PlaneView-Equipped Fleet Now Includes More Than 200 Synthetic Vision Systems And 100 Enhanced Navigation Systems

SAVANNAH, Ga., April 21, 2011 — Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. recently delivered the 500th PlaneView™ cockpit, achieving the milestone just eight years after the flight deck was first delivered.

Additionally, the company has furnished 200 synthetic vision systems and more than 100 enhanced navigation systems.

The deliveries solidify the manufacturer’s technological leadership position in the business-aviation industry. Gulfstream was the first original equipment manufacturer to get Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification of synthetic vision in 2008. The FAA certified Gulfstream’s enhanced navigation system in 2010.

“These milestones reflect the tremendous appeal of these products, which offer a number of benefits to operators including improved safety, enhanced reliability, reduced pilot workload and increased situational awareness,” said Pres Henne, senior vice president, Programs, Engineering and Test, Gulfstream. “Gulfstream’s tradition of excellence and innovation continues with PlaneView II, the advanced flight deck on the all-new Gulfstream G650.”

Gulfstream reached the 500th PlaneView mark with the delivery of the 209th large-cabin, long-range G450 aircraft.

PlaneView

First delivered in 2003 on a G550, PlaneView, featuring Honeywell Primus Epic avionics, presents information in a user-friendly format with large displays and easy-to-use software. It includes Gulfstream’s Cursor Control Device (CCD), which allows pilots to retrieve flight plans, maps, charts and checklists by way of point-and-click, scrolling and push-button operations. The modular system is designed to evolve as new technologies arise, with easily upgradeable components and software.

Synthetic Vision

PlaneView also includes Synthetic Vision – Primary Flight Display (SV-PFD), Gulfstream’s synthetic vision system. The system is standard on the G650 and optional on other large-cabin Gulfstream aircraft.

Gulfstream SV-PFD improves situational awareness and safety by generating a three-dimensional image of the world outside the cockpit. It integrates data from the onboard terrain database with the aircraft’s position, altitude and heading to create a synthesized picture that is projected on the primary flight displays. This allows pilots to view major landmarks throughout the world and the aircraft’s position relative to them, thereby improving terrain and obstacle awareness.

Enhanced Navigation

The Enhanced Navigation option is part of the Certification Foxtrot upgrade for PlaneView-equipped, large-cabin Gulfstream aircraft. The system prepares aircraft for the next generation of air traffic control with electronic terminal charts that have been certified as paperless; enhanced Global Positioning System accuracy via the Wide Area Augmentation System; and Future Air Navigation System (FANS1/A) Controller-Pilot Data Link Communication (CPDLC).

Gulfstream press release