Saturday, June 1, 2013

Hobbits CAN Fly!

Kiwi film producer Sir Peter Jackson has bought a new $80 million jet...and I'll bet NO-ONE here in New Zealand would begrudge him the luxury!
Sir PJ's holding company took possession of a Gulfstream GVI G650 in March. And he's in good company: chatshow queen Oprah Winfrey, investor Warren Buffett, fashion designer Ralph Lauren and Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich are also lining up to buy the same type of aircraft.
This wee toy, the G650, flies faster and farther than any aircraft used by the Royal New Zealand Air Force. It has a top speed of 1133kmh, and a range of 12,960km, allowing PJ to wing off for a non-stop flight between Wellington and Los Angeles.
The plane allows for a range of customisable cabin configurations and can carry up to 18 passengers.
Jackson previous jet was a relatively cheaper, smaller $68m Gulfstream G550 that he bought in 2009, and sold last March to a Swedish banking group.
In 2011 Wellington International Airport finished building a hangar for corporate jets, allowing Jackson to keep his jet close to home. Before the hangar was built, he had to keep his aircraft in Melbourne.
Sir PJ, reputed to be worth $500m, was one of 200 people worldwide - mostly billionaires - who put in advance orders for the G650 aircraft. New orders will take five years to be filled, leading to reports of places in the queue changing hands for more than $8m.

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