Gulfstream completed the Gulfstream V Integration Test Facility and rolled out the GV – the first ultra-long range business jet – in 1995, which first flew in November 1995.
The GV demonstrator flew a distance of 7999 mi / 12,973 km non-stop on 10 January 1997, carrying four crew and three passengers. 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.
The GV features a six-screen Honeywell SPZ-8500 electronic flight instrumentation system (EFIS).
New Gulfstream V global business jet; also forms the platform for an ASTOR contender under Lockheed Martin leadership.
In 2001 the USAF leased five Gulfstream Vs as C-37As.
Mid-2001 the GV-SP advanced long-range business jet made its first flight. The prototype went to 41,000 ft and flew near to M0.8.
Gulfstream GV B-8092
Engines 2 x 12,420-lb. s.t. Rolls-Royce Tay turbofans. Gross wt. 70,200 lb Empty wt. 33,400 lb Seats 14-24. Fuel capacity 4,340 USG. Top speed 564 mph. Economy cruise 528 mph. Stall 121 mph. Ceiling 45,000 ft Range 4,952 miles Takeoff run 5,100 ft. Landing roll 3,200 ft.
Engines: 2 x BMW R-R BR 700 Srs. Cruise: 0.885M. Max cruise alt: 51,000ft. Range: 6500 nm. Endurance: 14.5 hr. Crew: 4. Pax capacity: 8.
Launched on 19 April 1983, and first flown in September 1985, the Gulfstream IV received its certification by the FAA on 22 April 1987, and went into full production at the Savannah facility of Chrysler Corp subsidiary Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. A twin turbofan executive transport, although generally similar to the Gulfstream III, the IV includes a redesigned wing, a lengthened fuselage with a sixth window on each side and two 13,850 lb st (61,6 kN) R-R Tay Mk.611-8 turbofans. The cockpit incorporates advanced CRT displays and digital avionics. At the time of certification, the company held orders for more than 100 Gulfstream IVs and by the end of May 1987 had delivered 16 aircraft. The complete flight management system, including EFIS, is included in the GIV during production, but, as is customary for corporate aircraft, they are delivered to their customers unfinished and go to approved finishing centres for customer-specified interiors to be installed.
As well as for the corporate role, the GIV is now being vigorously marketed in a number of military and quasi-military roles as the SRA-4 (Special Requirements Aircraft), first flown in 1988. The SRA-4 for mainly military roles including electronic warfare, search and rescue, anti-submarine/ ship, and communications.
The performance of the Gulfstream IV, particularly in payload/range terms, has already been demonstrated in several notable flights, including a round-the-world westbound flight (ie, against the prevailing wind patterns) made in the third production aircraft (s/n 1002). Starting and finishing at Le Bourget during the Paris Air Show, this Gulfstream, with a six-man crew headed by Gulfstream Aerospace chairman Allen E Paulson, completed the l9,847-naut ml (36832.44-km) circuit in 45 hrs 25 mm 10 sec. With five ground stops (at Rome, Mid¬way, Kinabalu, Dubai and Cairo) the aircraft averaged 4377 kts (810,79 km/h) and en¬countered head winds of up to 139 kts (257 km/ h). In addition to 22 city-to-city records, the flight set round-the-world westbound records for jet aircraft of unlimited weight and business jets of up to 35,000 kg (77 140 lb) gross weight.
Gulfstream used company demonstrators N404GA and N400GA to set westbound and eastbound around the world records in June 1987 and February 1988 respectively.
Gulfstream G4SP N600VC
The Gulfstream IV-SP has more efficient engines and modifications revising operating weights and a better payload range combination.
In 1987, 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.
Gulfstream G 1159 Gulfstream IV Engine: 2 x Rolls Royce Tay 611-8, 60430 N / 6160 kp Length: 88.255 ft / 26.9 m Height: 24.934 ft / 7.6 m Wingspan: 77.756 ft / 23.7 m Wing area: 950.461 sq.ft / 88.3 sq.m Max take off weight: 73206.0 lb / 33200.0 kg Weight empty: 42512.4 lb / 19280.0 kg Max. weight carried: 30693.6 lb / 13920.0 kg Max. speed: 509 kts / 943 km/h Landing speed: 108 kts / 200 km/h Cruising speed: 459 kts / 850 km/h Initial climb rate: 3937.01 ft/min / 20.0 m/s Service ceiling: 44948 ft / 13700 m Wing loading: 77.08 lb/sq.ft / 376.0 kg/sq.m Range: 3696 nm / 6845 km Crew: 2 Payload: 14-19pax
Gulfstram IV (Long range) Engines: Two Rolls-Royce Tay 610-8 turbofans, 12,420 lb.st (5634 kgp) Fuel capacity, 4,370 US gal (16,540 lt). Max operating speed (VM0) 340 kts (630 km/h) CAS, (MM0) M = 088. Tur¬bulent air penetration speed (above 32,000 ft/ 9754 in), M=075. Max cruising speed, 519 kts (962 km/h) or Mach = 088 Long-range cruise, 459 kts (851 km/h) or M = 080 Take-off balanced field length, 5,100 ft (1 554 m) Initial rate of climb, 3,816 ft/min (19,4 m/sec) Single-engine climb rate, 1,278 ft/min (6,5 m/sec) Max operational altitude, 51,000 ft (15 544 m) Single-engine cruise ceiling, 27,000 ft (8 230 m) Landing distance, 3,200 ft (975 m) Max range (NBAA IFR reserves, long-range cruise), 4,300 naut mls (7965 km) with 8 pax. Typical operating weight empty, 41,100 lb (18 643 kg) Max fuel load, 29,500 lb (13 381 kg) Payload with max fuel, 1,600 lb (726 kg) Max payload, 3,900 lb (1 769 kg) Max take-off weight, 71,700 lb (32 523 kg) Max zero fuel weight, 45,000 lb (20 412 kg) Max landing weight, 58,500 lb (26 536 kg). Wing span, 77 ft 10 in (23,7 m) Overall length, 88 ft 4 in (26,9 m) Overall height, 24 ft 10 in (7,6 m) Wing area, 9504 sq ft (88,29 sq.m) Wing sweepback, at quarter chord line, 2766 deg inboard, 2682 deg outboard. Accommodation: Flight crew of two. Typical executive layouts for 14 passengers; max cer¬tificated, 19 passengers. Cabin length, 45 ft 1 in (13,7 m) Max height, 6 ft 1 in (1,9 m) Max width, 7 ft 4 in (2,2 m) Total cabin volume, 1,513 cu ft (42,8 cu.m) Baggage compartment volume, 169 cu ft (4,8 cu.m).
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 America. He made a priority of developing the Gulfstream III, a new aircraft designed to achieve greater range and speed than the GII.
The G.III stretched development of the G.II featured an all new super critical wing.
A declining market caused Grumman to announce the cancellation of the G.III at the 1977 Paris air show. The business was sold to American Jet Industries (later to be Gulfstream Aerospace).
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.
The G-1159A Gulfstream III was first built in 1980
In 1987, the 200th and last Gulfstream III produced was delivered, and the first delivery of a Gulfstream IV took place.
Based on the twin-turbofan Gulfstream III corporate jet, the C-20 Gulfstream III/TV has been purchased for US Air Force, Army, and Navy use as a VIP transport and oper¬ational support aircraft. Three aircraft were bought following an initial period of lease, and have been followed by 12 more. Three maritime patrol aircraft acquired by the Royal Danish Air Force are equipped with APS-127 search radars, INS, and a large cargo door. They can be reconfigured in less than two hours for VIP transport, troop carrying, or medevac. Another export customer, reported to be India, has bought three reconnaissance versions. Prod-uction of the Spey powered Gulfstream III ended in early 1987 with the transition to the Gulfstream IV, which uses Tay engines.
A Gulfstream III completed as the SRA-l de¬monstrator first flew on 14 August 1984 from Travis Field, Savannah, Georgia. It had been extensive¬ly tested with a number of the sensor systems proposed for some of the SRA-4 roles, including an under fuselage Side-Looking Airborne Modular Multimission Radar.
In 1987, the 200th and last Gulfstream III produced was delivered, and the first delivery of a Gulfstream IV took place.
G-1159A Gulfstream III Engines: 2 x Rolls/Royce Spey 511-8, 11,400 lbs thrust. Seats: 22. Length: 83.1 ft. Height: 24.2 ft. Wingspan: 77.8 ft. Wing area: 935 sq.ft. Wing aspect ratio: 6. Maximum ramp weight: 68,700 lbs. Maximum takeoff weight: 68,700 lbs. Standard empty weight: 32,200 lbs. Maximum useful load: 36,500 lbs. Zero-fuel weight: 42,000 lbs. Maximum landing weight: 58,500 lbs. Wing loading: 73 lbs/sq.ft. Power loading: 3 lbs/lb. Maximum usable fuel: 28,300 lbs. Best rate of climb: 3800. Certificated ceiling: 45,000 ft. Max pressurisation differential: 9.5 psi. 8000 ft cabin alt @: 45,000 ft. Maximum single-engine rate of climb: 1200 fpm @ 225 kts. Single-engine climb gradient: 327 ft/nm. Single-engine ceiling: 27,000 ft. Maximum speed: 501 kts. Normal cruise @ 45,000ft: 442 kts. Fuel flow @ normal cruise: 2475 pph. Stalling speed clean: 121 kts. Stalling speed gear/flaps down: 105 kts. Turbulent-air penetration speed: 270 kts.
SRA-1 Engines: 2 x Rolls/Royce Spey 511-8, 11,400 lbs thrust.
The Gulfstream I, 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.
Announced on 17 May 1965, the G.II was to have a maximum range of 3670 mi / 5907 km.
The Grumman Gulfstream II was originally designed as a business jet, but an enlarged version would eventually serve in feeder airline use. Production of the swept-wing Model II version with turbofan engines started in 1965, and the first delivery was in 1967. It is one of the larger business jets, with a gross weight of 58,000 pounds. It is also one of the fastest, with a top speed of 589 mph, and it has a long-range capability of up to 3,600 miles.
The 200th Gulfstream II was delivered in 1977. 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. The 256th and final GII delivery took place in 1977.
Gulfstream II 1959 Engines: 2 x RR Spey Mk.511-8 turbofan, 11,400 lb. Seats: 12/19. Wing loading: 80.9 lb/sq.ft. Pwr loading: 2.87 lb/hp. Empty wt. 29,000 lb Max TO wt: 65,500 lb. Operating wt: 36,900 lb. Equipped useful load: 28,207 lb. Payload max fuel: 907 lb. Zero fuel wt: 42,000 lb. Range max fuel/cruise: 1701 nm/3.2 hr. Range max fuel / range: 4009 nm/ 10.2 hr. Service ceiling: 43,000 ft. Top speed 588 mph Max cruise: 512 kt. Max range cruise: 395 kt. Vmc: 89 kt. Stall: 108-130 kt. 1.3 Vso: 140 kt. ROC: 4350 fpm. SE ROC: 1525 fpm @ 214 kt. SE Service ceiling: 24,500 ft. BFL: 5700 ft. Cabin press: 9.45 psi. Fuel cap: 23,300/27,300 lb. Takeoff run 5,000 ft. Landing roll 3,190 ft.
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 Gulfstream I is a business transport designed to carry a crew of two with 10 to 14 passengers, which was introduced in 1958. Power is provided by twin Rolls-Royce Dart turboprop engines turning four-blade Rotol constant-speed propellers.
The Gulfstream I first flew on 14 August 1958 and was the first United States twin-engine business aircraft to be certificated to cruise at 30,000 feet, and had a maximum speed of 350 mph at 25,000 feet and a range of 2,200 miles.
The Gulfstream continued in production in 1960, with about 40 ordered.
A later version received certification as a 24-passenger variation for feeder-line use. Two Gulfstream offspring were enlisted for military use: the VC-4A was a U.S. Coast Guard transport and the TC-4C was an “avionics classroom” for the U.S. Navy.
The aircraft, 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.
Seats 10-24. Gross wt. 35,100 lb. Empty wt. 21,900 lb. Fuel capacity 1,550 USG. Engines two 2,210 shp Rolls-Royce Darts. Top speed 348 mph. Cruise speed 288 mph. Initial climb rate 1,900 fpm. Approach speed 128 mph. Range 2,540 miles. Ceiling 33,600 ft. Takeoff run 2,550 ft. Landing roll 1,525 ft.
Gulfstream American Commander Divi¬sion announced it will build a lower-¬powered version of its large cabin 1000 model. The new airplane will be called the Commander 900. By moving the floor and the pressure bulkhead and by chang¬ing the windows, Gulfstream has been able to come up with a great deal more cabin space inside the old Commander fu¬selage. First built in 1982.
AE-900 Engines: 2 x Garrett TPE-331-5-254K, 748 shp. Props: Dowty Rotol 3-blade, 106-in. Seats: 7/9. Length: 42.9 ft. Height: 14.9 ft. Wingspan: 52.1 ft. Wing area: 279 sq.ft. Wing aspect ratio: 9.8. Maximum ramp weight: 10,775 lbs. Maximum takeoff weight: 10,700 lbs. Standard empty weight: 7000 lbs. Maximum useful load: 3775 lbs. Zero-fuel weight: 9000 lbs. Maximum landing weight: 10,550 lbs. Wing loading: 38.3 lbs/sq.ft. Power loading: 7.2 lbs/hp. Maximum usable fuel: 2848 lbs. Best rate of climb: 2779 fpm. Service ceiling: 32,325 ft. Max pressurisation differential: 6.7 psi. 8000 ft cabin alt @: 31,000 ft. Maximum single-engine rate of climb: 924 fpm @ 112 kts. Single-engine climb gradient: 480 ft/nm. Single-engine ceiling: 18,140 ft. Maximum speed: 289 kts. Normal cruise @ 18,000ft: 286 kts. Fuel flow @ normal cruise: 648 pph. Endurance at normal cruise: 3.9 hrs: Stalling speed clean: 79 kts. Stalling speed gear/flaps down: 77 kts. Turbulent-air penetration speed: 188 kts.
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. At the start of the GII program in the 1960’s, 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 labour, 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. 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 America. 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 opening of a $16 million Savannah service center with 136,000 square feet of hangar space was in 1996.
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 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. 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 service center, an independent fuel farm, a 42,600-square-foot, 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 2001, Guizhou began development of a new trainer aircraft to replace the JJ-7 (MiG-21) trainers and better prepare pilots for flying the J-11 (Su-27) and J-10. To reduce costs and development time, Guizhou based their design off of the JJ-7. It uses the same fuselage and wings of the late-model JJ-7s, while radically redesigning the forward fuselage. The intakes were moved to the sides of the fuselage, allowing for a solid nose holding a radar. To improve the view for the instructor, the tandem cockpits were stepped. While intended as a trainer, it retains secondary attack capabilities. It comes standard with an ECM suite and a radar warning receiver, as well as an inflight refueling probe. Armament consists of an internal 23mm cannon and five hardpoints for unguided air-to-ground munitions and short-range AAMs.
Also known as the FTC-2000 Mountain Eagle, on December 13, 2003, the JL-9 derivative of the JJ-7 first flew, from An Shun/Huang Guo Shu (AVA) airport. Involving little change from the JJ-7, the JL-9 took 28 months from design to first flight.
The PLAAF began service trials of the JL-9 in 2006, while Guizhou continued to upgrade the onboard systems. In 2009, the JL-9 passed trials, and began production.
Meanwhile a navalized variant for the PLANAF has arose, incorporating several major modifications. The nose intakes were modified to prevent engine stalls at high angles of attack, the vertical stabilizer and leading-edge root extensions were enlarged, and the ventral fins were deleted to make space for the landing hook.
