GULFSTREAM G550 SETS CITY-PAIR SPEED RECORD BETWEEN SHANGHAI AND DALLAS
Ultra-Long-Range Business Jet Flies 6,671 Nautical Miles in 13 Hours
SAVANNAH, Ga., Oct. 12, 2005 – The ultra-long-range Gulfstream G550 set its 17th city-pair speed record on Sept. 29 – this time between Shanghai in the People’s Republic of China and Dallas , Texas . The G550 flew the west-to-east 6,671-nautical-mile route in 13 hours and 2 minutes. This most recent city-pair record comes two years and a day since the G550 set its first city-pair record between Savannah , Ga. , and Ankara , Turkey , on Sept. 28, 2003 . Gulfstream is awaiting official recognition of this city-pair speed record by the National Aeronautic Association (NAA).
The G550 took off from Shanghai Pudong Airport at 11:36 a.m. local time on Sept. 29. The aircraft flew at an average cruise speed of Mach 0.8, crossed the International Dateline and touched down at Dallas Love Field at 11:39 a.m. local time, the same day.
Gulfstream Captain John McGrath served as pilot-in-command, while Gulfstream Senior International Captains Paulo Jancitsky and Skip Wilkerson assisted. Also onboard were Flight Attendant Kim Buckelew and four passengers.
Today, there are some 60 aircraft that comprise the in-service G550 fleet, which collectively have flown more than 28,000 flight hours and completed some 11,000 takeoffs and landings.
NOTE TO EDITORS
Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation , a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), designs, develops, manufactures, markets, services and supports the world’s most technologically advanced business-jet aircraft. Gulfstream has produced more than 1,500 aircraft for customers around the world since 1958. To meet the diverse transportation needs of the future, Gulfstream offers a comprehensive fleet of aircraft, comprising the mid-cabin, high-speed Gulfstream G100 ™; the wide-cabin, high-speed Gulfstream G150 ™; the large-cabin, mid-range Gulfstream G200 ™; the large-cabin, mid-range Gulfstream G350 ™; the large-cabin, long-range G450 ™; the large-cabin, ultra-long-range Gulfstream G500 ™ and the large-cabin, ultra-long-range Gulfstream G550 ™. Gulfstream also offers aircraft ownership services via Gulfstream Financial Services Division and Gulfstream Pre-Owned Aircraft Sales ®. The company employs more than 7,200 people at seven major locations. We invite you to visit our Web site for more information and photos of Gulfstream aircraft at www.gulfstream.com.
General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church , Virginia , employs approximately 70,800 people worldwide and had 2004 revenue of $19.2 billion. The company is a market leader in mission-critical information systems and technologies; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and business aviation. More information about the company can be found at www.generaldynamics.com.