From Russia with love.

That’s where the Gupta family jet is said to have landed yesterday, according to the flight radar from their private jet, registered as ZS-OAK. You can just make that out in the picture above – yes, that’s Air Gupta.

Journalists have been eagerly tracking the flight patterns of the plane for the past two months, with ZS-OAK having flown from Dubai to Zurich back in mid-December.

Six days later it flew to EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg in Switzerland, where it sat idle for a month. According to News24, that might have been because the family were behind on their payments:

It was widely reported in December that the Guptas had fallen behind in their scheduled repayments of a loan…

According to the Financial Mail, the Canadian government’s export credit agency, which provided a soft loan for 80% of the finance required to buy the jet, had instituted legal action against the Guptas for defaulting on their payments and wanted to seize the aircraft to settle the outstanding debt…

While it isn’t clear who is using ZS-OAK, the end destinations of the flights indicate it is still in the possession of the Gupta brothers.

The plane has been flying backward and forward between India and Dubai, in a similar way that it was before its trip to Zurich in December…

According to flight radar applications the jet flew last on Tuesday from Dubai to New Delhi. Today it took off from India and flew to St Petersburg.

Amazing how the family can build such a massive empire, including owning a private jet, but head honcho Ajay apparently can’t use email.

It isn’t known whether or not the Guptas are actually travelling aboard that plane, with their exact whereabouts unknown.

Anyway, enough about those crooks – shall we take a closer look at what makes the Bombardier Global 6000 business aircraft their air travel choice?

From here on out, all of the images are of the same model, not of the actual jet owned by the Guptas.

Via Wikipedia:

The Bombardier Global Express is a large cabin, ultra long range business jet manufactured by Bombardier Aerospace in Toronto, Ontario, Canada…

The Global Express has been modified for military missions, such as the Royal Air Force Raytheon Sentinel, the United States Air Force E-11A and United Arab Emirates Air Force GlobalEye Swing Role Surveillance System.

The Global Express can fly intercontinental ranges without refuelling (e.g. New York City–Tokyo) or between most two points in the world with only one stop. In this class the Global Express competes with the Airbus Corporate Jet, Boeing Business Jet and Gulfstream G550/650.

And the Global 6000 is a cut above the rest:

The Global 6000 (formerly marketed as the Global Express XRS) is an improved version of the original aircraft, (announced on October 6, 2003 during the NBAA Convention at Orlando, Florida) offering higher cruise speed, increased range, improved cabin layout and lighting…

The range increase is achieved by addition of a 1,486 lb (674 kg) fuel tank at the wing root. Bombardier claims it takes 15 minutes less to fuel the Global 6000 than the original model thanks to improved computer systems and mechanical refinements. The Global 6000 entered service in early 2012. The unit price is estimated to be $US45.5 million.

Under $50 million? It’s a steal, especially when you’re looting a country to pay for it.

Over on the Vista Jet site you can actually take a virtual tour of the inside of the jet. Go on, treat yourself by clicking the image below:

The same site also says that the “Global 6000 is considered the most advanced and accomplished long-range premium aircraft. The unique combination of light and space provides the ultimate en route productivity environment.”

Business Aircraft is punting the hell out of the Global 6000, calling it “the smoothest part of your day”.

You’re sleeping like a king, my friends:

The rose is a nice touch, hey?

As for the range map – yes, it ticks all of the necessary hot spots:

That’s about all for today on the jet matter.

Wouldn’t it be funny if the Gupta family aircraft was repossessed? Now that some of their looting capabilities seem to have been reined in, perhaps they’ll be forced to find their funding elsewhere.

[sources:news24&wiki&busaircraft&vistajet]