2021, showed that aftermarket services accounted for more than a third of its revenue increase. Textron Aviation revenues were higher than the previous year by $592m, and more than a third of this growth ($204m) was due to higher aftermarket volume, which includes parts sales, maintenance, inspection and repair. The group’s full-year revenue stood at $12.28bn, compared with $11.65bn in 2020.

Aircraft OEMs still need to catch up with engine manufacturers.  In Rolls-Royce’s most recent financial results, almost three quarters (72%) of its £2.34bn ($2.3bn) revenue came from services – although most of this came from large commercial engines used by airlines. In the 2022 half-year results, the company said it had higher services revenues from shop visits and long-term service agreement (LTSA) catch ups. In the first six months of the year, Rolls-Royce reported a total of 477 shop visits, and 6.1m LTSA engine flying hours.

Watch Éric Martel’s presentation from CJI Singapore 2022 below. 

*revenue growth from previous year

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The latest additions to the ASC network will support the company’s BR710 and Tay 611-8/8C engines in North America. Rolls-Royce currently has around 75 ASC sites worldwide.

Skyservice, with facilities in Montreal, Toronto and Calgary will be the first ASC in Canada and will work in tandem with Rolls-Royce’s Canadian MRO.  It will service BR710A1/C4/A2 and Tay 611-8/8C engines.

Supporting the BR710A1/C4 and Tay 611-8/8C engines on the US West Coast, Western Jet Aviation will provide services from Van Nuys, California.

Both facilities plan to be operational in early 2023.

Andy Robinson, senior vice president, Customers and Services – Business Aviation, Rolls-Royce said that with more than 3,700 Rolls-Royce-powered aircraft currently in service, it is important to deliver continued support for its clients.

“Our collaboration with the world’s most experienced maintenance providers ensures industry leading service levels for our growing global CorporateCare customer base,” he said.

Duncan Aviation has also extended its partnership as a service provider within Rolls-Royce’s ASC network. The MRO will maintain Rolls-Royce BR710A1/C4/A2, Tay 611-8/8C and AE at its US sites in Lincoln, Nebraska; Battle Creek, Michigan and Provo, Utah.

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The engine exclusively powers more than 500 of the ultra-long-range Gulfstream 650 and G650ER business jets.

Dirk Geisinger, director, Business Aviation, Rolls-Royce said: “Having delivered 1,000 BR725 engines to Gulfstream is another testament of our leading position in the business aviation market.” He added that the successful partnership with Gulfstream will continue with the Pearl 700, which powers the Gulfstream G700 and G800.

Jörg Au, chief engineer, Business Aviation, Rolls-Royce said: “The BR725 engine is a pinnacle of engineering excellence, having accumulated almost 1.5m engine flying hours over the past decade, while setting new benchmarks for reliability and performance.”

He added: “We are looking forward to delivering many more engines to Gulfstream and to service our BR725 customers for decades to come.”

Earlier this month, the company announced it had received its EASA certificate for its Pearl 700 engine, which is “nearly as fast as the speed of sound”.

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The engine was designed at the Rolls-Royce Centre of Excellence for Business Aviation engines in Dahlewitz, Germany, to enable Gulfstream’s latest aircraft to fly ultra-long-range missions “nearly as fast as the speed of sound”.

During testing, the engine performed well at sea-level and altitude conditions using both conventional jet fuel and 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). It withstood bird-strike, ice, hail and water ingestion and passed the critical fan blade containment test.

Dr Dirk Geisinger, director, Business Aviation, Rolls-Royce said the certification demonstrates the company’s “unique capabilities to design test, build and certify pioneering aircraft engines”. He added: “It also reflects the dedication of our global team to support Gulfstream and the entry into service of the G700 and G800.”

Mark Burns, president, Gulfstream said: “With these powerful advancements, Gulfstream customers can reap the benefits of large cabins with enhanced comfort over the worldwide flights the G700 and G800 can accomplish.”

The Pearl 700 combines the Advance2 engine core with a new low-pressure system, resulting in 8% increase in take-off thrust at 18,250lbf compared with the BR725 engine. The engine is said to give 5% higher efficiency while maintaining low noise and emissions performance.

In May this year, Rolls-Royce said testing on the Pearl 10X, which is due to be delivered to Dassault Falcon 10X customers in 2025, was going well.

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