Fastest Aircraft By Class

So you want to go fast, really fast. This article will go over the fastest private jet per category. The main reason behind having a private jet is to reduce travel time between locations. One of the fastest ways to do this is to be faster in the air. Each aircraft in this article has unique ways to push the boundaries, including the sound barrier.

Very Light Jets

To start, the Embraer Phenom 100 and Embraer Phenom 100EX are the fastest private jets in the Very Light category with a max mach number of 0.70 Mach. The aircraft is made up of 20% composite materials, and it has two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW617-F turbofan engines rated at 1,695 lbs for the Phenom 100 and updated to 1,730 lbs for the Phenom 100EX. This aircraft is also the heaviest in the Very Light category.

Light Jets

Next, with the light jets, the Learjet 31A has a max mach number of 0.81 Mach. Even though this aircraft was introduced in 1990, it still reigns supreme due to its Garrett TFE731-2 turbofan engines, making 3,500 lbs of thrust each, respectfully. Another unique feature of the aircraft is its delta-fins in the rear, which are not normally found on aircraft, though it increases stability since it has more streamlined aerodynamics over the rear of the plane, acting like a dart.

Midsize Jets

In the midsize category, the Cessna Citation VII wins by a slight margin at 0.851 Mach. One of the unique features is that this aircraft shares an engine similar to the Learjet 31A. Though this engine, the Garrett TFE 731-4R-2, bumps the power up to 4,080 lbs of thrust. This aircraft was also built in the 90’s and sill hold the record in this category.

Super-Midsize Jets

This aircraft is the pinnacle of bigger is better. The Cessna Citation X+ is the king of the Super-Midsize category with a max mach speed of 0.935 Mach, giving it the record for the fastest civil aircraft since the Concorde. The aircraft’s predecessor, the Cessna Citation X, was introduced in the 1990s, and the improved Citation X+ was introduced in 2014. Packed with massive Rolls-Royce AE3007C2 with 7,034 lbs of thrust per engine, this aircraft could climb to flight level 470 in a mere 24 minutes. These massive engines paired with a 37-degree sweptback wing and winglets give this jet one word to describe it: Fast.

Large / Heavy Jets

The Large / Heavy category has the Gulfstream G450 and Gulfstream GIV-SP as the fastest in this category, with a max speed of 0.88 Mach. While they might sound like different aircraft types in the Gulfstream lineup, the Gulfstream G450 is an updated version of the Gulfstream GIV-SP. Both are powered by similar engines, with the GIV-SP powered by a Rolls-Royce TAY 611-8 pushing 13,850 lbs of thrust each and the G450 with an updated Rolls Royce TAY 611-8C also producing 13,850 lbs of thrust each.

Ultra-Long-Range Jets

The biggest category, the Ultra-Long-Range aircraft category, has a lot of close competition, but the current winners are the Gulfstream G650 and G650ER at 0.925 Mach. While there are some aircraft that are soon to be in operational use, such as the Gulfstream 700 and Bombardier Global 8000, at the time of writing, they are not currently in service and, therefore, are not yet the fastest in this category, but soon will be once they start to get delivered to customers. The Gulfstream G650 and G650ER are powered by Rolls-Royce BR725A1-12 turbofan engines that produce 16,900 lbs of thrust each.