Nonstop By Gulfstream DENTING THE SOUND BARRIER
Nonstop By Gulfstream
ISSUE 1 2011
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SIR MICHAEL KADOORIE
Sir Michael Kadoorie Hong Kong’s Aviation Visionary PlaneAdvantage Ultimate Training for Gulfstream Pilots
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PLANEADVANTAGE TRAINING
Snow Polo Lands in China
Monterey Square
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Exploring Old Savannah
SNOW POLO IN CHINA |
EXPLORING OLD SAVANNAH
Denting the Sound Barrier The Amazing Physics of the New G650
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Nonstop issue 1 2011
By Gulfstream
42 The Next Level of
Features
20 Hong Kong’s Aviation Visionary Sir Michael Kadoorie pioneered business jets in Hong Kong in a unique collaboration with Gulfstream.
28 Denting the Sound Barrier
The Gulfstream G650 achieves a sustained speed that no other aircraft can touch—flying at 90 percent of the speed of sound for a distance of 5,000 nautical miles.
34 A Passage to India
From high tech to high fashion to high-flying Gulfstream airplanes, Bangalore attracts them all.
Pilot Training
The PlaneAdvantage program lets pilots experience the huge safety margins built into every Gulfstream jet.
46 Monterey Square
One of Savannah’s original squares, it epitomizes the warmth and sophistication of our hometown.
54 Snow Polo Lands in China
With a little help from Gulfstream, a wintry version of the Sport of Kings is flourishing in Tianjin.
Cover: Paul Bowen This page: John Dibbs
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Nonstop By Gulfstream
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Nonstop issue 1 2011
By Gulfstream
10
34
46
Departments 6 Ready for Takeoff
12 Nonstop News
8 Contributors
16 On the Road … to Bangalore
The economic center of gravity is shifting eastward, with implications for global business.
Meet the “A-Team,” the world’s best in aviation, journalism and photography.
10 Outside Your Window
Gulfstream’s newest aircraft, the G650 and G280, racing toward certification, glow in a Savannah sunset.
A green milestone for the G450 … the unstoppable Jenny Rogers … celebrating the 300th G550 … and more.
Traveling around the world by Gulfstream, the author muses on the globally connected cabin.
60 Stick and Rudder
Gulfstream’s enhanced vision technology led the industry—and led the FAA to write a new safety rule.
64 Leading Edge
The iPad cometh. Gulfstream and FlightSafety go paperless.
66 Tool Kit
Gulfstream product support news and more.
72 Three Green
What if corporate PR departments extolled the benefits of business aviation?
62 The Business of Flying
Here are the top five considerations in financing a business jet.
4
Nonstop By Gulfstream
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Choosing a certain future with CorporateCare
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Trusted to deliver excellence
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{ ready for takeoff }
The world of Gulfstream is a world in rapid motion
Nonstop
TM
By Gulfstream
Editorial Director Jeff Miller Managing Editor Patty Jensen Photography Editor Matthew Stephan Consulting Editor J. Mac McClellan Contributors
Sean Coughlin, Heidi Fedak, Michael Westlake Photography
Economic shift >
Kathy Almand, Paul Bowen, Terry Duthu, Beth Getman (photo archives), Colston Julian, Skip Terpstra, Graham Uden, Patrick Wack Wainscot Media Staff Editor Mark Dowden Art Director
In 30 years the global
Stephen M. Vitarbo
Art Assistant Patrice Horvath
“economic center
Editorial Assistant Allison Dalidunas-Palmer
of gravity” will be on the China/India border, says a London School of Economics researcher.
This chart pretty much sums up the worldwide economic transformations we are experiencing. It was created by professor Danny Quah of the London School of Economics. The chart shows the shift in world income over the last 30 years (black dots) and the projected shift over the next 30 (red dots). The math is complicated, but the implications are easy. Wealth is shifting eastward at a rapid pace, and worldwide wealth is becoming more regionally distributed. Welcome to the new world of Gulfstream, which this magazine will try to convey. We see this trend at work every day—with about 70 percent of our sales recently outside of America, and half of those in Asia. That is why we are dedicating this first issue largely to an exploration of our Asian markets and the fascinating customers we meet there. Future issues will cover the globe. The world of Gulfstream is a world in motion—a nonstop, 24/7 world, where leaders cross time zones (and cultures) like New York pedestrians cross city blocks. Planet Gulfstream is an environment so rarefied that no other publication on earth describes it. It is an exclusive club of fascinating world leaders in business and other fields. We would call them movers and shakers, but, of course, in a Gulfstream they are never shaken, though frequently stirred by the incredible performance of their aircraft. We want to share our world (your world) with you. So fly with us in these pages. And come behind the scenes with former Flying magazine editor J. Mac McClellan and other experts, who explain how Gulfstream stays at the forefront of aviation. Welcome to our Nonstop world.
Publishing Staff Publisher Shae Marcus Account Executive Stephanie Staiano Production Director Christine Hamel Production Assistant Julia Niedzwiecki Advertising Services Director Thomas Ragusa Senior Art Director, Agency Services Kijoo Kim Accounting Amanda Albano, Agnes Alves Published by Chairman
Carroll V. Dowden
President Mark Dowden Senior Vice President Shannon Steitz Vice Presidents
Amy A. Dowden, Rita Guarna
Nonstop By Gulfstream is published by Wainscot Media, 110 Summit Avenue, Montvale, NJ 07645, in association with Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation. Copyright © 2011 by Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation. All rights reserved.
Nonstop By Gulfstream is printed on recycled paper. Scan this code for quick access to the Gulfstream website, where you can learn more about the entire Gulfstream fleet.
www.gulfstream.com editorial Inquiries: Contact Patty Jensen at 912.965.4164 or patty.jensen@gulfstream.com. Advertising Inquiries:
Contact Shae Marcus at 856.797.2227 or shae.marcus@wainscotmedia.com.
6
Larry R. Flynn President Gulfstream Aerospace
aircraft sales Inquiries: Contact Larry R. Flynn at 912.965.5210 or larry.flynn@gulfstream.com.
Nonstop By Gulfstream
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{ contributors }
J. Mac McClellan
Colston Julian
Paul Bowen
Michael Westlake
Patrick Wack
When consulting editor J.
Photographing in and around
Paul Bowen is the doyen of
Touring the Hong Kong
Patrick Wack is a freelance
Mac McClellan heard that
jets presents interesting lighting
aviation photography. He is
Peninsula Hotel’s China
photographer out of Shanghai
Gulfstream test pilots had
challenges. Accustomed to
credited with more than 1,000
Clipper Lounge brought fond
doing great corporate work for
created an advanced safety
shooting in studios, fashion pho-
magazine covers and count-
memories to Michael Westlake.
companies such as Nike and
course for Gulfstream pilots,
tographer Colston Julian quickly
less advertising campaigns,
The big flying boats led to the
Adidas, which is fitting for this
he couldn’t wait to experience
assessed the tricky lighting op-
and was selected as one of 60
age of the big pre-jet landplanes.
former athlete. When Europeans
the training. “Gulfstream pilots
tions for shooting inside a G450
professional photographers who
“I have wonderful memories of
say they play football, they
are the most experienced and
with only a handheld flash. His
make up Canon’s “Explorers of
many hours on trans-oceanic
usually mean the kind with a
well-trained in all of aviation,
solution: shoot exterior shots in
Light” program. From his base in
flights as an 11- and 12-year-old,
round ball, but Wack is a gridiron
so what’s left to learn?” asked
the morning and afternoon, and
Wichita, Kan., Bowen maintains a
but over the South Atlantic in
champion in American football.
McClellan. It turns out the answer
inside when the sun was directly
busy shooting schedule, traveling
Super G Constellations, mostly
He was a wide receiver for
is plenty, as he found out flying,
overhead, providing balanced
the globe in search of stunning
in the cockpit—my father was
the University of Tulsa Golden
and then writing about, the new
light in the cabin.
backgrounds.
the captain,” he recalls.
Hurricane while on a one-year
PlaneAdvantage professional pilot
Julian works between
He shoots from various air-
One result is his interest
sojourn studying in the U.S. He
Mumbai and his studio in
planes while flying in tight forma-
in navigation. “I reckon I’m one
played five years for the French
Toronto, shooting for fashion and
tion to achieve his desired shots.
of the few people in Hong Kong
National Football Team, was
aviation writer for more than 35
lifestyle publications such as
He is often perched in the open
who can still use a sextant,
twice a champion with the Paris
years and an active pilot for more
Elle, L’Officiel and Harper’s
tail-gunner’s position of a World
which has served me well over
Flash and once with Berlin Adler
than 40 years. He spent 34 years
Bazaar. His corporate clients
War II B-25 bomber, strapped in,
many years of sailing across the
in the German Football League.
on the staff of Flying magazine,
include Omega, United Colors
thousands of feet up. His headset
South China Sea.” But aviation
20 of those years as editor-in-
of Benetton and Louis Vuitton.
and microphone connect him
will always come first. A journalist
as an executive in the music
chief. He and his wife, Stancie,
Determined and focused, yet
to the B-25’s pilot, and the pilot
for 45 years, Westlake lives in
software industry, Wack had
and English bulldog, Jake, live in
amiable and flexible, Julian is
relays directions to the crew of the
Hong Kong with his wife Susana
enough of office life and headed
Grand Haven, Mich.
a former competitive BMX and
airplane Bowen is photographing.
and two neurotic cats.
for Shanghai to discover Asia
mountain biker. Maybe our
As the target plane gets closer, he
and turn his passion for photog-
photographers tend to be ath-
directs them with hand signals.
raphy into a sustainable career.
development training program. McClellan has been an
letes (see Patrick Wack at right)
His four coffee-table books,
because of all that heavy photo
Air To Air, volumes I and II, Air
gear they have to carry.
To Air Warbirds and Air To Air
After two years in Berlin
Touchdown Patrick!
Mustangs and Corsairs have gained critical acclaim, along with his annual calendar, Air To Air Warbirds.
8
Nonstop By Gulfstream
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{ outside your window }
10
NONSTOP BY GULFSTREAM
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Sister Ships at Sunset
Gulfstream’s newest aircraft, the G650 and G280, display their beauty as the sun sets on the company’s world headquarters in Savannah, Ga. Both the G650 and G280 are scheduled for type certification later this year. Photography by Skip Terpstra
11 GULF.ss11.outsidewindow.indd 11
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{ nonstop news }
Gulfstream G150 gets around
Kathy Almand
It showcased its long legs by traveling the 3,196 nautical miles (5,919 km) between Anchorage, Alaska, and Savannah, Ga., in 7 hours and 19 minutes. Its average speed was 494 mph (795 kph). The aircraft set two additional records when it traveled from Hong Kong to Nagoya, Japan, and back again. It flew between Hong Kong and Nagoya in 3 hours and 12 minutes. It then left Nagoya for the return trip to Hong Kong, traveling 1,503 nautical miles (2,784 km) at an average speed of 391.29 mph (630 kph), with headwinds of 126 mph (203 kph). The aircraft set its 14th city-pair record on a flight from Gander, Newfoundland, to Geneva, Switzerland. The wide-cabin, high-speed aircraft traveled the 2,464 nautical miles (4,563 km) between the two cities in 5 hours and 6 minutes, beating the previous record by 37 minutes. The aircraft’s average cruise speed was Mach 0.80. Said Flynn, “The G150 is a mid-size workhorse.”
Gulfstream says ‘Jambo,’ ‘Zdravstvuite’ to multilingual, multitalented Northeast sales director
Kathy Almand
The Gulfstream G150 continues to bolster its international resumé. The wide-cabin, high-speed aircraft recently received type certification validations from Brazil and China, which means the business jet can be registered in both of those BRIC countries. “This reflects the growing worldwide popularity of Gulfstream aircraft,” said Larry Flynn, president, Gulfstream. “It also demonstrates our commitment to ensuring Gulfstream ownership continues to be a smooth and simple process, regardless of where the aircraft is registered.” The G150 can now be registered in Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, the European Union, Israel, the Ukraine and the United States. But that doesn’t mean the G150 is resting on its laurels. The aircraft Gulfstream introduced in 2006 is still making things happen. In fact, the jet recently added four city-pair records to its resumé, bringing the total to 14.
12
Jenny Rogers, a type-rated jet pilot and aeronautical engineer, recently joined Gulfstream as a sales director covering the East Division, including New England and portions of New York, and Quebec and the Maritime provinces in Canada. Rogers held a similar position when she was based in New Jersey with Hawker Beechcraft. She has also volunteered as a tutor in a Tanzanian orphanage, using her Swahili language skills to teach residents there English and math. She speaks Russian, too. And when she’s not selling, teaching or flying, Rogers likes to enjoy the great outdoors through surfing, hiking, fishing, kayaking, walking, swimming, biking and running. All of that activity came in handy when she completed the Lake Placid Ironman in July. “It was fantastic,” Rogers said of the event she finished in just over 14 hours. “And I loved every minute of it.” That must be why Rogers’ favorite quote is from Winston Churchill: “Never, never, never, never give up.”
Nonstop By Gulfstream
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G550 hits 300
Paul Bowen
Gulfstream recently delivered the 300th G550. The large-cabin, ultra-long-range aircraft was delivered to a Taiwanese customer and will be managed by pioneering Taiwan charter and aircraft management company, Win Air. Gulfstream celebrated the milestone at its Brunswick, Ga., service center, where the aircraft was outfitted. The G550 and its sister, the G500, were officially introduced on Sept. 9, 2002, at the National Business Aviation Association convention in Orlando, Fla. The first G550 was delivered on Sept. 17, 2003.
Not to be outdone by the G150 and its city-pair records, the Gulfstream G450 recently set a record of its own: becoming the first aircraft to cross the Atlantic using biofuels. The Honeywell-operated aircraft flew from Morristown, N.J., to Paris using a 50/50 blend of Honeywell Green Jet Fuel and petroleum-based jet fuel powering one of its Rolls-Royce engines. Gulfstream worked closely with Honeywell to ensure the viability of the company’s biofuel, which comes from camelina, an inedible crop. The effort supports Gulfstream’s commitment to achieving the business aviation industry’s goals on emissions reductions, including carbon neutral growth by 2020 and a reduction in total carbon emissions of 50 percent by 2050, relative to 2005 levels.
Jeff Miller
G450 goes green crossing a lot of blue
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{ nonstop news }
The first production Gulfstream G280 is now at the Gulfstream mid-cabin Completions Center of Excellence in Dallas for outfitting and painting. Experimental test pilots flew the super-midsized G280, Serial Number 2004, from Israel Aerospace Industries, where the airframe is manufactured, to the Gulfstream facility in Dallas, where Gulfstream mid-cabin aircraft undergo final phase manufacturing. The G650 is about to follow in the G280’s jet trail, with the ultralong-range, ultra-large-cabin aircraft poised to enter final phase manufacturing in Savannah. Both aircraft are on track for certification in 2011, with the G280 entering service in 2011 and the G650 in 2012.
New aircraft programs make steady progress Forget Yahoo’s Babelfish or Google Translate. Now, you can read Gulfstream’s website in five different languages without using a translation service. The full company website is available in English, Russian, Chinese, Spanish and Portuguese, making the Savannah-based business-jet manufacturer the only original equipment manufacturer of its kind to offer marketing materials in such a broad range of languages. Website visitors can select their preferred language from a drop-down menu on the right side of the home page before navigating to the rest of the site. Any subsequent pages they click on will appear in the selected language. “We started this effort in 2010 with the addition of a Russian-language website and the distribution of select news releases in Chinese, Korean and Japanese,” said Larry Flynn, president, Gulfstream. “Now, in a nod to the popularity of our products in markets such as Brazil and China, we’ve translated our website into Chinese, Portuguese and Spanish. We’re thrilled that we can connect with our current and potential customers in this way.”
14
Gulfstream expands R&D Gulfstream has added another facility to its growing research-and-development campus. The 253,000-square-foot Research and Development Center (RDC) III opened in January. The center features approximately 30,000 square feet of lab space, approximately 223,000 square feet of light manufacturing and warehouse space, and the potential for additional office, lab and warehouse development. Gulfstream’s Research and Development campus consists of three locations and is home to approximately 1,450 employees. Fun facts: 1. RDC III is actually the fourth RDC building. RDC II consists of two buildings: an office building and a lab facility. 2. Did you know that all of the RDC conference rooms are named after famous aviators? It’s true. Conference rooms include: Doolittle, Amelia Earhart and Lindbergh. How’s that for some aviation heritage?
Paul Suszynski
Found in translation
Gulfstream can build its own circuit boards for testing advanced avionics concepts and create test composite structures in its autoclaves.
Nonstop By Gulfstream
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unstoppable.
Get greater access to more high-traffic and terrain-challenged airports, regardless of weather, with PlaneView® Certification Foxtrot. This simple upgrade provides more precise flight paths, giving you the most efficient routing possible. And giving your pilot dramatically enhanced situational awareness. Based on Honeywell’s Synthetic Vision-Primary Flight Display (SV-PFD) system, this new-generation technology provides a 3D display of every runway in the world, showing distance from surrounding terrain, in any weather, night or day. Greater access. Superior safety. Exactly what you’d expect from your Gulfstream. And Honeywell.
To schedule your Certification Foxtrot upgrade, contact your Gulfstream representative or Honeywell Sales Manager Tim Valente at 941-377-9879. ©2011 Honeywell International Inc.
015_GULF_FALL11.indd B A I L E Y L A U E1R M A N Honeywell Unstoppable
8/25/11 1:00 PM
An army may travel on its stomach, as Napoleon once said, but a flight crew apparently is fueled by Pop-Tarts, here being conveyed to the flight deck by Denée Nason. Regional Senior Vice President Roger Sperry prepares for a satellite phone call to Hong Kong.
To Bangalore On the road …
Text and photography by Jeff Miller
When we fly for business at Gulfstream, we fly pretty much the way, you, our readers, fly your business jets. Most of our flights are long, so it’s a mixture of work, rest, dining and trying out the entertainment systems. Our catering is usually superb. When we dispatch from Savannah, as we are today, local restaurants such as the New York-hip Sapphire Grill load aboard their best scallops and filet mignon. These are sometimes supplemented by smoothies—a pilot favorite—and various types of comfort food. On the way to London, en route to the Bangalore Air Show this past February, cinnamon Pop-Tarts are a favorite on the flight deck, and we can’t resist scarfing some of these down in the back, too. By the time we get to Mumbai, we restock with chicken tikka, chili toast and the Leela Hotel’s delectable club sandwiches. Our captains are Bob McKenney and Tony Briotta and our flight attendant is Denée Nason. Roger Sperry, regional senior vice president of sales for South America and the Far East, heads our team. Also aboard are Steve Cass, director of sales engineering, who can answer any technical question about a Gulfstream, and Gita Mirchandani, our PR consultant for India, who knows the players among the vast, free-wheeling Indian media. We often talk about the benefits of low cabin altitudes on board our aircraft. Gita brings up a benefit we hadn’t thought of before: She can wear her high-heels through two full days of flying, and her feet feel great. Not the same on the airlines, where even those of us in roomy Italian loafers can have trouble squeezing our toes back into our shoes. It’s a workday flight, so laptops are open. BBML (our air-to-ground cabin com-
16
Top right: Director of Sales Engineering Steve Cass sends email on an iPad and—what’s this?—media relations consultant Gita Mirchandani reads something called a “book.” Above: Captains Bob McKenney and Tony Briotta and the amazing Gulfstream PlaneView cockpit system. Below right: In Bangalore for Aero India 2011, Mirchandani, Senior Sales Assistant Mindy Neve, Sperry and Nason.
munication system) is up and running on computers, iPads and BlackBerrys. I can’t rave enough about this amazing system for en route productivity. On this trip, I find it useful to connect on the iPad to The New York Times online for the latest updates on Egypt, which is in the midst of a revolution, and all the other day’s news. On a subsequent flight back home from Hong Kong, Roger and I and others monitor the tsunami devastation in Japan
on CNN. When we fly, it’s a balance between escaping earthbound matters for a little while and needing to know what’s going on. On the flight to London, what really surprises me is that somewhere near Iceland, my computer starts making that characteristic Skype dial tone—boop-boop-boop. It’s a video call from my son, checking in from Safed, Israel. We have a nice chat, and the video streaming is pretty good. This was the stuff of science fiction when I was a kid. Now we hardly give it a second thought, even at 45,000 feet. About an hour out of Luton, I step into the cockpit to chat with Bob and he shows me the weather for our destination—a 1,200 foot scattered ceiling and 37 knots of wind gusting to 45 knots more or less down the runway. “It will be a little bumpy,” Bob says, which we all know is pilot-speak for expect some pretty good turbulence. When we break out of the clouds, the cabin monitor shows runway lights ahead and to the right of our nose (there’s a TV camera in the tail), indicating a healthy crab angle to compensate for the crosswind. We hear the audio call-outs from the cockpit radar altimeter as the lights come up to meet us and the nose gradually shifts to straight down the runway centerline, followed by a smooth landing. A nice bit of piloting. Given the turbulence and gusting winds, this is a great tribute to the G450. The wind is howling when we step outside, but our descent was remarkably smooth. The G450 is a tough and resilient ship that delivers passengers a great ride. ■
NONSTOP BY GULFSTREAM
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Hong Kong’s Aviation Visionary 20
NONSTOP BY GULFSTREAM
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One of Asia’s most respected entrepreneurs, Sir Michael Kadoorie uses Gulfstream jets to expand diverse interests and teach others the beauty and utility of private wings.
Graham Uden
By Michael Westlake Sir Michael Kadoorie is ranked with his family at No. 159 among the world’s billionaires, and at No. 6 in his hometown of Hong Kong, with wealth estimated at U.S. $6.1 billion. Among other business interests, Kadoorie is a force in top hotels (including the flagship Peninsula brand), and chairman of CLP Holdings Ltd., which provides 80 percent of Hong Kong’s power needs. He is the founder of Metrojet, which literally introduced business aviation to Hong Kong. Given Kadoorie’s passionate interest in flying, we thought it auspicious to interview him in the Hong Kong Peninsula’s China Clipper Lounge prior to an exclusive luncheon to celebrate the centennial of aviation in Hong Kong this year. The “Sir” in Kadoorie’s name is a British knighthood, an honor bestowed upon him by Queen Elizabeth II in 2005 for his charitable work in Britain and elsewhere. At age 70, Kadoorie remains extremely active, counting among his many leadership roles the chairmanship of the Hong Kong Aviation Group, which set up business jet operator Metrojet and rotary wing operator Heliservices. Asked about his early association with Gulfstream, Kadoorie tells us, “In 2001 we Typically a whirlwind of activity, Sir Michael Kadoorie pauses for a quick photo at the entrance to his beloved China Clipper Lounge.
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Chaired by Sir Michael Kadoorie, the Hong Kong Aviation Group set up business jet operator Metrojet and rotary wing operator Heliservices. The Metrojet fleet of 26 aircraft includes 15 Gulfstreams.
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entered into a unique arrangement with Gulfstream to try to stimulate the business aviation market here. It was still a very new concept. We started with a GIV for charter as a market test. The gamble paid off, the market responded, and Metrojet later leased a G200, which seemed the perfect size for the market at that time, and then bought another.” With things going well, Kadoorie sold some shares in the second aircraft to friends, but one day found that the aircraft was not available for his own use, so he bought another G200. Today there are 26 aircraft managed by Metrojet, of which 15 are Gulfstreams. Says Kadoorie, “It’s a winwin for us and for Gulfstream, who makes
“It’s a win-win for us and for Gulfstream, who makes every effort to keep our aircraft operating at their peak.”
hidden gems
The China Clipper Lounge Peninsula Hotel, Kowloon, Hong Kong The original China Clipper was a Martin M-130 flying boat that was part of Pan American’s Clipper fleet. These giant flying boats, which later included models from Boeing and Sikorsky, operated trans-Pacific flights from the 1930s until shortly after World War II. Today, the great Clippers live on in a lounge that serves as a venue for small private functions, but mainly as the departure and arrival center for helicopter service that operates from helipads at the Peninsula Hotel in Kowloon, Hong Kong. The lounge contains history and memorabilia of the China Clippers themselves, as well as mementos of the history of civil aviation in Hong Kong. Artifacts include a silvered propeller from a DC-3, a beautifully restored Pratt and Whitney Double Wasp piston engine (again from a DC-3, but similar to earlier models used on some of the China Clipper flying boats), a cutaway model of the China Clipper M-130 flying boat itself, and many, many photographs with descriptions of the early days of Hong Kong’s well-known airline Cathay Pacific Airways and its affiliates. The first Clipper flying boat to arrive in Hong Kong did so in the harbor on Oct. 23, 1936, carrying Juan Trippe, president of what was then Pan American Airways System, his wife Betty, and associates who were scouting new Clipper routes around the world. They stayed overnight at “The Pen,” as the Peninsula is still known. The original Clipper flights from California took six days with a maximum of eight passengers. The China Clipper Lounge, with its simulated aircraft superstructure, riveted aluminum wall panels, period-inspired furniture—not to mention a spectacular view onto Hong Kong Harbor—evokes a day gone by. “The China Clipper is not just
every effort to keep our aircraft operating at their peak. We’ve both gained. We both have high standards; it’s a happy meeting.” The Kadoorie family’s roots go back to Iraq, and then to Shanghai in 1880, where his grandfather launched what is today the Kadoorie Group, with hotels and other interests. When China effectively closed its doors to foreigners with the communist takeover in 1949, the Kadoories retrenched to Hong Kong and started to rebuild. Today, Kadoorie vigorously pursues interests in Hong Kong, on the mainland, including Shanghai, and beyond. He says, “We’ve been very fortunate; we’ve been welcomed by the Chinese people first in Shanghai and then Hong Kong. In 1948 Hong Kong began to build up, and we’ve continued to meet challenges—the family
a lounge,” says Sir Michael Kadoorie, head of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels group, which owns the Peninsula. “It’s a tribute to the history of aviation, particularly the crossing of the Pacific, opening doors to commerce between the United States and Asia. This could never have taken place without aviation. All credit must be given to Juan Trippe.” Kadoorie’s passion for aviation has also found practical form in retro-lounge décor in other Peninsula hotels in Bangkok (the Paribatra Aviation Room), Tokyo (the Seven Seas Pacific Aviation Lounge), and a similar but more local tribute to aviation history in a lounge in the Peninsula in Shanghai. This is called the Rosamonde in memory of the two-seater biplane that was the first “modern” aircraft designed and built in China (by three Americans under contract) in 1923 at the behest of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the still-revered founding father of China as a republic. Our tip to the business jet traveler: Take a helicopter to “The Pen,” but leave a little time for a cocktail at the China Clipper Lounge and inhale the nostalgia. —Michael Westlake The décor of the China Clipper Lounge is 1930s chic; the view outside is Hong Kong skyline 2011—inspiring by day, spectacular by night.
Photos: Graham Uden
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Mick McCarron/Sussex Sport Photography.com
motto is ‘Adhere and prosper.’” So how has Hong Kong changed in his lifetime? “Two changes have impacted me most: the skyline, like New York, and the pace of life—electronic media and immediate communications. Our reach is toward both the United States and Europe, and, with instant communications, if you’re not careful, you can be saturated.” Kadoorie’s interest in aviation has been lifelong. He earned a fixed-wing private pilot’s license and enjoyed flying around Hong Kong, but ended up flying helicopters and turned that into a business opportunity. As ever, the business came first. Says Kadoorie, “My brother-in-law and I were taken up in a helicopter and I asked who inspected the power lines. From this beginning we became involved in helicopter operations and eventually won a contract with Balfour Beatty to build power lines. The purchase of three Aerospatiale Lama
24
An avid collector of antique automobiles, Sir Michael Kadoorie is seen here at the wheel of his 1903 Cadillac, driving in the 2010 London to Brighton Veteran Car Run. The Peninsula reflects Kadoorie’s passion for good design, amenities and service; the hotel operates the largest fleet of Rolls-Royce automobiles in the world. Opposite page: Kadoorie celebrates the delivery of Metrojet’s first G200 in 2002 with Gulfstream Regional Senior Vice President Roger Sperry.
helicopters followed, and the company grew from that.” Is there a future for business aviation in China’s mainland beyond what Metrojet is able to obtain now? “There’s no question,” says Kadoorie “China spans huge distances. There’s a clear need for private aviation, which can speed up business generally. The important ‘opener’ will be accessibility of smaller airports, not so much the airspace.” But when will this happen? “I would hope it’s like a snowball that gets bigger and bigger, though it hasn’t been that quick
until now.” Kadoorie says the obvious comparisons are the United States and Australia, and predicts, “It will be a new industry.” When it comes to transportation, Kadoorie aims to make the best even better. In aviation, his pilots provide valuable input on new Gulfstream products, especially the new super-midsize G280. As for automobiles, when Kadoorie talks, Rolls-Royce listens. The Peninsula Hotel operates the largest fleet of Rolls-Royce cars in the world. The hotel has placed orders with Rolls-Royce eight times, the largest order for 14 long-wheel-base cars in 2006. In that case, Kadoorie asked for—and obtained—some 36 changes to the basic specification. These included moving air-conditioning controls to make them easier to reach, customizing tread plates, installing grab-handles for passengers, and other items. Kadoorie says, “Luxury cars in the
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“China spans huge distances. There’s a clear need for private aviation, which can speed up business generally.” hotel business need big trunks, and the Rolls trunks weren’t big enough. By relocating ancillary equipment, the trunk was made bigger.” The Peninsula took on its first Rolls-Royce fleet in 1970; experience told him and the hotel what needed to be changed. There is a comparison between RollsRoyce and Gulfstream, he feels, which also applies to the Peninsula Hotels. “We all strive to produce the ultimate product in our own markets. “I’ll tell you what made a big impression on me about Gulfstream, right off the bat,” Kadoorie says. “After we had purchased our first G200, taken delivery and departed Monterey, Calif., for a day
trip to Seattle, we discovered the microwave oven was not working. A little squawk, certainly not essential for flight. Gulfstream dispatched a G100 from Savannah to pick up a new microwave in Dallas, flew it to the West Coast and installed it before our departure for Hong Kong the next day. That distinguished Gulfstream from other manufacturers for me.” Given that his operations span the world, we were curious what advice Kadoorie would give to Western executives approaching Asian markets. “It’s the same whether you’re heading West to East or the reverse,” he says. “Be sensitive to the culture of the local area. That takes time.
You may stumble, but with prudence it will pay off in the long run. Allow time.” That’s certainly a formula that has worked for the Kadoories, who have built their enterprises over generations. Lastly, given his interest in the China Clippers, we couldn’t help asking, even if whimsically, is there a possible future market in flying boats for Gulfstream’s engineers to consider? He laughs. “If they made it out of noncorrosive materials and it had the performance of a G650, maybe there would be a market for people on isolated islands. But it’s unlikely. I look forward to the G650. I think Gulfstream has always been a leader in terms of engineering.” n
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Aviation in asia, a primer
Kathy Almand
Björn Näf, chief executive officer of Metrojet, shares insights on operating an aircraft in Hong Kong, China and other parts of Asia.
Hong Kong is a magnet for Westerners of all ages itching
Aircraft Operating Certificates
For Asia—Beijing, Shanghai,
with ambition and eager to tackle new challenges. Hong
(AOCs) from the Hong Kong
Tokyo and Singapore. London
Kong says to them: Come on, bring your talents; we’ll
Civil Aviation Department
and Paris for Europe. In the
learn from you, you’ll learn from us. And so it was that
(HKCAD), permitting us to fly
U.S., the most frequent destina-
Björn Näf arrived in Hong Kong in October 2010 to try
for hire.
tions are Los Angeles, San
something new. A former airline pilot for Swiss carrier Crossair, Näf
If you intend to operate
Francisco and Las Vegas. Viva
the aircraft strictly privately,
Las Vegas!
showed an early talent for management and ended up
we’ve found there is little
I’m from the U.S. or Europe.
leading Swiss Express and later Gulf Air, which stands
difference among private
alone in first-class service with its sky chefs and sky
aircraft registrations, such as U.S., Cayman Islands, Isle of
flying in Asia—what should I be aware of?
nannies. He also spent four years running a humanitarian
Man and Bermuda.
There are fewer airports, that’s one thing. And just
relief airline for the U.N. in Africa. It all taught him the value
Let’s say I want to register in Hong Kong.
because a destination has an airport doesn’t necessarily
of teamwork, he says.
What should I be thinking about?
mean it’s accessible by business jet. Expect longer lead
Certain aircraft are considered “first of type” in Hong
times for permits than you would in America or Europe—
from commercial airlines, Näf is convinced that opera-
Kong—that particular model hasn’t been registered there
you can’t be quite as spontaneous. There’s less ground
tional excellence and service excellence are two very
before. If that’s the case, expect a six- to nine-month lead
support infrastructure for business aviation—FBOs and
important aspects to the future success of Metrojet. Part
time to register with HKCAD. Whatever type you want to
all the services they can offer.
of his mission is to standardize and improve the quality of
register, allow about six months to recruit pilots, as very
back-end services such as accounting, billing, information
few HKCAD-rated pilots are available for business jets.
fuel, third-party handling charges, over-flight fees,
technology, human resources, finance and dispatch—with
Why is this business of flight plan filing so
management fees.
the end result being smoother, better front-end service
complicated, and wait times so variable?
If I’m an Asian businessperson new to aviation, what
that the business jet customer does see.
Well, business aviation here is still a new phenomenon,
can a management company do to assist me in us-
and the air traffic control (ATC) system in China, and in
ing an aircraft efficiently and effectively?
Näf says. So improving operations will be important to
most of the world, is geared toward airliners which fly on
We’re advisors, project managers, consultants and service
growth. “We aim to position Metrojet as the best-in-class
fixed, predictable schedules. But we are seeing a lot more
providers all in one. It really depends on the level of sup-
one-stop shop for business aviation in aircraft charter,
flexibility now in China as the ATC system learns how to
port you need. Some customers just want maintenance
aircraft management, maintenance, sales and services.”
accommodate business aviation. I can tell you what we
management; the other aspects of owning an airplane
A quick learner, we asked Näf what business jet
do at Metrojet to expedite approvals. We have a repre-
they can take care of themselves. For some customers,
operators, or those thinking of becoming an operator,
sentative office in Beijing to facilitate requests, allowing
we help identify the right aircraft, negotiate the purchase,
should know.
us to receive flight plan approvals in less than 24 hours,
supervise the outfitting, arrange all necessary certifica-
I’m thinking of buying an airplane? Where
although two days is typical.
tions, and provide pilots, maintenance and all other
Bringing more than 20 years of aviation experience
Business aviation is still a young industry in Asia,
should I register it?
For destinations worldwide, we maintain a 24/7 flight
What’s different about
Also, expect higher costs for just about everything:
aspects of full-service management.
Well, if you wish to charter your aircraft to offset operating
dispatch operation. That speeds up the approval process.
costs, and you are based in Hong Kong, we recom-
What are the most frequent routes to and from
lot of businesspeople who could benefit from it. We help
mend the Hong Kong Registry. Metrojet, and others, have
Hong Kong?
make it less mysterious and more practical. n
26
Business aviation is new and a little mysterious to a
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denting the
Sound Barrier
It takes decades of experience—and the latest technology—to fly faster than 90 percent of the speed of
By J. Mac McClellan
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sou
d of
sound for 5,000 miles.
Kathy Almand
d
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Paul Suszynski
The sound barrier conjures up images of steely-eyed test pilots with the right stuff flying rocketpowered airplanes over the California desert in the late 1940s. True, those pilots did “break” the sound barrier, but they couldn’t change the physics that hold back all jets that approach the speed of sound. Yet with attention to the details of every curve and shape on the G650, Gulfstream engineers have been able to create an airplane that will routinely
that holds back the speed of jets, imagine a crowd of people walking along in the same direction, perhaps leaving a stadium after a sporting event. Each of those people is just like a molecule of air. They are moving as quickly as they can without knocking each other over, or shoving and jostling. Now imagine a person trying to run through the crowd. Soon, the runner would be crashing into people, who would then knock aside others and
fly for many thousands of miles at 90 percent of the speed of sound. No other airplane, civilian or military, can do that. Only the Concorde could cruise faster than sound, but its range was barely enough to cross the Atlantic, while the G650 could almost cross the ocean twice flying at Mach .90 without stopping for fuel. To understand why there is a sound barrier
30
there would be chaos. That is what happens to the air molecules when a jet flies close to the speed of sound. The molecules just can’t get out of the way and they must be pushed aside. At flying speeds up to about 400 mph, the air molecules can move fast enough to get out of the way of the airplane, just as the people walking in an orderly crowd can move smoothly. But at speeds
Paul Suszynski
As the airplane flies faster, the pile of air molecules ahead forms a giant wave that the airplane must force its way through to fly even faster.
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To fly near the speed of sound for great distances, every surface of the aircraft must be aerodynamically optimized. These images of the Gulfstream G650 show some of the aircraft’s unique geometry, including the wing-to-body fairing, the engine nacelles and, of course, the wing itself. In flight, the shape of the G650 wing is ever-changing, with every subtle curve and swoop being absolutely critical for controlling how the air flows over and under the wing while the airplane flies near the speed of sound.
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Kathy Almand
The design triumph of the G650 is that it is able to control how the drag of the piled-up air molecules form into a wave as the airplane accelerates to Mach .90. faster than 400 mph, the airplane begins to push the air molecules into each other. The molecules begin to pile up ahead of the airplane. As the airplane flies faster, the pile of air molecules ahead forms a giant wave that the airplane must force its way through to fly even faster. So it isn’t really the speed of sound that is the barrier to fast flight, but the behavior of air molecules when they are disturbed. Sound waves disturb air molecules and they transmit that wave at a specific speed we call Mach 1, the speed of sound. Mach 1 is the fastest air molecules can move without piling up
32
on each other. The actual speed of Mach 1 varies with temperature. Sound travels the fastest in warm air and slows down as the air cools with altitude. Near the surface of the earth, Mach 1 equals about 760 mph. At the high altitudes above 38,000 feet where Gulfstreams fly, Mach 1 is about 660 mph. The real challenge in designing a fast jet is that before the airplane actually reaches the speed of Mach 1, the air flowing over the airplane has accelerated to that speed. As the airplane moves through the air, the air molecules must speed up to pass over and under the fuse-
lage, wings and tail. At some fast flying speed, the air speeding up to pass around the airplane will reach Mach 1 and the big wave of piled-up air molecules will form, holding the airplane back even though the actual speed of the airplane is far slower than Mach 1. In a jet using older technology, this big drag increase begins when the airplane is flying at around 70 percent of the speed of sound, or Mach .70, as pilots say. The design triumph of the G650 is that it is able to control how the drag of the piled-up air molecules forms into a wave as the airplane accelerates to Mach
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.90, or even up to its limit of Mach .925. Gulfstream engineers cannot prevent the air from piling up into a wave as the molecules flow over the airplane, but they have figured out how to make the air behave to create the least drag. The technology Gulfstream refined minimizes the wave, and makes its formation gradual, while on other jets the wave shape is steep and its formation is abrupt and the drag is insurmountable. The shape of the wing is, of course, critical, and so are the shape and slope of the windshield. The design of the fairing that guides the air around the junction of the wing and fuselage is absolutely crucial to controlling the Mach wave drag. And the location of the engines and the shape of their mounting pylons and nacelles are huge factors in the airplane’s low drag. When you get to walk around a G650, look at the underside of the wing. It is absolutely smooth. There are none of the fairings hanging down, as there are on other jets, because all of the wing flap actuation mechanism is housed within the wing. Also, look at the sweep angle of the wing, the way it swoops up toward the wingtips, and notice how the shape and thickness of the wing changes continuously along its span. These subtle, almost imperceptible changes in the wing are the fundamental technology that Gulfstream has developed and perfected over the years. There was not one “ah-ha” moment in the creation of the G650 with its unprecedented speed. Rather, its success is the collection and perfection of 40 years’ worth of techniques learned by designing and building the fastest and longest range business jets. The sound barrier still exists; it’s real in terms of a hurdle holding back the top cruise speed of jets, but Gulfstream technology allows the G650 to nuzzle up to the sound barrier without sacrificing fuel efficiency, cruise range or safety. Other jets using less sophisticated technology are still trying to push those air molecules out of the way and are burning up a lot of fuel and going slower to do it. n
Computers Can ‘See’ Air Color coding shows how fast air molecules are moving— key knowledge in optimizing aircraft design. Gulfstream employs the most sophisticated computer modeling to tailor airflow and air pressure distribution around the aircraft. This aspect of engineering is called Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), because air (from the point of view of physics) behaves as a fluid. CFD provides engineers a visually stunning depiction of flow patterns.
The image above provides a colorized representation of local air pressure: the warmer the shade, the faster the speed of air flowing around the surface of the aircraft, some of it at supersonic speed. The image also shows “off body” pressure distribution. The outer dark blue patterns at a distance from the airplane are weaker pressure fields generated by the aircraft’s passage through the air. Engineers use CFD to tailor “hot spots” by controlling pressure, reducing drag and shock wave strength, and eliminating flow turbulence to allow travel at extremely high speeds in silent cabins. Optimized regions include the wing and tail planes, the aft fuselage/ pylon geometrics, the wing-to-body fairing, the cockpit crown, the Enhanced Vision System camera, and the engine nacelles.
CFD can analyze pressure distribution in all sorts of ways (the image above shows “slices” along the wing). CFD is used to design the shape of the aircraft for precise control of airflow across the span of the wing and around the whole airframe. Every CFD image is the result of billions of calculations. The intersections in the grid pattern show individual points where flow equations are iteratively solved. The grid becomes much denser as it moves toward and around the surface of the aircraft, where flow parameters change rapidly and reach large magnitudes. Engineers make thousands of CFD “runs” to optimize and perfect the aircraft’s aerodynamics. Gulfstream uses cutting edge NASA CFD tools as well as commercial and proprietary CFD tools in its work.
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Italian fashion? Guess again. Purple shift button dress by Roma Narsinghani in Mumbai. Our new friends at Verve magazine did a great job of meshing a bright fashion palette with the bold lines of the G450.
34
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A Passage to
From high tech to high fashion to high-flying airplanes, Bangalore attracts them all.
India By Jeff Miller
Colston Julian
Gulfstream is known for its firsts. Well, here’s another one—conducting the first fashion shoot at Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bangalore, India. Security is tight on air bases anywhere, as you can imagine. And their proprietors are not accustomed to hosting fashionistas. So a little explanation is in order for how the ultimate business machine became fashion accessory for the day.
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Photos: Jeff Miller
We didn’t come to Bangalore with this specific mission in mind. We came to participate in one of the world’s increasingly important aerospace trade shows— Aero India 2011. But when the extremely persuasive Falguni Kapadia, editor-in-chief of India’s prominent Verve magazine, proposed combining haute couture and high-altitude travel, we capitulated and said we would try to figure out the logistics for such an undertaking. The rapid growth in the Indian economy is well-known. Less well-known is the rapid maturation of its aerospace industry, largely centered in Bangalore,
36
Clockwise from top left: High gloss on model Preeti Dhata and on the G450. En route from Mumbai to Bangalore, Fortune magazine’s Pavan Lall, Gulfstream Sales Vice President Jason Akovenko, flight attendant Denée Nason and Regional Senior Vice President Roger Sperry. Verve calls these “multi-coloured button leggings,” and cites Janis Joplin as the inspiration. OK with us.
which is also regarded as India’s Silicon Valley. The world’s aerospace industry beat a path to Bangalore this year to show its wares and look for strategic tie-ins. Aero India looked very much like the now century-old Paris Air Show, only with guaranteed sunshine. Fighter performances dominated prime-time air show hours, just as they do in Paris and Farnborough.
Government dignitaries and prominent industrialists such as Ratan Tata were seen climbing in and out of fighter cockpits, and much was made of this in the Indian media, as the country is on the cusp of a major fighter acquisition. Aero India has simply become a must-attend event for the aerospace community, and that goes for business aviation, too. So Gulfstream brought its G450 and G550 aircraft to the show and hosted guests in a nearby chalet. In our preparation for attendance, we found some interesting data on the Indian market. The country has a growing roster of billionaires: reportedly 47,
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Photos: Jeff Miller
summer 2011
GULF.ss11.fashion.indd 37
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The Verve crew made the G450 a character, not a backdrop, in a story about the unlimited possibilities of private aviation. ranking fourth in the world, according to the Forbes’ 2010 billionaires list. With more than 126,000 millionaires, India has the eighth largest base of high-networth individuals, with year-over-year growth of 51 percent, according to Merrill Lynch-Capgemini, not to mention an active IPO market and positive investment climate. If we were a military organization, we would call that a target-rich environment.
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For all its increasing wealth, business aviation is still in the early stages in India, limited to a certain extent by infrastructure, landing slot allocations and other growing pains typical of emerging markets. That picture is changing, however. India now has its first international FBO, run by Universal Aviation in Mumbai, and this is an important step forward. Indian entrepreneurs seeking to expand global business relationships un-
derstand the value of business aviation, and are learning how to use these rapidtransit machines to strategic advantage. That’s why our fleet in India is growing, quadrupling in the last decade from five to more than 20. More than half of those aircraft are our longest range models, because Indian business people, like those in other parts of the world, have to cover vast distances. But it’s nice to know that even our mid-
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Fourteen-seat G450 interior with three seating areas and white leather, dark wood interior—a hit with air show visitors. Maroon jacket
Colston Julian
and skirt from India’s Shahab Durazi.
summer 2011
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Photos: Jeff Miller
cabin airplanes like the new G280 excel on routes such as Mumbai to Moscow or Singapore. But what about the fashion models, you ask. Of all the tactical missions performed at Yelahanka, few may have been more complex than the Gulfstream and Verve photo shoot. These things take careful planning; in this case, weeks coordinating with the Indian Air Force, the police and other authorities. We were not sure the shoot would happen until Verve’s photo crew passed the last guarded gate at Yelahanka’s Aero India 2011. The Verve crew made the G450 a character, not a backdrop, in a story
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Clockwise from top left: The Red Bull aerobatic team promotes the high-energy drink with, well, verve. Hair styling in the Gulfstream version of a makeup studio. Crowds observing jet fighter performance. Verve editor Falguni Kapadia and photographer Colston Julian setting up a shot.
about the unlimited possibilities of private aviation. For that, we thank Kapadia and her entire team. Photographer Colston Julian quickly assessed the interior and exterior lighting and angle possibilities. The aptly named model Preeti Dhata was a consummate professional, looking cool as a cucumber in woolen outfits on a hot tarmac. The G450 showed its impressive cabin features: an extensive wardrobe was
hung in the walk-in baggage compartment; Dhata emerged from the large lavatory transformed in a new outfit each time; makeup was applied in the cabin, and refreshments were served from the galley. Gulfstream pilots were on hand to keep the aircraft powered up with a ground power cart, and cooled with an external air-conditioning unit. I don’t think another magazine or aircraft company will achieve something like this any time soon—the process, even though the airplane never left the ground, was about as complicated as a polar circumnavigation. n
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If there is one thing our customers especially love, it’s our trademark large elliptical windows, which provide spectacular views. For this shot, the Verve team selected “space age” pants from Wendell Rodricks of Goa and a top from designer Reynu
Colston Julian
Tandon in New Delhi.
summer 2011
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By J. Mac McClellan Photography by Kathy Almand
PlaneAdvantage lets pilots experience the huge safety margins built into every Gulfstream jet. The remarkable safety record of the business jet fleet is founded on full-motion simulator training, and Gulfstream and its partner FlightSafety International offer the most advanced simulator training in the world. Yet, as realistic as the latest simulators are, they cannot duplicate every abnormal situation a Gulfstream jet is designed to handle. That’s why Gulfstream’s test pilots have developed the new PlaneAdvantage™ professional pilot development training program. PlaneAdvantage demonstrates in flight how the Gulfstream can handle the worst that nature or mechanical failures can throw at it. By the time pilots are qualified to captain a Gulfstream, they have logged many thousands of hours. But for most, those hours will have been the routine, safe and smooth flying we all expect. Abnormal situations are extremely rare, and a typical pilot may go his whole career without seeing an unusual event, except in the simulator. But the people who design and build Gulfstreams expect the unexpected and have prepared the Gulfstream to handle it. And Gulfstream test pilots make certain that every jet off the assembly line is up to this demanding world-class standard.
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Gulfstream’s PlaneAdvantage program lets professional pilots execute maneuvers normally reserved for the flight simulator, such as steep banked turns at high cruise altitude.
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Author J. Mac McClellan (right) poses with Al Moros, a Gulfstream test pilot who served as McClellan’s PlaneAdvantage instructor.
The PlaneAdvantage training program is actually a version of what the Gulfstream production test pilots do with every airplane before it is turned over to its owner. PlaneAdvantage training is not going beyond the established flight envelope; instead, it’s a way to show just how large the safety margins are in a Gulfstream when the abnormal happens. There are a number of other training programs that put business jet pilots into small aerobatic airplanes and show them how to recover from an upset. Those programs are good to teach basic airmanship, but they do nothing to demonstrate how a business jet will react in such a situation. The small aerobatic airplanes are designed for loops and rolls and spins; throwing them around the sky may be interesting and even fun, but that knowledge doesn’t transfer directly to how a business jet will perform in a similar situation. High-Altitude Drill What happens, for example, if unexpected turbulence upsets a business jet from its normal flight path while flying at high cruise altitude? At 41,000 feet the air is only 20 percent as dense as at sea level, leaving very little cushion for some wing designs to create lift. That’s why
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all pilots maneuver gently with shallow bank turns and gradual climb and descent angles up high. But clear air turbulence can hold a surprise that both the pilot and airplane need to be prepared for. In the PlaneAdvantage training program, a pilot and his Gulfstream test pilot instructor climb to high cruise altitude and purposely perform steeply banked turns. The Gulfstream has the performance margin to fly through those turns even at its altitude ceiling of 45,000 for the G450, or 51,000 feet for the G550. PlaneAdvantage shows a pilot how the Gulfstream would respond if it were upset and takes the mystery and possible fear out of a high-altitude upset. In simulator training engines fail all the time, and pilots learn how to continue safely. But how many pilots have had an actual engine failure in flight? I haven’t. In the jet age, not many pilots have had an engine quit because the engines are so reliable. But it could happen, so PlaneAdvantage training shows a pilot what it’s really like to fly with one engine shut down. All jets have naturally imposed limits on how fast or how slowly they can fly. Properly designed airplanes like the Gulfstream will buffet and shake to warn a pilot that he is nearing a limit, while the advanced avionics issue
visual and audible warnings. Again, most pilots never fly near the airspeed limits of a jet, so they can only experience a simulation or read about how the airplane will behave. In my recent PlaneAdvantage training, by contrast, we flew the G450 out to its high-speed limit and I experienced the mild buffet of a Gulfstream when it reaches that limit. More importantly, I learned how to recover smoothly to a proper airspeed for the conditions. Approaching To Land On the low airspeed end of the flight envelope, training and Federal Aviaition Administration (FAA) testing requirements demand that a jet pilot never fly slower than the landing reference airspeed. Flying too slowly can create a rapid sink rate, or worse, can cause the wing to stall. But Gulfstream jets have a wide margin of safety built in, so there is no need to fly faster than the target while approaching to land. PlaneAdvantage training shows pilots how they can fly slower than the target airspeed, and even make steep turns, without having the Gulfstream misbehave. The training builds confidence in the Gulfstream so pilots are not tempted to add extra airspeed when landing, which can cause problems in stopping the
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A True Confidence Builder There is nothing dangerous or risky about allowing the stick pusher to avoid a stall, and that system is tested in every Gulfstream before delivery, but very few nontest pilots have experienced the stick pusher for real. With Gulfstream senior production test pilot Al Moros in the right seat telling me what to expect, and then following his guidance for the recovery with a gentle movement back on the wheel, I found the stick pusher experience was a true confidence builder. Gulfstreams have layer upon layer of backups for the critical systems, including electrical and hydraulic, so the odds of being without those systems are extremely long. But PlaneAdvantage shows pilots what it’s like to fly if all three or four generating systems should somehow fail. I was amazed how much equipment the batteries could support, including the autopilot. And there are emergency batteries backing up the normal batteries. Gulfstreams use hydraulics to muscle the flight controls, much the same way as cars have power steering. It would take multiple failures of the rarest type to lose that power steering, but Moros, who developed the PlaneAdvantage training syllabus for the G400 series, “tricked” the systems into going offline so I could fly the G450 with no power assists. Just like in the car with failed power steering, the controls are heavy and hard to move, but the airplane is entirely controllable. Even if the extremely unlikely sequence of multiple failures required to leave you without hydraulics did happen, PlaneAdvantage shows how you can fly on to a safe landing. PlaneAdvantage takes pilots through many
other very abnormal situations such as failure of the flaps to extend, or aborting a landing at the last minute, including a go-around using only one of the two engines. Every normal system is intentionally disabled so that pilots can experience flying with the backup system. PlaneAdvantage is such an intimate look into abnormal situations that only Gulfstream test pilots teach the course; testing the airplane in every possible situation is, after all, what they do every day. A classroom portion covering aerodynamics and a simulator profile are offered before the training flights. The flight training requires about two-and-a-half hours to complete. It comprises what test pilots call “the test card,” which describes in exacting detail the steps to perform each maneuver. The Gulfstream fleet has compiled an enviable safety record, but for those owners who want to be certain their pilots understand how to use every bit of the capability designed into their jets, the PlaneAdvantage professional pilot program is the way to give them invaluable hands-on experience flying safely if the unexpected happens. n
McClellan watches from the left seat (above) as PlaneAdvantage instructor Moros runs through the ground portion of the test card. The landing drill (below) gives Gulfstream pilots confidence not to add extra speed while approaching to land.
Matthew Stephan
aircraft on the runway. All Gulfstreams have a two-phase warning system to alert the pilot that he is flying too slowly and is nearing stalling speed. The first warning is a system that vibrates the control column, and it activates well before the wing could stall. Pilots are taught to add power immediately and lower the nose at this stick-shaker warning to avoid a stall. In PlaneAdvantage training, pilots allow the airplane to continue to decelerate until the second safety device, the stick pusher, takes over and automatically moves the control wheel forward to gain airspeed and avoid a stall.
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Monterey Square From homicide to holiness, this historic square in the South’s seductive city of Savannah has seen it all.
By Patty Jensen Photography by Terry Duthu
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It’s a sultry summer evening in one of Savannah’s hauntingly beautiful, centuries-old squares. The humid air hangs as heavily as the gray Spanish moss draping the square’s majestic live oak trees, their gnarly limbs eagerly peering above the neighborhood’s rooftops, listening to the wind’s gossipy whispers. If only these ancient behemoths could speak. As custodians of Monterey Square, they have watched its history unfold, including the mysterious doings at a home that hosted a homicide so heinous—and fascinating—it inspired a best-selling book and movie. Among other memorable events were the construction of a soaring, neo-Gothic-style synagogue with Jewish roots going back to the early 1700s; and the creation of an obelisk monument to a Polish hero of the American Revolutionary War paradoxically erected in a square dedicated to the Mexican-American War. But with true Southern gentility, the trees have kept their thoughts to themselves. Some claim Monterey Square, established in 1847, is the most beautiful of the city’s historic squares, of which 23 of the original 24 remain. Savannah is Georgia’s first city, founded by Gen. James Edward Oglethorpe on Feb. 12, 1733, and now home to Gulfstream’s world headquarters. Oglethorpe’s decidedly modern vision was to develop a village of mixed uses, where each square had trust lots for public structures on the east and west and tything lots for private homes on the north and south. Today, much has changed on Monterey Square, but more has not. All of the surrounding structures, except the United Way building, are original to the square. Perhaps the most famous—or infamous—is Mercer House, situated at the southwest end of the square. Begun in 1860, the home’s construction was interrupted by the American Civil War and not completed until 1868. However, it is not the building’s red-brick beauty that attracts
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a steady stream of tourists in horse-drawn carriages, trams and on foot—it’s murder. Purchased in 1969 by Savannah restorationist Jim Williams, it was later the site of the shooting death of Williams’ lover and assistant, Danny Hansford. The story’s drama was retold in the 1994 bestselling novel, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, and later in a star-studded movie by the same name. Affectionately known in Savannah as simply “The Book,” the novel and film are credited with increasing the city’s recognition and resulting tourism revenues. Directly across the square, history transitions from homicide to holiness. Congregation Mickve Israel’s magnificent neo-Gothic synagogue, completed in 1878, reflects Savannah’s strong Jewish heritage. Only five months after Gen. Oglethorpe founded the city, 41 Jews arrived by ship from London to settle in the New World, establish a congregation and raise their families. Architecturally, the
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Opposite, top left: The infamous Mercer House, where mystery and murder came together to spawn a best-selling book and star-studded movie, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Consecrated on April 11, 1878, Congregation Mickve Israel’s synagogue (this page) was built in an unusual neo-Gothic style. Opposite, from top right: Light filters through multicolored stained glass windows to softly bathe the synagogue’s soaring sanctuary. A page from the congregation’s book of corporate matters displays the signatures of early members of Mickve Israel. The keyboard is a detail of a small reed organ that served as a substitute for the sanctuary’s large pipe organ damaged in 1900. Brian Markowitz, a local Savannah businessman, serves as the congregation’s parnas, a position similar to president.
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synagogue features a neo-Gothic design, including faux-marble cast iron columns, Gothic arches, stained glass windows, a choir loft and 40-foot ceiling. Travel down the square to Taylor Street, home of Ginger and John Duncan and their quaint shop located on the building’s lower level, offering antique maps, prints and books. Originally a modest house, built in 1869 with two stories over a basement, today’s gorgeous four-story, Second-Empire Baroque-style home was created in the 1880s by a department store owner who believed in conspicuous consumption. The couple fell in love with Monterey Square, and waited patiently until a house opened up for sale. Now worth nearly $2 million, the Duncans purchased the home for $36,000 in 1976. Almost the entire interior is original to the home. Hop across the square and enter Alex Raskin Antiques. Located on the south end of the square, this building is the last unrestored grand mansion in Savannah. Owner Alex Raskin, a native of Savannah who was born 300 yards from his business, has spent years accumulating a treasure trove of artifacts, from historical trinkets to one-of-a-kind exquisite pieces of furniture. His shop, four
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Clockwise from upper left: John and Ginger Duncan and their Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Sally and Emma, pose in the Duncans’ antique maps, prints and books shop. The home’s front parlor features the original wood and plaster cornices, pier mirror, stencil ceilings, marble fireplace, chandeliers and Georgia heart pine flooring. Dappled sunlight shines through a bay window to illuminate a recamier. The facade of the 1880s house was designed to impress. A rare lithograph shows Monterey Square’s Pulaski Monument in 1855. Deer antlers grace the back porch. A wooden, four-foot tall West African rain mask seems to look out at the world in amazement.
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floors crammed with thousands of items, entices customers to spend whatever it takes to possess these desirable collectables. Back to the centerpiece of Monterey Square—the monument to Polish Gen. Casimir Pulaski, who served his adopted American country so faithfully during the American Revolutionary War. There is much controversy as to whether Pulaski truly lies below the obelisk. During the reconstruction of the monument, Pulaski’s alleged remains were exhumed in 1996 and examined in a lengthy forensic study. The results were inconclusive. So is it the general’s body buried beneath the monument? The trees aren’t telling. n Opposite page, clockwise from upper left: Alex Raskin chose the corner of Bull and Gordon to establish his antique shop and showcase its thousands of treasures. A pair of mahogany English parlor chairs, circa 1900, await a buyer, while a chandelier of Russian or Polish ancestry invites you to gaze up into its beautiful crystals. Considered to be Savannah’s last unrestored grand mansion, the home’s 12,000 square feet and four floors are perfect for housing the antique shop’s large pieces, including armoires, gilded mirrors, breakfronts and sideboards. This page: The staircase to the second floor features faded prints and faded memories of bygone days. A graceful 1860s Meridian chaise lounge is lit by the late afternoon sun.
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With a little help from Gulfstream, a wintry version of the Sport of Kings is flourishing in Tianjin.
Snow Polo Lands in
CHINA
By Jeff Miller Photography by Patrick Wack
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China has achieved a lot of milestones recently. It’s become the world’s second largest economy, has the second largest number of billionaires (115 according to Forbes) and is the largest consumer of automobiles. And now China has hosted its first international snow polo tournament. It’s probably too soon to analyze the social significance of the arrival of the Sport of Kings in China. But the tournament certainly is a powerful statement of the country’s economic emergence. Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club, the tournament’s organizer, invited Gulfstream to sponsor this February event in Tianjin, a city of 11 million two hours’ drive from Beijing. Polo being the right kind of networking environment for Gulfstream, we accepted. The Polo Club is being developed by Goldin Properties and its visionary chairman, Pan Sutong. Chairman Pan made one fortune in MP3 players and other electronics. He is building another in mixed real estate development in Tianjin. The Polo Club is just one part of a complex intended to include Goldin Finance 117, planned to be Tianjin’s tallest office tower with 117 floors. The vast complex will eventually showcase luxury hotels, government buildings, an international central business district, an upscale shopping Team France and Team New Zealand vie for control of the ball. Snow polo uses an inflated type of mini-basketball for better visibility and control on snow.
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mall, Broadway-style theaters, apartments and homes. Goldin Properties, which will develop the Tianjin site in three phases over five years, believes it is in the right place at the right time. Tianjin is fast growing, but not traffic clogged. It is closely integrated by rail and road with Beijing. Plus, the Goldin development is on the outskirts of Tianjin in the direction of Beijing, but only 25 minutes from downtown and also near the Tianjin airport. Moreover, Tianjin is being promoted by the Central Government as a new financial and economic center. Beijing planners intend Tianjin to be the country’s next
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Clockwise from left: Entertainers roam the sidelines to keep the audience amused during breaks between the sixminute chukkers; even hardy polo ponies are drained after six minutes of vigorous play and need a rest. Gulfstream’s banner is displayed among the event’s sponsors. Audience members watch the action intently.
economic powerhouse after Shenzhen and Shanghai. There’s a lot of real estate development going on in China. Anyone who’s read a newspaper lately knows that. For upper middle class and affluent consumers, much of this development is taking place around golf courses. But many developers can offer a Greg Norman- or Robert Trent Jones-developed golf course
community these days. Polo, however; that’s distinctive. Chairman Pan wanted a community that would appeal to several income brackets, including upscale families who would look at their home and club membership as a multigenerational investment. In fact, at this snow polo tournament, fathers who play came to watch their sons play. Team HK Goldin faced competitors from New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, England and France. Team England took top honors, with Team Argentina the runner-up. But how long can it be before China leads in polo, as well? n
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Clockwise from top left: Chairman Pan Sutong of Goldin Properties presents the champion trophy to Team England. We received a tour of the polo stables by Judy Shen, director of membership sales for the Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club. This model of the Goldin Metropolitan project shows its two polo fields along with residential and commercial developments that are in the making. Gulfstream’s Peter Hoi, regional vice president of sales for the Far East, and Roger Sperry, regional senior vice president of sales for South America and the Far East, proudly sport their official polo tournament parkas, while Hoi calls attention to the Gulfstream logo. A statue of a polo player and pony helps welcome guests to the Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Hotel, a luxury resort destination located next to the polo club. Traditional Chinese tunes with a beat, played on Lucite instruments, no less.
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HK Goldin’s Chevy Beh controls the ball. Polo is an
A Short History of Snow Polo Polo, which the casual observer tends to associate with European royalty and Argentinean playboys, may have actually
upscale endeavor, but it’s not croquet. Polo players have more “war stories” than pilots. This we learned over dinner with the players around the traditional “lazy Susan” piled with Chinese favorites, including roast whole piglet.
originated in China and Persia 2,000 years ago, according to a brief history of the sport provided by the Ascot Park Polo Club. The British discovered polo in India and exported it to their home country. The oldest polo club in continuous existence is reported to be the Calcutta Club, founded in 1862. The first polo club in England was founded in 1872 and in Argentina in 1875. It was an Olympic sport from 1900 to 1939, and there was some discussion among aficionados in Tianjin that it should be again. Snow polo, played on a smaller field with snow-shoe-equipped polo ponies, originated in the 1960s. It was formally introduced in 1985 in St. Moritz, Switzerland, where today it is played on a frozen lake for the Cartier Trophy. In the U.S., it is played exclusively in Aspen, Colo. As a first-time observer of the sport in any form, I found at least a few things of interest. The ponies are bred and trained for maneuverability and have the remarkable ability to stop on a dime and shift direction quickly. They are also fearless. Other types of horses would be frightened by a mallet swung close to their eyes. Not polo ponies. Also, it’s a rough sport. It’s perfectly acceptable to push other ponies around and even, in snow polo at least, to “slam them into the boards,” as in ice hockey. The ponies are tough and the riders are gutsy. Lastly, snow polo does require a warm wardrobe. Arriving directly from Mumbai, for which I had packed appropriately lightweight wool suits, I found myself the next morning touring the plush—but unheated—polo stables at the Metropolitan Polo Club. My toes went numb in minutes, followed by a bout of shivering until I arrived at a heated tent on the polo grounds and had a nice cup of tea. —Jeff Miller
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How EVS Came to Light Gulfstream’s enhanced vision technology caused the FAA to set new safety standards. All business jets meet the minimum safety standards set by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Gulfstream looks ahead of the existing requirements for new ways to improve the safety and utility of its business jets. Gulfstream’s development of its Enhanced Vision System (EVS) caused the FAA to write a new rule to define EVS performance and to allow Gulfstream pilots to land safely when other business jets can’t. And now, as usual, others in the business jet industry are following Gulfstream. EVS uses an infrared camera to see through fog, precipitation and darkness. That’s not new. The military and even basic security cameras have used infrared techniques for many years. But it was Gulfstream’s program manager Bob Morris and experimental test pilot Gary Freeman who grasped that a properly designed infrared camera could give a business jet pilot a realtime look at the runway ahead—even though low visibility blocked the human eye view. Morris made the business case, and Freeman would prove the system. Infrared cameras work by detecting slight
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differences in temperature. When the camera is pointed at the airport, as it is when a Gulfstream is on final approach to the runway, the runway pavement is slightly warmer than the grass on either side, so the runway shows clearly. Objects at the airport such as buildings also have a unique temperature that makes them visible. Vehicles or other airplanes give off significant heat, so they really stand out on the EVS display, as do the runway lights. Even large animals, such as a deer on the runway, can be seen on EVS, although fog or darkness may block the view of the runway itself. Searching for Bad Weather The infrared camera works well in the laboratory or fixed on a pole as a security sensor; making it function while moving through the air at hundreds of miles per hour while mounted in the nose of a Gulfstream was the hard part. And that’s why it took Freeman and pilots Ron Newton and Glenn Connor, along with flight test engineer Bill Osborne, hundreds of hours flying approaches to landings in terrible weather to perfect EVS. Freeman and Connor flew the first EVS
Kathy Almand
{ stick and rudder }
By J. Mac McClellan
tests in a Cessna propeller airplane that was stuffed full of large experimental electronics, including an F-16 head-up display (HUD). As those tests gained success, the infrared camera and the electronics to support it were miniaturized and toughened up to be suitable for the business jet environment. To be successful, the EVS camera had to function when it was 90 degrees Fahrenheit at the airport, and then be subjected to minus 70 degrees at cruise altitude. The camera itself had to be cooled to a constant temperature, no matter the extremes of temperature outside the airplane. The EVS camera is mounted in a small bump on the nose of Gulfstreams. It peers ahead through a lens that is heated to prevent fogging up or icing over. The camera is aimed to replicate the pilot’s eye view from the cockpit. The other key element to the success of EVS is the HUD, which Gulfstream was first to offer in a business jet. Like the infrared camera, the HUD, a special glass lens mounted ahead of the pilot’s eyes, has roots in the military. The magic of the HUD is that numbers and symbols—and the EVS image— can be projected onto the lens, but the pilot
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can still see the real world ahead through the lens. Even more difficult to grasp is that the numbers and picture on the HUD are focused at infinity. I have no idea how this is possible, but when you look through the HUD, your eyes focus on the runway that may be miles ahead, and at the same time you can still clearly read the information on the HUD glass only inches ahead of your eyes. Before retiring from the Navy, where he commanded the service’s F-14 swing-wing supersonic fighters, Freeman used that airplane’s HUD to control the airplane and target its weapons while still looking outside the airplane. His thousands of hours of using a HUD in Navy flight operations are what convinced Freeman of the safety and utility advantages a HUD could deliver to Gulfstream pilots and owners. While flying a normal approach to landing, a Gulfstream pilot can see all of the important airplane performance information such as airspeed, altitude, precisionapproach guidance and so on without taking his eyes off of the runway ahead. A HUD increases safety on every landing because the pilot does not need to divide his attention between the instruments in the cockpit and the view of the runway through the windshield. What EVS does is give a Gulfstream pilot the real view of the runway when fog or darkness get in the way. Without a HUD and EVS, pilots of other business jets must look down at the instrument panel to keep track of airspeed, altitude and approach guidance and then, at a predetermined altitude, look up and try to get a glimpse of the runway. Gulfstream pilots look through the HUD during the entire approach, see all necessary information, and with EVS, view the actual runway ahead. When visibility is low, the Gulfstream pilot sees the actual runway emerge from the EVS view of the runway seamlessly, in a transition that never leaves the pilot dividing his attention. As usual with new technology, there were doubters that EVS would work, and the FAA was on the list of skeptics. But Freeman and Newton crisscrossed the country searching for really crummy weather to test EVS in actual low visibility conditions.
Gulfstream flight test engineers recorded the view of EVS along with the unaided view the human eye could see, and compiled a compelling record of EVS performance. Finally, the FAA was convinced enough to have FAA pilots fly Gulfstreams equipped with EVS to see for themselves. They were sold, and the system was certified. A Compelling Demonstration I have had several opportunities to fly Freeman’s most compelling EVS demonstration firsthand. Freeman has a panel that he puts over the left side of the windshield, totally blocking my view from the left seat, while he can see clearly from the right seat. By looking only through the HUD at the EVS image, I was able easily to fly an approach and make a good landing the first time without ever seeing the actual runway. FAA pilots did the same.
After accumulating a massive amount of test data on the reliability and precision of EVS, the FAA not only approved it, but also wrote a new rule—FAR 91.175 (I) and (m),─which at the time was usable only by Gulfstreams. That new rule allows Gulfstream pilots flying with EVS to continue the landing approach down to 100 feet above the airport while seeing the runway only via EVS. All other pilots have to abandon the approach and go to some other airport at 200 feet above the runway. With EVS, a Gulfstream can land at its intended destination almost every time. And on every approach to landing, the HUD and EVS give Gulfstream pilots safety tools other airplanes lack. Are HUDs and EVS now unique to Gulfstream? No. Other business jet makers have followed. But having followers is what happens when you are the leader. n
Experimental test pilot Gary Freeman (opposite) was behind the creation of Gulfstream’s Enhanced Vision System (EVS). Looking through the glass of the head-up display, a Gulfstream pilot can see all flight guidance data—plus an infrared view of the actual runway—without looking down at the instrument panel.
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{ the business of flying }
Top Five Considerations When Financing a Business Jet
By Jim Tait
1. Banks are pickier. Financial institutions have shifted their focus from chasing the deal to fostering client relationships. Whether you are a Fortune 500 company, a private corporation or a high-net-worth individual, financial institutions are focused on how transactions fit their long-term client strategy. This “flight to quality” is also being seen on the product side. Demand and values for aircraft in the large-cabin, longrange segments have rebounded faster than in the small- to mid-cabin segments. 2. Start the process early. There is money available for financing aircraft, but buyers have to work harder today to find the financing structure that meets their needs. The best place to begin your search is with the institution that financed your current aircraft or one that handles your treasury and investment services. If you need to explore other financial institutions, you can contact the aircraft manufacturer for assistance. 3. Find the financial institution that’s right for you. The list of financial service providers active in today’s market is long. It includes Barclays, BofA Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, CITI Bank, GE Capital, Guggenheim, ICBC, JP Morgan Chase, Lloyds TSB, Minsheng Financial Services and TD Bank. Non-U.S. buyers have an additional
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resource—the U.S. Export Import Bank (EXIM). While EXIM offers direct financing, its more common product is guaranty financing. EXIM provides a guaranty to assist in the export of U.S.-manufactured aircraft. This guaranty has been the dealmaker for quite a number of international orders here at Gulfstream, providing regional financial institutions with the needed backing to approve transactions. 4. One financial structure does not fit all. Your financing circumstances will determine which structure is most appropriate. For example, will you apply for financing as a corporation or high-net-worth individual? What are your credit rating and liquidity, among other financial factors? Financial institutions consider exposure levels to clients, industries and asset classes, as well as countries and regions. Banks also consider the aircraft model and its age, where the aircraft will be based, how the aircraft will be operated, the estimated hours it will fly per year, and how long you plan on keeping the aircraft. 5. Save money with an engine maintenance program. Financial institutions will provide a lower interest rate on your financing if you are enrolled in an engine program, which provides comfort for residual value estimates and asset value protection. The programs are available under various names, including, for example, Rolls-Royce CorporateCare. This program completely transfers the financial risk of operating the engine from the owner to the engine manufacturer,
Kathy Almand
About half of all business aircraft deliveries this year will be financed. Buyers have the flexibility to line up financing at any point during the deal, from pre-purchase approval or even after the aircraft enters service. Here are the top things to consider:
which can provide significant tax benefits to the owner. Generally these programs provide a fixed and predictable cost of engine maintenance. We’ll treat all the ins-and-outs of engine programs in a subsequent article. They’re a good idea. n Jim Tait, Gulfstream’s director of financial planning/financial services, focuses on connecting Gulfstream customers with the right financial resources. With more than 20 years of experience in financial planning, 12 of them at Gulfstream, Tait is an active member of the National Aircraft Finance Association.
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Gulfstream and FlightSafety Go Paperless By J. Mac McClellan
information at the same time. Gulfstream customer pilots are already using the iPad in flight and report excellent results and no difficulties in reading the display even in bright sunlight. And iPad PlaneBookTM is a fraction of the size, weight and cost of any of the commercial electronic flight bags (EFB).
Kathy Almand
The paperless training means no more lugging around big books, or even the CDs that FlightSafety has been using for the past few years. Students using their own iPads follow in sync with the instructor in the classroom, and leave at the end of the day with every necessary resource to study on their own.
Gulfstream’s Vice President of Flight Operations Randy Gaston (left) and Brad Ramspott, FlightSafety G650 training program manager, carry their iPads into the G650 cockpit and systems simulator. Weighing just about a pound, the colorful iPad replaces many pounds of paper manuals.
Gulfstream and the FlightSafety International training center in Savannah have worked together to develop a totally paperless training course using the Apple iPad. The course is already being used to train pilots for their type ratings in the new ultra-large-cabin, ultra-long-range G650 that is expected to be certified later this year. Both companies have developed a tailored iPad app that integrates the whole suite of training and operational information. The FlightSafety app will be able to show all training materials for the G650 course, while the Gulfstream app contains airplane documentation and manuals. Of course, both apps take advantage of the iPad’s brilliant graphics capability and seemingly limitless versatility.
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Saving trees and eliminating the hassle of carrying large, fat manuals are obvious benefits, but one of the most important new capabilities of the paperless training is the ability to update manuals and course materials instantly. Any new or changed information will download onto the iPads, making it possible for the first time for everyone to have the identical, latest
“When I first saw the Apple iPad with its bright display, long battery life, compact size and adaptable software, I knew it was the solution to carrying the required pilot and airplane manuals in the Gulfstream cockpit,” says Randy Gaston, vice president of Flight Operations for Gulfstream. “Apple allows Gulfstream to create its own customized app, so operation of the iPad in the cockpit is optimized to match the way Gulfstream pilots use the information.” The PlaneView® cockpit in the Gulfstream has redundant approach chart storage and display capability, so the iPad is not required for any chart backup. But all the airplane’s flight manuals, pilots’ manuals, checklists and so on can be stored in the iPad and be available with a couple touches of the screen. Pilots lucky enough to fly the G650 will be the first to hit the iPad instead of the books— either in the classroom or in the cockpit. ■
NONSTOP BY GULFSTREAM
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Building Better Customer Relations Not long ago, when some international customers set foot in a Gulfstream hangar or office for service on their aircraft, they were greeted with a handshake and smile. And another handshake and smile. And another. Casual conversation or crucial conversation. It didn’t matter. Both were often a struggle—even if there was a translator in the room. “There were language barriers,” says Tim Steinhauser, director, Customer Relations, Gulfstream. “We had some people who were bilingual, but not enough of them for our growing international fleet.” Enter the service center coordinators (SCCs). Always a major point of contact for customers, the position has evolved into one that not only requires business acumen, aviation industry experience and people skills, but often the ability to speak a foreign language. While a service team manager (STM) handles the technical aspects of a customer’s visit, including directing the crew that works on an aircraft, SCCs are responsible for planning the customer’s visit, including detailing the purpose of the visit or work scope and managing the invoice. In short, they’re the ones who traditionally communicate with customers the most. “Their communication with us starts well before we’ve committed to take an airplane to the service center,” says Rick Lutes, inspection coordinator for Motorola Solutions. With international sales eclipsing domestic sales the past three years, it is not surprising to find that Gulfstream’s roster of approximately 60 SCCs includes those who can speak Mandarin, Russian, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Hungarian and French. Some can speak more than two languages. Eloise Bailey, the SCC supervisor in Dallas, is fluent in Portuguese and Spanish, and can hold a conversation in French and Italian.
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Kathy Almand
Multilingual Service Coordinators Bridge the Cultural Divide. By Sean Coughlin
Left to right: Thomas Wendell, mechanical team lead for Gulfstream, discusses the progress of planned maintenance for one of Beijing Capital Airlines’ aircraft with customer Fei Tian, Gulfstream Service Center coordinator Ting Chung and customer Jiacai Fei. Tan and Fei are maintenance supervisors with Beijing Capital Airlines.
Based in Savannah, both Pablo Torres, who speaks Spanish and Portuguese, and Meng Ting Chung, who speaks Mandarin, were hired in the past year. Long Beach, Calif.’s, Peter Chabey, who is fluent in Hungarian, was promoted to SCC in April. Focus on Customer Care “Our business focus is becoming more and more international,” says Jamie Fields, senior manager, Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul, Gulfstream. “We want to make a customer feel at home. They are much more comfortable dealing with someone who speaks their language and understands their culture.” Colette Chamser, manager, Product Support Business and Support, says Gulf-
stream wants “to do everything we can to ensure there are no barriers for our customers to do business with us.” Many Gulfstream employees, including SCCs, go through training to learn about specific cultures. The food and dress of a particular country are addressed, along with etiquette and courtesies. Some SCCs delve into a language on their own with language-learning software such as Rosetta Stone. “The smallest amount of bilingual skills an individual may possess goes a long way in providing good customer service and personal satisfaction,” says Appleton, Wis., SCC Lina Herrmann, who is studying Japanese and Swedish, which some
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of her customers speak, and has retained knowledge of German and Korean through training while in the U.S. Army. Fields could not agree more. “There are lots of new faces coming through our doors,” he says. “It creates a real positive environment when we know how to greet a customer and know their culture. We’re at our best when we can talk the talk and not just walk the walk.” Gulfstream has worked with Spanish-speaking customers for decades, but Chinese customers are relatively new to the company. More and more have made their way to Gulfstream facilities, so it is crucial to have someone who speaks their language and knows their culture inside and out. Everyone Loves Ting With Chung, who goes by his middle name, Ting, Gulfstream has such a person. He was born in Taiwan, but grew up in Georgia and went to Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. “The customers love him,” Steinhauser says. “They are different people when Ting is in the room.” There’s a good chance Carlos Berrios will be the SCC assigned to a Venezuelan or Mexican customer visiting Savannah for maintenance or to take delivery of an aircraft. Berrios, a New York City native and
former member of the U.S. Air Force, is of Puerto Rican descent and fluent in Spanish. As his customer’s main link to Gulfstream and to a foreign country, developing a rapport with each customer is important to Berrios. “We are consistently reminded that we’re more than coordinators,” says Berrios, an SCC for more than four years. “We want to be someone they can rely on, someone they can trust.” Relationships are built—and not just of the business variety. When customers visit Savannah, trips to a golf course, a shooting range or a tour of downtown are not uncommon. When the World Cup was being played in South Africa in the summer of 2010, Berrios made sure his customers knew the games were being shown on TVs in the customer lounges. Soccer is a part of the Latin American culture, and so is being treated a certain way. “One of the cultural things I’ve learned about South American customers is that they don’t want to see you just when you have bad news to tell—maybe their aircraft isn’t ready when it was scheduled to be—or when it is time to talk about their invoice,” Berrios says. “They want you to be the face of all news, good and bad.”
Left to right: Ting Chung, one of Gulfstream’s bilingual Service Center coordinators, works with Fei Tian and Jiacai Fei, representatives
Kathy Almand
of Beijing Capital Airlines, in one of the offices Gulfstream provides to customers for their use while in Savannah.
Gulfstream Introduces Field and Airborne Support Teams Gulfstream service is picking up its pace with the addition of Field and Airborne Support Teams (Gulfstream FAST™). These dedicated groups of “super technicians” will ultimately combine maintenance expertise with the resources of the company’s Airborne Product Support (APS) unit and its on-the-road mobile support vehicles to create fast-moving, responsive mobile repair teams. Mobile Response Gulfstream FAST members can be dispatched by airplane, train, automobile or van to tackle maintenance issues for Gulfstream aircraft around the world. The first team is based in Europe, with two maintenance technicians in Geneva, one in Altenrhein, Switzerland, and one in Greece. The mobile team is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to respond to maintenance requests in the field. Each of the four Europe-based technicians is type-rated on multiple Gulfstream aircraft models. Three in the group are European Aviation Safety Agency-licensed mechanical and electrical technicians. All of them have earned a Federal Aviation Administration airframe and powerplant license. Anytime, Anywhere Gulfstream plans to establish teams in other parts of the world. Gulfstream FAST in North America will have access to APS, the first-of-its-kind airborne aircraft maintenance and support program. The 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week operation uses two dedicated G100 aircraft to deliver flight-essential parts or technicians in North America and the Caribbean to customers whose aircraft are under warranty. Team members can also use mobile support vehicles, including specially outfitted trucks and vans that are strategically located across the U.S.
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Skip Terpstra
Paul Lu Named Product Support Director in Asia
Gulfstream Launches In-Flight Support Center Gulfstream has expanded its award-winning Product Support organization with the opening of a state-of-the-art In-Flight Support Center. The tools available in the center will help Gulfstream’s Technical Operations Department troubleshoot in-flight situations faster. This department runs a call center, with more than 40 technical/system specialists available to support customers. The call center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and features three flightdeck simulators as the centerpiece of the In-Flight Support Center. A specialist can induce faults into the simulator to mirror what is happening in flight. The three cubical-sized simulators in the In-Flight Support Center feature 10 to 12 LCD touch-screen monitors with displays of the aircraft’s cockpit, instrument panel and pedestal. Using a computer and Windowsbased software, the graphic simulators offer the tactile experience of a much larger fullmotion simulator, including warning indicator sounds and flight displays that change as inputs are made. These are particularly valuable when it comes to in-flight procedural questions. Rather than pilots reading what they see on
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the Central Maintenance Computer (CMC) screen and a Technical Operations staffer prompting them to make specific selections in order to troubleshoot, the pilot and Technical Operations staffer can make the same selections. The simulators provide other benefits to Technical Operations, including helping guide CMC improvements and serving as a resource for flight-deck familiarization. Currently, Gulfstream has one graphic simulator for large-cabin PlaneView-equipped aircraft, to support the G450, G550 and G650; one for legacy aircraft, to support the GIV and GV; and one for mid-cabin aircraft, to support the G100, G150, G200 and G280. In addition to the simulators, the center also features a projector, a 9½-foot projection screen, and two 46-inch high-definition monitors equipped with fleet-tracking software. The 600-square-foot (56-square-meter) In-Flight Support Center is located on the third floor of the 680,000-square-foot (63,172-square-meter) Gulfstream Savannah Service Center, the world’s largest and most technically advanced maintenance facility built specifically for business jets.
Gulfstream has appointed veteran company employee Paul Lu as director of Product Support Asia. Lu, who speaks Cantonese and some Mandarin, is based in Hong Kong. In this position, Lu’s duties include all aspects of Product Support, including helping operators within and transitioning through Asia. He supports new aircraft sales, materials, certifications and Gulfstream’s relationship with the Civil Aviation Administration of China. Since 2008, Lu was based in Southern California, where he was the on-site program manager for Gulfstream’s new flagship aircraft, the G650. In serving as the liaison for key Gulfstream suppliers in Southern California, he was responsible for overseeing the design, test, certification, quality and reliability of parts and components supplied to Gulfstream. A 30-year veteran of the business aviation industry, Lu has been with Gulfstream for 15 years.
Charles Celli Named Vice President of Savannah Service Center Operations Charles Celli has been named vice president of Gulfstream’s Savannah Service Center operations. Celli is responsible for the day-today operations at the 680,000-square-foot (63,172-square-meter) facility. Barry Russell, vice president, Customer Support, Gulfstream, who oversaw the facility since January, is now focused on the worldwide aspects of customer and technical support. Most recently, Celli worked for Jet Aviation in Basel, Switzerland, as senior vice president, Completions Services, Europe/ Middle East/Africa (EMEA) and Asia, and general manager of Jet Aviation Basel.
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314 Master Technician Designations and Counting
Miguel Torres
Gulfstream employees have earned more than 300 FlightSafety International Master Technician designations, the most of any original equipment manufacturer worldwide. The milestone of 301 Master Technician designations was reached after four employees at Gulfstream’s West Palm Beach, Fla., facility completed the 30hour GIV Operational Maintenance Procedures course at FlightSafety’s West Palm Beach Learning Center. As of Aug. 9, Gulfstream employees held 314 designations. The Master Technician Training Program, which FlightSafety initiated in 1994, is a comprehensive, systematic series of advanced skills courses. The program is considered the best of its kind in the industry. According to FlightSafety statistics, 66 percent of the more than 1,240 technicians from around the world who have earned Master Technician status have earned it for Gulfstream aircraft. Earning the designation requires successful completion of five advanced maintenance courses for a specific aircraft. The complete program is available for all Gulfstream models. Class work begins with a four-week Maintenance Initial course and continues with a one-week Maintenance Update course on that aircraft. The remaining courses are Engine Run and Taxi, Advanced Troubleshooting and Operational Maintenance Procedures. Left to right: New master technicians at Gulfstream’s West Palm Beach, Fla., facility are Chris Lianzo, Carlos Gutierrez, Andrew Lopez and Todd Guinn.
Westfield Earns Certification to Work on Aircraft Registered in Cayman Islands
Kathy Almand
Gulfstream recently enhanced its Airborne Product Support (APS) program, adding a back-up aircraft, three pilots and two technicians to support customers facing aircraft-on-ground (AOG) challenges. Gulfstream introduced the industry’s first airborne aircraft maintenance and support program in May 2002. It is the only such program with a dedicated aircraft available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. The addition of another Gulfstream G100 means one aircraft should always be available to deliver flight-essential parts and/or technicians to customers whose aircraft are under warranty in North America and the Caribbean.
The Gulfstream Service Center in Westfield, Mass., which supports business-jet operators in the high-traffic New York and Boston metropolitan areas, was recently awarded an approved maintenance organization certificate by the Cayman Islands. The designation means that aircraft registered under the Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands can undergo maintenance, repairs, alterations and inspection at the Westfield facility. The aircraft covered by the certificate include all Gulfstream aircraft with the exception of the GI; all Hawker Beechcraft 125 Series aircraft and the Hawker 4000; Dassault Falcon 10, 50/50EX, 900/900EX and 2000; and Bombardier Challenger 600/601/604.
Matthew Stephan
Airborne Product Support Gets Second Aircraft
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Randal Vanderveer
European-Based Parts and Materials Support Gets Boost
Dallas Site Reopens Hangar, Adds Brazil and Mexico Certifications The Gulfstream Dallas Service Center announced the reopening of Hangar F, now dedicated to servicing mid-cabin aircraft, at its Dallas Love Field facility. The 62,000-squarefoot (5,760-square-meter) hangar increases space by nearly 18 percent at the site, allowing Gulfstream to more efficiently outfit and service large-cabin and mid-cabin business jets. The hangar is dedicated to mid-cabin aircraft, the G200 and G280. Hangar F also has a warehouse stocked with parts for mid-cabin and non-Gulfstream aircraft. Three of the other eight hangars at Gulfstream Dallas are dedicated to large-cabin aircraft, including the flagship G650. This expansion will create an additional four largecabin slots over current capacity. Each of the remaining three hangars is used for final-phase manufacturing, paint and the maintenance of non-Gulfstream aircraft. The Dallas site comprises 411,890 square feet (38,265 square meters). In other Gulfstream Dallas news, the
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facility recently earned approved maintenance organization designations from Mexico and Brazil. The authorizations mean that aircraft registered under Mexico’s Direccion General de Aeronautica Civil and Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency can undergo maintenance, repairs, alterations and inspections at Gulfstream’s Dallas facility. The aircraft covered by Gulfstream Dallas’ Brazilian certificate are the Gulfstream G550, G500, G450, G400, G350, G200, G100, GV, GIV and GIII; the Dassault Falcon 10, 20, 50, 200, 900/900EX and 2000/2000EX; the Bombardier Challenger 300, 600 and 601; the Hawker Beechcraft 400XP, 800, 800/900XP; and the 1125 Westwind. All Gulfstream in-production and legacy models are included in Dallas’ Mexican certificate along with the previously mentioned Falcon models; the Hawker Beechcraft 400XP, 800, 800/900XP, 1000 and 4000; Bombardier Challenger 600, 601 and 604; and 1125 Westwind.
Gulfstream has increased parts and materials in Europe to more than $110 million with the addition of new warehouses in Luton, England, and Madrid. This investment allows for faster, more cost-effective distribution to Gulfstream’s growing international fleet. At 8,000 square feet (743 square meters), Gulfstream’s new facility at Madrid Barajas Airport is larger than the previous warehouse, which was also operated by Corjet Europe, a Gulfstream authorized warranty repair site. The parts depot accommodates large items such as landing gear and windshields, and has 2,500 square feet (232 square meters) of climate-controlled space to store perishables, including batteries. “We are right across the street from the Iberia and Lufthansa airline terminals and within walking distance of FedEx, so items leave here very quickly,” said Dirk Baber, Gulfstream’s on-site manager. “We also have the ability to hand-deliver parts in Europe with our delivery vehicle or by using Iberia.” Gulfstream’s new Luton, England, warehouse is approximately 10,000 square feet (930 square meters) and complements the 2,000 square feet (186 square meters) of existing space that site personnel use for parts inventory in the nearby service center hangars. Since 2010, Luton’s inventory has increased from $25 million to more than $40 million.
Four Gulfstream Units Earn FAA Diamond Award
Four maintenance organizations within Gulfstream received the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) Employer Diamond Award of Excellence for 2010. The award is the highest honor the FAA gives a company for aviation maintenance. The Gulfstream award winners are the U.S. Army C-37 and U.S. Navy C-37 Contractor Logistics Support programs at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., the U.S. Air Force C-37 Contractor Logistics Support Program at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, and the Brunswick Service Center in Georgia.
Nonstop By Gulfstream
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Warning light late at night? We’ve got you covered.
Even with a round-the-clock operation, it’s a little eerie to enter Gulfstream’s 680,000square-foot (63,172-square-meter) Savannah Service Center at midnight, walk past mostly silent maintenance bays and head upstairs through a maze of darkened cubicles before entering the always bright and ready-foraction Tech Ops center. Tech Ops is our 24-hour call center that fields questions from all over the world on just about anything that can happen with a Gulfstream aircraft. Case in point: I am chatting with technical experts Ronnie Proveaux and Phil Faulkner around 2 a.m. when Phil, who wears a wireless headset, begins listening intently to a call coming in from a GIV pilot
Tech Ops senior systems specialists and ace troubleshooters Phil Faulkner and Ronnie Proveaux in a Tech Ops simulator used for diagnosing aircraft problems.
calling from the cockpit on his flight phone. Something has gone wrong with startup and he has an amber DC power light. Within about 15 seconds, Phil, without reference to any technical material, has directed the pilot to flip the right set of switches to bring the power unit on line and eliminate the warning light. The pilot gives an abrupt thanks and rings off; his passengers are boarding and Air Traffic Control is calling. Phil didn’t even have time to learn where in the world the pilot was. Another on-time departure for Gulfstream, thanks to the night shift.
By Jeff Miller
Skip Terpstra
The Late, Late Show Ronnie has been with Gulfstream for 42 years in field service and other roles. Phil’s a mere newbie, with just 25 years of similar service. But before that, he was maintaining B-52s during the Vietnam War. Sometimes Tech Ops can handle a problem drawing on the encyclopedic knowledge of people like Ronnie and Phil. If not, there are computer databases and even cockpit simulators to help diagnose problems quickly, not to mention a large product support and engineering organization that can be mobilized when necessary. As the Gulfstream fleet becomes more globally dispersed, the night crew is seeing more activity. There’s an old expression: “It’s all in a day’s work.” At Gulfstream that means a 24-hour day. ■
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A Tale of Two Business Aircraft, or Maybe Three (Pass this on to your PR department, please.)
By Jeff Miller
The author preps his business aircraft. No galley, no lav. But no airport lines, either.
A week before the Paris Air Show this past June, low clouds and rain showers were blanketing Pennsylvania and New Jersey. If you’ve ever transited Newark Airport, you know what that means—delays and cancellations. I was headed to the Newark area on Gulfstream business and on a business aircraft—a humble piston single-engine Mooney Bravo. I departed a meeting at General Dynamics’ headquarters in Falls Church, Va., midafternoon for Signature Aviation at Washington Dulles International Airport. About 30 minutes after arrival I was in the air headed toward Morristown, N.J. I could have been off the ground more quickly, but it took about 15 minutes to find my way to the
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Kathy Almand
don’t have to tell this to our readers—you experience these benefits every day. The problem is that the media and the general public really don’t get it. I had a call not long ago from the news media about a particular corporation (rest easy, we never discuss customers without their permission). This operator was in the media cross hairs, and its corporate aircraft entered into the discussion. Their
opposite side of Dulles for takeoff. About an hour later I was on the ground in Morristown, transited another Signature facility, hopped into a rental car and was on my way to my hotel and a dinner meeting. About this time, my colleague, Patty Jensen, managing editor of this esteemed publication, was learning her airline flight from Savannah, Ga., to Newark, N.J., was, guess what, CANCELLED. A quick call to Gulfstream Flight Ops, and she was able to hitch a ride to Teterboro, N.J., aboard a G200. Moral of the story: business aviation gets through, often when the airlines don’t. And this is just one reason business aircraft large and small make such a contribution to the economy. Of course, we
Suppose a company were to say publicly, “We could not do business without corporate aircraft.” PR department went with, “We don’t discuss corporate transportation.” But suppose a company were to say, “You know, we operate from a small town in (your state here); we wouldn’t be located here without corporate aircraft.” Or, “We operate in 60 countries. We simply could not do business without corporate aircraft; or maybe we could, but not as efficiently for our shareholders.” Would that shift public perceptions? Maybe, gradually. Anyway, a third business aircraft achieved media acclaim about this time—a Honeywell G450 that flew to the Paris Air Show, making the first trans-Atlantic crossing on a mixture of biofuel and Jet-A. I flew back to Morristown on that plane, and as we taxied in, there was my trusty business aircraft, all 2,900 pounds of it, ready to take me home to Savannah. n
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