GULFSTREAM G450 SETS SPEED RECORD BETWEEN SAVANNAH AND SÃO PAULO

Large-Cabin Aircraft Demonstrates Exceptional Long-Range Performance

SAVANNAH, Ga., October 5, 2010 - A large-cabin, long-range Gulfstream G450 business jet recently established a city-pair speed record between Savannah and São Paulo, completing the 3,922-nautical-mile flight in less than nine hours.

The G450 took off from the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport at 8:07 a.m. local time with six passengers, one flight attendant and international captains Eric Parker and Jaime Bahamon on board. The aircraft, flying to the Latin American Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (LABACE), landed at the Guarulhos International Airport in São Paulo eight hours and 50 minutes later.

The average cruise speed for the flight was Mach 0.80, with altitudes ranging from 41,000 to 45,000 feet.

The National Aeronautic Association (NAA) confirmed the flight as a U.S. record and forwarded the figures to the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) in Switzerland for approval as a world record. The Savannah-São Paulo record had previously been unclaimed.

Powered by two Rolls-Royce Tay Mk 611-8C engines, the G450 can fly 4,350 nautical miles -- Beijing to New Delhi or Moscow nonstop and can reach speeds of up to Mach 0.88. The aircraft features PlaneView®, the most advanced flight deck in its class, and the Gulfstream Enhanced Vision System (EVS) as standard equipment.

The G450 established its first speed record 10 days after it entered service on May 7, 2005, flying 3,550 nautical miles - Chicago to London - in 7:19 at an average speed of Mach 0.85.  Since then, the aircraft has set four additional records, including Washington, D.C., to Luton, England - 3,290 nautical miles - in 6:12; Denver to Honolulu - 2,944 nautical miles - in 7:07; Oranjestad, Aruba, to Barcelona, Spain - 4,374 miles - in 8:56; and Tokyo to Hong Kong -1,694 nautical miles - in 3:58.

 

NOTE TO EDITORS

Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics
(NYSE: GD), designs, develops, manufactures, markets, services and supports the world’s most technologically advanced business-jet aircraft. Gulfstream has produced some 1,800 aircraft for customers around the world since 1958. To meet the diverse transportation needs of the future, Gulfstream offers a comprehensive fleet of aircraft, comprising the wide-cabin, high-speed Gulfstream G150®; the large-cabin, mid-range Gulfstream G200®; the new large-cabin, mid-range Gulfstream G250®; the large-cabin, mid-range Gulfstream G350®; the large-cabin, long-range G450®; the large-cabin, ultra-long-range Gulfstream G500®; the large-cabin, ultra-long-range Gulfstream G550® and the ultra-large-cabin, ultra-long-range G650®. Gulfstream also offers aircraft ownership services via Gulfstream Pre-Owned Aircraft Sales®. The company employs more than 9,000 people at seven major locations. We invite you to visit our website for more information and photos of Gulfstream aircraft at www.gulfstream.com.

General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Va., employs approximately 91,000 people worldwide. The company is a market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and information systems and technologies. More information about General Dynamics is available online at www.gd.com.