Dubai's Empire Aviation Group has added a Gulfstream G650 to its managed fleet. The jet will be based at Dubai International and EAG will manage and operate it from this base on behalf of a private owner. The operator has a second G650 on order, which is due for delivery by the middle of 2016.

Steve Hartley, executive director, comments: “The G650 really is the most state-of-the-art business jet and we are delighted to add this exceptional aircraft to our managed fleet; we believe it is the first G650 in the GCC.

“It has impressed us enormously with its overall performance – speed, quietness, comfort, range and operating economy. We managed the entire acquisition process on behalf of the owner, including the exterior and interior selection and pre-delivery inspections, and also recruited the crew. This is a testament to the level of trust and confidence that the owners have in our team.

“We have also revised our own operating and flight planning systems to allow for the outstanding range and speed of this aircraft.”

The G650 is a large cabin aircraft with a long-range cruise speed of Mach 0.85 and a range of 7,000 nm with eight passengers and four crew. It can be configured for up to 18 passengers and offers the comforts of a wide cabin with large panoramic windows and low cabin pressure.

EAG's managed fleet of business jets now spans the Middle East, India and Africa, and includes 20 aircraft.