It’s only been a few weeks since Mark Zuckerberg acquired a brand new Gulfstream G700 and it appears that the business jet has already started ferrying around the centi-billionaire. The news of the Meta CEO buying the swanky new Gulfstream worth $80 million was broken by aviation enthusiast Jack Sweeney via his jet tracking account on Bluesky, an X (formerly Twitter) rival.
The college student has garnered a lot of attention on the internet over the last two years for tracking the jets of prominent celebrities and billionaire businessmen. This got him banned from not only X.com but all the social platforms owned by Meta. Unwilling to buckle under the pressure from some of the most powerful people on this planet, Sweeney has continued with his tracking activities on Bluesky, which includes an account that constantly monitors Zuckerberg’s private jet travels.
While there has been no concrete proof to link the new G700 to the Facebook founder, the aircraft’s recent trip from Monterey, California to the Hawaiian island of Kauai has pretty much confirmed the ownership. In case you don’t know yet, Zuckerberg owns a significant piece of land on Kauai. Spanning over 1500 acres, the billionaire is building one of the biggest homes in the history of the United States which is even bigger than New York’s Central Park.
While the property and the ongoing construction are shrouded in mystery, it is believed that the estate will be home to two residential buildings with 30 bedrooms, swimming pools, saunas, conference rooms, and a library. Both buildings are joined by underground tunnels, while there are large soundproof bunkers with a living area, library, and escape hatch, all made of metal and concrete.
The project has attracted a lot of attention and controversy over the years, especially from the locals who consider the land sacred. To help the local population, Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, recently donated $626,000 to support permanently affordable housing on the island.
The frequency of visits to the island has significantly increased for Zuckerberg over the last few weeks, especially at the end of November. According to Sweeney’s jet tracking account, the 40-year-old’s G650 made several trips to Kauai last month before the new G700 took over.
The switch to the new Gulfstream jet will help make Zuckerberg’s private jet travels a lot more greener than before thanks to the better efficiency of the jet as compared to the G650. The data posted by Sweeney claims the flight from Monterey to Kauai in the G650 requires 17,178 lbs. of jet fuel worth more than $14,300 which produces 27 tons of CO2 emissions. On the other hand, the more efficient G700 requires 12,222 lbs. of fuel worth about $10,200 for the same flight, which only results in 19 tons of CO2 emissions.
The Gulfstream G700 is one of the latest and most advanced private jets from Gulfstream Aerospace, designed to provide unparalleled performance, comfort, and technology. It is engineered with efficiency in mind, especially considering its size and range.
The jet is powered by two Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 engines that are designed for optimal fuel efficiency, reducing fuel burn while maintaining the power necessary for long-distance travel. Furthermore, the G700’s airframe is constructed using advanced materials like composite fibers, which help reduce weight and improve overall fuel efficiency without compromising on strength or safety. While efficiency is one of the biggest reasons behind Zuckerberg’s purchase, did he also buy the jet to hone his flying skills? You might remember that he started taking flying lessons last year.
