Michael Jordan reportedly spent $65 million on a Gulfstream G650ER jet, complete with a custom Air Jordan-inspired paint job.
The former Chicago Bulls basketball player refuses nothing. Michael Jordan, the first sportsman to become a billionaire in 2014, recently set his sights on a new toy: a private jet estimated at $65 million (59.37 million euros), reported Business Insider.
According to the magazine, it is the Gulfstream G650ER model, one of the fastest planes in the world and with luxury features acclaimed by all the great fortunes of the planet, like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. With a total capacity of 19 passengers who can relax in huge reclining leather seats near each window, the craft can have ten beds, depending on its configuration.
The star chose to personalize the cabin with a painting inspired by Air Jordans. A little coquetry which would have cost him an additional 500,000 dollars, according to the Daily Mail.
Spotted at Palm Beach International Airport with tail number N236MJ, the jet pays homage to Jordan’s career, incorporating his famous No. 23 jersey, six championship rings and initials.
From a technical point of view, the Gulfstream G650ER can travel 13,800 km non-stop, and reach a speed of Mach 0.925 (1142.19 km/hour), which makes it possible to travel from Florida to Tokyo without refueling.
A luxury that comes at a cost
It could cost Michael Jordan nearly $2 million a year for 200 hours of flight time, covering fuel, crew salaries and engine overhaul. And it will also cost the environment dearly… Knowing that a flight in a private jet emits 4.5 times to 14 times more CO2 than a flight in an airliner, and 50 times more than the same trip in train.
The former basketball player’s fortune, built on his sports contracts but also on his collaborations with major brands such as Nike, is estimated today at $3.5 billion by Bloomberg. A sum that allows him to realize all his wildest dreams, such as recently adding a custom-designed Pininfarina Battista Targamerica to his car collection.
