IT’S THE BENCHMARK in luxury, corporate travel – and telecoms tycoon Denis O’Brien’s private jet could be yours for a tidy €60 million.
The Gulfstream G650, serial number 6032, has gone on sale with Atlanta, Georgia-based Ogarajets after two years in the billionaire’s service.
While no official pricetag was listed on the 2013 model, which comes with a custom Irish tricolour on its tail, the Irish Times reported the asking price was $67.95 million (€60 million).
In a video promoting the plane, Ogarajets said it was ”available now and ready for immediate service” with scope to carry 15 passengers in its “spacious, custom” interior.
The kit-out included “state-of-the art” entertainment systems like eight LCD screens and two, blue-ray DVD players.
It was also equipped to provide “satisfying, in-flight dining several times over the course of (a) flight”.
‘A new standard’
In a separate marketing video, Ogarajets’ Matt Huff said the goal when the plane was launched in 2013 was to “set a new standard in corporate jet travel”.
While (its) performance specs are amazing and surpass any other business jet in production, it’s the passenger environment that’s so critical to the success of the G650,” he said.
But even after stumping up for the purchase price, it will cost you a fair chunk of change to keep the plane in the air.
Ogarajets’ specifications for the Gulfstream put the direct operating costs for the aircraft at $5,443 (€4,810) per hour.
Global operators
The plane’s captain, Nick Robshaw, said O’Brien’s jet would typically have flown about 900 hours a year – roughly double that of the average Gulfstream.
A typical mission profile would be quite varied – I think we would classify ourselves as global operators, but we do a whole mixed bag of short-haul, hopping around Europe, to the long-range international Europe to southeast Asia/west coast of America,” he said.
O’Brien’s net worth currently stands at $6.8 billion (€6 billion), making him the 199th richest person in the world, according to the latest Forbes billionaires’ list.
Outside of Ireland, the 57-year-old’s interests span the Caribbean, Central America and Pacific through his Digicel mobile phone business. His current home address is listed on company records as Malta.
Robshaw said while the plane could carry 15, on average it flew between six and 10. He added that passengers normally praised the aircraft for both how quiet it was and its size.
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