Michael Jordan is one of the biggest legends in basketball history. Born in Brooklyn, he won six NBA championships, was selected as NBA MVP five times, is listed in the NBA Hall of Fame, and numerous other accolades. He has also been involved in countless product endorsements and celebrity brand deals, including, most famously, the Nike Air Jordans sneaker.
He is one of the richest athletes to have ever lived, with a Forbes net worth estimate of $3.5 billion. Now aged 62 and richer than most people can dream of, Jordan is using his fortune to enjoy life. He has amassed numerous houses, a collection of cars, and co-owns a NASCAR team. However, all of that pales in comparison to his biggest purchase last year : a 2024 Gulfstream G650ER .
gulfstream d_g650ER_a_mkt_00186_v02r01_web
Photo: Gulfstream
Overview of his new aircraft
N236MJ is a Gulfstream G650ER, serial number 6579, and it was issued its registration certificate on October 1st, 2024. This is one of the largest, most luxurious, and most expensive private aircraft ever made, with Jordan's example costing an estimated $70 million.
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This particular aircraft is one of the last G650ERs ever made, as Gulfstream recently discontinued production of the type in favor of the next generation of its ultra-long-range jets, the G700 and the G800. All three aircraft are a part of the Gulfstream GVI design, which started out with the G650.
The G650ER is an extended-range version of the G650, and came out two years after the original model in 2014. It features a bump in Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) along with an increase in fuel capacity that together, allows the jet to boast a range of 7,500 NM (13,900 KM). Until recently, the G650ER held the record for the longest flight by a business jet, traveling from Singapore to Tuscon, Arizona, in 15 hours and 23 minutes.
The upgrades that created the G650ER were later made available to existing G650s as a retrofit package.
Michael Jordan's plane
You don't just buy a stock Gulfstream G650ER off of the lot. Buying the jet is a process that involves specifying every element of the aircraft to your liking, with even the littlest of details being customizable. Michael Jordan has taken advantage of that, and his new plane is one of the most striking examples to ever be produced.
Right off the bat, you'll notice an interesting registration number. While most aircraft numbers are either random or are selected for operational reasons, Jordan selected the registration "N236MJ." Michael Jordan's NBA jersey number was 23, and he won six NBA championships when playing for the Chicago Bulls. MJ, of course, are his initials as well as his occasional nickname.
Standard on all G650ERs is a pair of Rolls-Royce BR725 turbofans, which produce up to 16,900lbf of thrust. What isn't standard, however, is the elephant print paint job. It adorns most of the fuselage, with the design laid on top of a distinctive dark paint, while the rear of the plane is mostly colored red. The same design is carried over on the tail, with a black stripe dividing the two design elements, and the iconic "Jumpman" logo proudly presented in the red section.
The wings also feature the elephant prints, while the winglets are red. The engines, which display the N236MJ registration, are painted in black. Twelve of the sixteen oval windows feature a red outline. The flight deck windows, meanwhile are outlined with a thin black mask. Reports state that Michael Jordan had to pay an extra $500,000 for the eye-catching paint job.
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The interior of the G650ER
A typical economy cabin consists of numerous rows of tight seats that occasionally feature screens. Business class will often include a lie-flat seat and a privacy door. Meanwhile, some of the world's top first class cabins may include personal closets, shared showers, a personal minibar, and floor-to-ceiling walls. Then, there's flying private.
Gulfstream isn't the top name in private aviation for no reason, as its aircraft come with some of the most opulent cabins in all of aviation. Details of MJ's particular aircraft are limited, but we do know much of what Gulfstream offers on the G650ER.
Gulfstream G650ER cabin
Photo: Gulfstream
The cabin can be configured with either three or four living zones. In order to take advantage of the G650ER's incredible range, a crew rest area is required, which will typically take up one of those living zones. An optional aft galley, meanwhile, will drop the available living zones to 3.5.
Each is fully customizable and can be laid out with seats facing each other, as a living room, a dining room, and a bedroom. While Gulfstream does offer configurations that can seat 19 passengers and offer sleeping space for ten, most planes typically have a lower capacity, with many owners choosing to splurge on optional extras like divans, rather than cram as many passengers as possible.
Gulfstream G650ER cabin view
Photo: Gulfstream
The electric seats are made of plush quilted leather, and the entire cabin is constructed using the finest materials that Gulfstream can source. The sixteen oval-shaped panoramic windows are unique to Gulfstream and are the largest windows in private aviation, with electronic shades. In the back of the plane, Gulfstream even sells an optional shower.
Meanwhile, the aircraft is one of the quietest planes ever made on the inside, and the cabin altitude is less than 5,000 ft. As a comparison, a commercial airliner will have a cabin altitude between 6,000 ft and 8,000 ft, while flying much lower than the G650ER, which cruises at 51,000 ft.
G650 interior for dining
Photo: Gulfstream
In addition to the ambient altitude, the air is also clean, as Gulfstream advertises that its "clean air system" sends filtered air every two to three minutes. Meanwhile, air-ionizing technology neutralizes viruses and bacteria.
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Michael Jordan's other aircraft
Before N236MJ was applied to this G650ER, it previously was the registration of a 2006 Gulfstream G550, serial number 5095. This aircraft was purchased used from GuardianJet, a private aircraft broker, and went through extensive refurbishments before being ready for Michael Jordan's use.
Although it flew as N236MJ for many years, it was reregistered as N239MJ months before the G650ER left the factory. Some media sources report that Jordan has sold the plane and that the G650ER serves as a replacement, but information to confirm this is scarce.
Neither aircraft is trackable on most websites, while Celebrity Flight Tracker, which specializes in tracing jets owned by high-profile individuals, lists the last flight of the G550 as being in October 2024, around the time that the G650ER was delivered.
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Whether it replaces or complements the G550, the G650ER represents a huge upgrade. The G550 is an excellent aircraft, but it entered service 10 years before the G650ER, and its fuselage cross-section is much smaller. While Jordan, at 6'6" (1.98 m) can't stand straight in the G650ER, the extra height still helps compared to the lower ceiling height and narrow cabin width of the G550.
Specifications Gulfstream G550 Gulfstream G650ER
Entry into service 2004 2014
Max. capacity 19 19
Cabin length 43 ft 11 in (13.39 m) 46 ft 10 in (14.27 m)
Cabin width 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m) 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m)
Cabin height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Cruising speed Mach 0.80 - Mach 0.85 Mach 0.85 - Mach 0.90
Service ceiling 51,000 ft 51,000 ft
Range 6,750 NM (12,500 KM) 7,500 NM (13,900 KM)
An incredible aircraft for an incredibly accomplished person
Michael Jordan is one of the most valuable names in the world. Long retired from the basketball court, he is now enjoying the fruits of his labor.
A Gulfstream G650 on a taxiway.
Photo: BlueBarronPhoto | Shutterstock
The Gulfstream G650ER is one of the most iconic business jets ever made. It's a modern aircraft that was more capable than its initial competition, and the Gulfstream brand remains one of the most prestigious names in the business. The G650 has been owned by countless public figures, including:
Elon Musk
Oprah Winfrey
Jeff Bezos
Steven Spielberg
Ralph Lauren
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
Bill Gates
Other Gulfstream models, like the oldest G550 and the GIV, have also been owned by many celebrities. Names like Tiger Woods and Tom Cruise all travel by Gulfstream, rather than by Bombardier or the airlines.
Some criticize public figures for flying private, due to the environmental impact as well as the sheer extravagance that these planes represent. But for a man born into an ordinary family in Brooklyn, who worked hard to become one of the greatest athletes of all time, the G650ER is a representation of his success.