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The Gulfstream G450 and G550 flew from Savannah to the 2016 European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva on a renewable fuel blend. Gulfstream Photo
Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. made several announcements at the 2016 European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva. The first announcement was that the G450 and G550 flew from Savannah to Geneva on a renewable fuel blend to join Gulfstream’s static display.
In addition to the G450 and G550 flights to EBACE, all of Gulfstream’s Savannah-based demonstration aircraft and the G500 flight-test fleet have flown on the renewable fuel blend.
“At Gulfstream, the foundation of our business is delivering on our promises and setting new standards for the industry,” said Mark Burns, president, Gulfstream. “In 2011, the G450 was the first business jet to cross the Atlantic using biofuels. The G450 and G550 flights to Geneva are the first transatlantic flights made using our own renewable fuel supply and mark an important milestone in our mission to practice sustainability throughout every aspect of our business.”
Gulfstream established a three-year agreement with its fuel supplier, World Fuel Services, in 2015 for a consistent supply of renewable fuels for daily flight operations in Savannah. The fuel, produced by AltAir, is a blend of low-carbon, drop-in renewable fuel and Jet-A. It provides the same performance as conventional, petroleum-based jet fuel and requires no changes to factory-standard engines or aircraft.
Each gallon of renewable fuel burned is expected to achieve a more than 50 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, relative to petroleum-based jet fuel, on a lifecycle basis.
Gulfstream’s supply of low-carbon, drop-in replacement fuel provided by AltAir and World Fuel Services is derived from agricultural waste and is certified to meet the same industry specifications as petroleum Jet-A.
The company also announced that its flagship, the Gulfstream G650ER, recently received type certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for private operations. The certification recognizes that the world’s longest-range business jet demonstrates compliance with EASA airworthiness and environmental requirements.
Gulfstream’s flagship, the Gulfstream G650ER, recently received EASA type certification for private operations. Gulfstream Photo
It is one of the final steps required for the G650ER to be registered for private operations in a European Union country.
“When the G650ER was introduced, it ushered in additional performance capabilities and offered greater mission flexibility,” said Burns. “The aircraft connects more international cities nonstop, which in turn provides increased opportunities for our customers. This certification means more customers will be able to experience the benefits of such a valuable business tool.”
The G650ER, an extended range version of the G650, was announced on May 19, 2014. It received type certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration in October 2014. Customer deliveries began one month later, a month ahead of schedule.
In addition, the Gulfstream G500 and G600 test programs continue to stride toward anticipated FAA certification in 2017 and 2018, respectively. The four G500 test aircraft have exceeded 1,000 hours of test time, and production of the G600 test articles is well underway.
“The G500 made its first flight nearly one year ago, and we have spent the 12 months since then expanding the test fleet and reaching the goals we established early on,” said Burns. “At the same time, we have made significant progress in manufacturing the five G600 test articles. Thanks to the extensive ground work in Gulfstream’s state-of-the-art test labs, these aircraft programs are maturing at a consistent pace.”
Four G500 test aircraft have exceeded 1,000 hours of test time, and production of the G600 test articles is well underway. Gulfstream Photo
To date, the G500 test fleet, which includes four flight-test aircraft (T1-T4), has flown more than 240 flights, surpassing 1,000 flight hours. The fifth test aircraft, P1, is at the Savannah Completions centre, where it is receiving an interior that will be used to test the cabin elements in flight.
The G650ER travels near the speed of sound, with a maximum speed of Mach 0.925. At Mach 0.85, it can carry passengers 7,500 nautical miles/13,890 kilometres, and at Mach 0.90, 6,400 nm/11,853 km. At Mach 0.90, the aircraft can connect Geneva to Los Angeles in just over 11 hours and London to Singapore in less than 12 hours.
Finally, the company announced it recently enhanced its support for a growing number of Europe-based operators with new company-authorized maintenance sites in Austria and Germany.
The addition of two company-authorized maintenance sites, Jet Aviation’s service centre in Vienna and Altenrhein Aviation’s new Berlin line maintenance operation, help support a fleet of more than 220 aircraft in Europe, including more than 30 based in the central section of the continent.
Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. recently announced the addition of two company-authorized maintenance sites in Austria and Germany. Gulfstream Photo
“We are always looking at ways to expand our depth and breadth of services for customers,” said Derek Zimmerman, president, Gulfstream Product Support. “Vienna and Berlin are very significant additions to our support network. Each is an economic, cultural and political centre, which translates into business jet activity. We are focused on meeting our customers’ maintenance requirements to ensure their safety and security.”
Europe is home to a wide range of Gulfstream aircraft. The large-cabin G650ER, G650, G550 and G450 have proven to be the most popular, representing more than 65 per cent of the fleet.
“We are proud that customer response to our aircraft in Europe has been outstanding,” said Scott Neal, senior vice president of worldwide sales and marketing, Gulfstream. “We are particularly gratified that our flagship G650ER and G650 have been so well-received. We have more than 30 of those aircraft based in Europe, more than double what we had there in the beginning of 2015.”
European-based customers have a convenient location from which to select an aircraft and its interior. The 5,500-square-foot/511-square-metre Gulfstream Sales and Design Center in Mayfair, central London, which opened in June 2013, includes a showroom where customers can select leather, veneer, fabric and carpet for their aircraft.
Gulfstream operators from the United Kingdom to Russia and beyond can rely on a vast network of service and support resources in Europe, including Gulfstream’s service centre at London Luton Airport, which opened in 2003. Gulfstream Luton has grown to nearly 280 employees and had its busiest year ever in 2015, with more than 1,300 on-site aircraft visits.
Gulfstream Luton is a certified European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and U.S. Federal Aviation Administration repair station and holds EASA Part 21 design organization approval, which authorizes its technicians to install and repair avionics equipment and cabin interiors for Gulfstream aircraft registered in European Union (EU) countries. The facility includes a 75,000-square-foot/6,968-square-metre hangar and also has maintenance approvals from 19 other civil aviation authorities, including Azerbaijan, Hong Kong, India, Nigeria, Turkey and United Arab Emirates.
Gulfstream’s strong European presence includes factory-authorized Jet Aviation service centres in Vienna, Basel, Geneva and Moscow. Altenrhein Aviation Ltd. in Altenrhein, Switzerland, and Berlin are Gulfstream-authorized warranty facilities.
