Unidentified Plane

[flywithastick]

After looking up at every plane flying over my head for the last 30-something(+) years, I can't remember how long it's been since I saw one I couldn't identify. But I saw one this morning flying North out of HOU. It looked like a GII or GIII with tip tanks. The profile was similar (but not exact) and amount of smoke it was trailing makes me believe it was an old Gulfstream. But tip tanks? Any ideas what would this thing be?

 

[Typhoon1244]

I have seen Gulfstreams with tip tanks...saw one in Vero Beach once. I think they're pretty rare, though.

Maybe there's only one and we both saw it.

 

[FSB99]

there's at least two gulfstreams with tip tanks out there..! i'll be honest with ya, i don't know what year/brand/model, etc it was.. but when i was in college doing the line service thing, we had one stop in one night.. sure as $hit, a gulfstream with two big tiptanks... the next night, same thing, but different airplane, tail number and paint job.

 

[na265]

Saw a GII in IAD about a month ago with tip tanks. It had a foreign reg.

 

[Capthuff]

It probably was a GII-B.
The original GII had limited range (2500 miles or so) for such a large A/C. And of course the corporate people always want bigger, better, faster, and farther. The tip tanks were for more range (duh) very limited in production before the GIII came out.
If my memory serves me correctly.

 

[LAZYB]

I'd heard that the increased weight and drag only gave you a nominal increase in range. A basic FUBAR. Didn't make many and quite a few were converted to winglets.

 

[banned username 2]

It probably was a GII-B.
The original GII had limited range (2500 miles or so) for such a large A/C. And of course the corporate people always want bigger, better, faster, and farther. The tip tanks were for more range (duh) very limited in production before the GIII came out.
If my memory serves me correctly.

The G-IIB was a G-II with a G-III wing...

What you saw was a G-II Tip Tank... They only made a few, and the other poster was correct, the added drag and weight practically negated the additional fuel, so range didn't really improve. Most of the G-IITT's have been converted to G-IIsp's with the Aviation Partners Winglets, they actually get better range without the tip tanks once the winglets are added.

 

[flywithastick]

What you saw was a G-II Tip Tank... They only made a few, and the other poster was correct, the added drag and weight practically negated the additional fuel, so range didn't really improve.

Someone in marketing probably thought it'd be a good idea.

Thanks for all the info.

 

[FlightTraker]

I know that Rolling Stone Magazine used to have a G-II with tip tanks. Used to see it at KC Aviation (now Gulfstream) in ATW.


FlightTraker

 

[dashtrasher]

In the early to mid eighties GE had a couple of G-II's with Tip tanks that used to go down to APF every few weeks.