History

The History of Gulfstream: 1958 - 2008

The Beginning
The company that evolved into Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. started in the late 1950s when Grumman Aircraft Engineering Co., a company known for military aircraft production, developed a marketable business aircraft at its manufacturing facilities in Bethpage, N.Y. Dubbed the Gulfstream I (GI), the turbo-prop aircraft was named after the Gulf Stream, the current that flows along the coast of Florida, which was a favored vacationing spot for Grumman executives. The GI could sit 12 passengers comfortably, had a maximum speed of 350 mph (563 km/h) at 25,000 feet (7,620 km) and a range of 2,200 miles (3,541 km). The newly developed aircraft, the first of its kind designed specifically for business travel, was a success in the business world, prompting Grumman to develop a jet-powered corporate aircraft called the Gulfstream II or GII.

The ‘60s
At the start of the GII program, Grumman officials separated the company’s civil and military aircraft production to improve efficiency. In 1966, they relocated the civilian component to Savannah, Ga. There they found the needed supply of skilled labor, an established airfield adjacent to the plant site and sufficient acreage for expansion. Transportation facilities suitable for heavy equipment and machinery and weather favorable to year-round flight-testing and flight-training operations further enhanced Savannah’s appeal. The new building in Chatham County opened in June 1967 and was officially dedicated on Sept. 29, 1967. It housed production and flight testing for the GII. The 100-person work force that built the GII was 90 percent local and grew to more than 1,700 within a few years.

The ‘70s
In 1972, Grumman merged with light-aircraft manufacturer American Aviation Corp. The 256th and final GII delivery took place in 1977. One year later, the Gulfstream line and the Savannah plant were sold to American Jet Industries, which was headed by little-known aviation entrepreneur Allen Paulson.

Paulson became the president and CEO of the company, renaming it Gulfstream American. He made a priority of developing the Gulfstream III, a new aircraft designed to achieve greater range and speed than the GII. The GIII made its first flight in December 1979, with the first delivery of the aircraft occurring in 1980. It was the first business jet to fly over both poles.

Gulfstream Takes Flight - The ‘80s
In 1981, Gulfstream introduced the Gulfstream GIIB. The GIIB had a modified GII fuselage and the GIII wings, complete with winglets. The variant offered weight and performance characteristics similar to the GIII, but with the shorter GII fuselage. Gulfstream completed and delivered approximately 40 GIIBs.

Under Paulson’s leadership, the Savannah work force grew to 2,500 employees by the spring of 1982. Also in this year, the company’s name changed to Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. to reflect its worldwide scope, and a new plane, the Gulfstream IV, was conceived. The following year, Gulfstream offered a total of 8.8 million shares of its stock to the public. In 1985, Chrysler Corp. acquired Gulfstream as a part of the automaker’s plan to diversify and move into high-tech industries. This was also the year that Gulfstream first appeared on the Fortune 500 list, at No. 417. Two years later, the 200th and last Gulfstream III produced was delivered, and the first delivery of a Gulfstream IV took place. The GIV was the first jet in business aviation to have an all-glass cockpit. In 1989, when Chrysler decided to sell Gulfstream, Paulson teamed up with Forstmann Little & Co. – a private equity firm specializing in leveraged buyouts – and bought Gulfstream back.

The ‘90s
The decade that followed the 1989 repurchase was a time of significant advancements for Gulfstream. The company signed a five-year contract with NetJets in 1994. It completed the Gulfstream V Integration Test Facility and rolled out the GV – the first ultra-long range business jet – in 1995. The opening of a $16 million Savannah service center with 136,000 square feet (12,635 sq m) of hangar space followed in 1996. In 1997, Gulfstream began the simultaneous manufacture of two different aircraft models – the GIV-SP and the GV. Within a few months of the GV’s first delivery in June 1997, it set nearly 40 city-pair and/or speed and distance records, and its industry team was awarded the 1997 Robert J. Collier Trophy, the highest honor in aeronautics or astronautics in North America.

Gulfstream: A General Dynamics Company – The New Millennium
At the end of the 1990s, General Dynamics, a giant in the defense industry, purchased Gulfstream. The company focused on enhancing product performance and lowering costs. It opened a $5.5 million aircraft refurbishment and completions support facility in Savannah in 2000. In 2001, it acquired Galaxy Aerospace and with it, the mid-size Astra SPX and super mid-size Galaxy, which were later rebranded the G100 and G200, respectively. Also in 2001, Gulfstream purchased four U.S. maintenance facilities in Dallas; Las Vegas; Minneapolis; and West Palm Beach, Fla. Those service centers, along with a Gulfstream facility in Westfield, Mass., formed General Dynamics Aviation Services, which maintains and repairs Gulfstream and other business-jet aircraft.

In 2002, Gulfstream renamed its products, using Arabic numerals instead of Roman numerals to differentiate its aircraft. At the time, the company’s heavy-hitting lineup included the ultra long-range G550 and G500, the long-range G400, the mid-range G300 and G200, and the high-speed G100. 2002 was also the year that Gulfstream introduced its Airborne Product Support aircraft, a specially equipped G100. It is used to deliver parts and provide any-time service to Gulfstream customers in North America and the Caribbean who are operating aircraft under warranty. In 2003, Gulfstream acquired a service center at the London-Luton Airport, the first Gulfstream-owned service center to be operated outside the United States. Also, in 2003, the long-range G450 was introduced, and the large-cabin, mid-range G350 was presented a year later. In 2004, Gulfstream was awarded the 2003 Collier Trophy for the development of the G550. It was the second time in less than a decade that Gulfstream had won the award. The G550 is the first civil aircraft to receive a Type Certificate issued by the FAA that includes an Enhanced Vision System (EVS) as standard equipment on an aircraft. The aircraft also contained the first cockpit to incorporate PlaneView®, an integrated avionics suite featuring four 14-inch (36 cm) liquid crystal displays in landscape format.

A Leader in Innovation
In 2005, Gulfstream became the first business-jet manufacturer to offer an in-flight, ultra-high-speed Internet connection – its Broad Band Multi-Link (BBML) system. Gulfstream was also the first to design and develop a means of reducing the sonic boom caused by an aircraft “breaking” the sound barrier – the Quiet Spike. The Quiet Spike is a telescopic nose device that softens the effect of the sonic boom by smoothing the pressure wave created by flying at the speed of sound.

In 2006, the 22-year production run of the G100 ended and the G150 entered service to take its place. The G150 was the first business jet to be certified by the FAA for Stage 4, the industry’s most stringent noise standards. Also in 2006, Gulfstream announced plans to expand its manufacturing and service facilities in Savannah. The seven-year, $400 million Long-Range Facilities Master Plan included the creation of a new 624,588-square-foot (58,026 sq m) service center, an independent fuel farm, a 42,600-square-foot (3,958 sq m), state-of-the-art paint hangar and the addition of a new Sales and Design Center. As a result of the expansion, employment at the facility was expected to grow by some 1,100 jobs. To meet the immediate need for engineering office space, Gulfstream opened a Research and Development Center (RDC). The RDC accommodates approximately 750 technical and engineering employees.

The year 2007 also saw its share of major breakthroughs. In April, Gulfstream broke ground for a new business-jet manufacturing building at its headquarters in Savannah. The following month, the company signed a nine-year lease with North Point Real Estate for a second Research and Development Center. The RDC II consists of an office building, which can accommodate some 550 employees, and a Laboratory Building, which is designed for 150 employees and test equipment used in Gulfstream’s research and development efforts. Gulfstream completed the new Sales and Design Center addition in June and officially opened the first phase of the new Savannah Service Center in August. In 2007, Gulfstream also tested its Synthetic Vision-Primary Flight Display (SV-PFD) and EVS II together for the first time. The SV-PFD is a dramatic enhancement to the Gulfstream PlaneView flight displays. It features a three-dimensional color image of terrain overlaid with the primary flight display instrument symbology, which are arranged on the screen to create a large-view area for terrain. By early 2008, the FAA had certified both EVS II and SV-PFD.

Government and Special Mission Aircraft
From the very first days, Gulfstream aircraft have been adapted for government and military use. Today, 34 governments operate Gulfstream jets and 22 countries, including the United States, use Gulfstream aircraft to transport their heads-of-state. In addition to their traditional role of executive transportation, Gulfstream aircraft have also been reconfigured and equipped to serve and be involved in missions as diverse as priority cargo and personnel transportation, maritime and aerial reconnaissance, medical evacuation and pilot and astronaut training. The advanced technology, safety, reliability and adaptability of the aircraft make them as attractive to government and military operators as they are to international and Fortune 500 corporate operators.

Continuing to Soar
On March 13, 2008, Gulfstream unveiled the Gulfstream G650®, the largest, most technologically advanced aircraft in the Gulfstream fleet. The G650 offers the longest range, fastest speed, largest cabin, and the most advanced cockpit. It is capable of traveling 7,000 nautical miles (12,964 km) at 0.85 Mach or 5,000 nautical miles (9,260 km) at 0.90 Mach. Using an advanced aerodynamic design, the G650 has a maximum operating speed of 0.925 Mach, which will make it the fastest civil aircraft flying. It can climb to a maximum altitude of 51,000 feet (15,545 m), allowing it to avoid airline-traffic congestion and adverse weather.

On Oct. 5, 2008, Gulfstream announced another addition to its business-jet fleet: the large-cabin, mid-range Gulfstream G250. The G250 offers the largest cabin and the longest range at the fastest speed in the super mid-size class. It is capable of traveling 3,400 nautical miles (6,297 km) at 0.80 Mach and has a maximum operating speed of 0.85 Mach. It can reach its 41,000-foot (12,497 m) initial cruise altitude in just 20 minutes and can climb to a maximum altitude of 45,000 feet (13,716 m).

Gulfstream made business-aviation history in 2009, when it conducted two powered rollouts just one week apart. The Gulfstream G650 officially rolled out of the Savannah manufacturing facility under its own power on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2009. The G250 followed just one week later.

As Gulfstream promised when the aircraft were announced, both the G650 and the G250 flew before the end of 2009. The G650 took its first flight on Nov. 25, while the G250 went up for the first time on Dec. 11.

A Continued Commitment to Service
Gulfstream puts as much effort into maintaining its aircraft as it does into manufacturing them. Toward that end, Gulfstream and General Dynamics Aviation Services each own and operate six service centers for a total of 12 worldwide. “Aviation International News” named Gulfstream Product Support the best in the industry for each of the past five years. Gulfstream was also named No. 1 in product support for eight of the past 10 years by “Professional Pilot” magazine’s Corporate Aircraft Product Support Survey.

Today, Gulfstream employs more than 9,700 people at seven major locations: Savannah, Ga.; Appleton, Wis.; Dallas; Long Beach, Calif.; Brunswick, Ga.; London, England and Mexicali, Mexico. With 50 successful years in the industry, Gulfstream is The World Standard® in business aviation. Gulfstream Aerospace looks forward to the future – to the completion of the Master Plan, the delivery of the first G650, and beyond.

(Sources: Gulfstream Aerospace Archives and “The Legend of Gulfstream” by Jeffrey L. Rodengen)

The Gulfstream Fleet Today

The Gulfstream product line offers an exceptional combination of price, performance and value-added customer preferences in each segment of the mid-cabin to ultra-large-cabin business-jet market.

The ultra-large-cabin, ultra-long-range Gulfstream G650, powered by two of the new Rolls-Royce BR725 engines, offers the longest range, fastest speed, largest cabin and the most-advanced cockpit in the Gulfstream fleet. It is capable of traveling 7,000 nautical miles (12,964 km) at 0.85 Mach or 5,000 nautical miles (9,260 km) at 0.90 Mach. Using an advanced aerodynamic design, the G650 has a maximum operating speed of 0.925 Mach, which will make it the fastest civil aircraft flying. It can climb to a maximum altitude of 51,000 feet (15,545 m), allowing it to avoid airline-traffic congestion and adverse weather. The G650 features the most technologically advanced PlaneView II cockpit with a number of enhancements including: four 14-inch (36 cm), adaptive, liquid-crystal displays; three standard PlaneBook® computer tablets; a smaller pedestal; a standby multifunction controller that combines current display controller functionality with standby flight instruments; and a fully automatic, three-dimensional scanning weather radar with an integral terrain database for efficient ground-clutter elimination. In addition, the G650 uses the Gulfstream Enhanced Vision System (EVS II), the Synthetic Vision-Primary Flight Display (SV-PFD) system and Head-Up Display (HUD II). The aircraft offers a full three-axis fly-by-wire system that delivers flight-envelope protection, increased redundancy and reduced maintenance. Gulfstream expects to begin G650 customer deliveries in the second half of 2012.

The large-cabin, ultra-long-range Gulfstream G550 can fly up to 51,000 feet (15,545 km) at speeds up to Mach 0.885. Powered by two Rolls-Royce BR710 engines, the G550 can fly eight passengers and four crewmembers 6,750 nautical miles (12,501 km). The G550 also features the PlaneView cockpit. The G550’s standard equipment includes the Gulfstream Enhanced Vision System and the Gulfstream Signature Cursor Control Devices. The fully equipped G550 offers a choice of cabin layouts and option packages. Customization packages are also available. Dependent upon the configuration, the G550 can accommodate 14 to 18 passengers. The aircraft received FAA certification in August 2003 and validation from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in March 2004. The G550 entered service in September 2003. In early 2004, the G550 team was awarded the 2003 Collier Trophy, the most prestigious award in aviation in North America.

The large-cabin, ultra-long-range Gulfstream G500, powered by two Rolls-Royce BR710 engines, can fly 5,800 nautical miles (10,742 km) with eight passengers at a cruising speed of Mach 0.80. The G500’s required takeoff distance is only 5,150 feet (15,570 m). Owners of the Gulfstream G500 will enjoy a wide range of cabin selections that include multiple layouts with configurations to accommodate 14 to 18 passengers. Standard equipment and option packages combined with the proven reliability, safety, comfort and performance offer an exceptional combination of features that serve to enhance the customer’s ability to tailor the aircraft to meet individual mission needs. On Jan. 11, 2005, the G500 received validation from both the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA). The first G500 entered service in May 2004.

The large-cabin, long-range Gulfstream G450 business jet, which was introduced at the 2003 National Business Aviation Association’s annual meeting, is an entire aircraft upgrade of an already outstanding business jet, the Gulfstream GIV/GIV-SP/G400. With the ability to accommodate 12 to 16 passengers, travel 4,350 nautical miles (8,056 km) and cruise at speeds up to Mach 0.88, the G450 can handle domestic and international flights with ease. The G450 is powered by upgraded Tay 611-8C Rolls-Royce engines. Combined with aerodynamic and material improvements, its flight and performance characteristics provide greater fuel efficiency and lower operating costs. The G450 features the PlaneView cockpit as well as Gulfstream’s Enhanced Vision System. Every G450 is backed by an excellent warranty and award-winning service and product support. On Aug. 12, 2004, the G450 received a Type Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The G450 received both its European Aviation Safety Agency Type Certificate and Federal Aviation Administration Production Certificate in November 2004. Gulfstream commenced customer deliveries in May 2005.

The large-cabin, mid-range Gulfstream G350 offers the most cabin volume, the best performance and the largest number of standard features compared to any aircraft in its class. Powered by two Rolls-Royce Tay 611-8C engines, the G350 has the ability to accommodate 12 to 16 passengers, travel a maximum of 3,800 nautical miles (7,038 km) and cruise at speeds up to Mach 0.88. Like the large-cabin, long-range Gulfstream G450, the G350 features the exclusive PlaneView cockpit. Available as optional equipment on the G350 are the next-generation Visual Guidance System, Honeywell Head-Up Display (HUD) and Gulfstream’s Enhanced Vision System (EVS). In November 2004, the G350 received both a Type Certificate and a Production Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). In addition, the G350 received validation by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on March 30, 2005. The first Gulfstream G350 entered service in June 2005.

The large-cabin, mid-range Gulfstream G250 offers the largest cabin and the longest range at the fastest speed in its class. Powered by twin Honeywell HTF7250G engines, the G250 can accommodate up to 10 passengers, travel 3,400 nautical miles (6,297 km) and cruise at speeds up to Mach 0.82. The aircraft also features 17 percent to 35 percent more floor area than any other super mid-size business jet. This additional space provides for a larger lavatory, an improved galley and increased storage. The G250 is equipped with the most advanced flight deck in its class: the PlaneView 250 featuring Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion avionics. This flight deck features three high-resolution, 15-inch (38 cm) diagonal Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs) that are capable of showing multiple formats, including a navigation map with terrain; approach and airport charts; graphical flight planning, and optional synthetic and enhanced vision.

The large-cabin, mid-range Gulfstream G200 accommodates up to 10 passengers and offers outstanding performance with its excellent climb, high cruising altitude, high speed, long range and short-landing capabilities. Powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada 306A engines, the G200 is able to fly at speeds up to Mach 0.85 and at cruising altitudes up to 45,000 feet (13,716 m). Since joining the Gulfstream fleet in 2001, the G200 has benefited from several improvements, including a redesigned interior, a sound-proofing package and an aggressive weight-reduction program. The G200 offers several layout options and a competitive warranty. This large-cabin, mid-range aircraft can be tailored to meet individualized mission requirements. On June 4, 2008, the 200th G200 rolled out. Today, G200s are in service throughout the world – in Europe, Asia and both North and South America. The G200 received a Type Certificate from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on Sept. 7, 2004.

Rounding out the Gulfstream fleet is the wide-cabin, high-speed Gulfstream G150. Powered by two fuel-efficient Honeywell 731 engines, the wide-cabin, high-speed Gulfstream G150 offers the best performance in its class with a range of 3,000 nautical miles (5,556 km). Available in three configurations, this aircraft comfortably accommodates six to eight passengers. The wide cabin features stand-up headroom, ample aisle space, and generous seated headroom and legroom. G150 benefits include competitive warranty, training and maintenance programs. On Jan. 18, 2005, the first G150 business jet rolled out of the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) manufacturing facility at the Ben Gurion International Airport in Israel and successfully completed its first flight on May 3, 2005. The G150 received its Type Certificate from the Civil Aviation Administration of Israel and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on Nov. 7, 2005.

Mailing Address:
Gulfstream Aerospace
500 Gulfstream Road
Savannah, Georgia 31407 USA

Contact Gulfstream at:
+1 (912) 965-3000
or info@gulfstream.com