Long- and Ultra-Long-Range Aircraft Provide Tremendous Operational Capabilities

SAVANNAH, Ga., March 11, 2011 — Gulfstream Aerospace Corp.’s strongest sellers in Australia are also its longest-range and most-capable aircraft, said Roger Sperry, Gulfstream’s regional senior vice president, International Sales.

The large-cabin, long-range Gulfstream G450 and the large-cabin, ultra-long-range G550 each account for 38.5 percent of the Gulfstream aircraft registered on the continent. Mid-cabin aircraft, such as the G150 and G200, comprise the remainder.

Demand for such aircraft is growing because of their tremendous capabilities, Sperry said. The G550, with a range of 6,750 nautical miles (12,501 km) at Mach 0.80, can travel nonstop from Avalon to San Francisco. The Gulfstream G450’s range is 4,350 nautical miles (8,061 km) at Mach 0.80, meaning passengers can go from Avalon to Hong Kong nonstop.

“Because of Australia’s location relative to the centers of finance and worldwide business, operators there require an aircraft with tremendous range and speed,” Sperry said. “And that’s exactly what Gulfstream aircraft deliver.”

According to aviation data firm JetNet, new business-jet deliveries to the Asia-Pacific region have grown from 7 percent of worldwide deliveries in 2007 to 12 percent in 2009.

Gulfstream’s fleet in Australia, while still relatively small in absolute numbers, has been on a steady upward trend since 2006. The company had four aircraft in service in Australia in 2005 and has 13 today, with additional entries expected after the Gulfstream G650 enters service in 2012.

“The Australian market has tremendous potential,” said Sperry. “That’s true for large-cabin jets, which are already popular because of international travel demands, and for our mid-cabin aircraft as well. The G150 can travel 3,000 nautical miles nonstop, more than enough range to take passengers from one side of Australia to the other.”

To demonstrate the tremendous capabilities of its aircraft, Gulfstream is showcasing the G150, G450 and G550 at Avalon 2011, a biennial air show at the Avalon Airport.

Sperry also commented on Gulfstream’s commitment to support customers in the region and around the world. The company has the industry’s largest business-aviation support organization, with more than 3,300 employees and $1.2 billion in spare parts located worldwide, including $10 million in Singapore.

Gulfstream aircraft in Australia are supported by two ExecuJet facilities, one in Sydney and another in Melbourne. Serving as Gulfstream Authorized Warranty Line Service facilities, both locations can perform line and basic maintenance on the G200, G300, G350, G400, G450, G500 and G550.

Operators can also call on the resources of Mark Moss, a Singapore-based field service representative (FSR), whose territory includes Australia. Gulfstream’s authorized independent sales representative in the region is SMS Aircraft of Melbourne.

“We want the Australian market to know they have the world’s number one support organization and a workforce of 10,000 employees standing behind them,” Sperry said.

Source and photo: Gulfstream