News Release
GULFSTREAM DELIVERS 100TH G550 BUSINESS JET IN LESS THAN THREE YEARS
NetJets International Accepts Delivery of 100th Large-Cabin, Ultra-Long-Range G550
SAVANNAH , Ga. , July 13, 2006 – Gulfstream Aerospace delivered its 100 th large-cabin, ultra-long-range Gulfstream G550 business jet today. Following a ceremony to mark the milestone at Gulfstream’s Brunswick , Ga. , completion facility, NetJets International accepted the aircraft, which they will offer to their customers as a fractional ownership alternative to total aircraft ownership. NetJets International is a subsidiary of NetJets Inc., a Berkshire-Hathaway company and the pioneer and worldwide leader in fractional aircraft ownership.
“We are especially pleased to deliver our 100 th production G550 to NetJets, our largest customer with 78 Gulfstream aircraft now in its fleet,” said Bryan Moss, president, Gulfstream. “Since the first G550 entered service less than three years ago, it has proven itself with an excellent performance record. The G550 currently holds more than 25 city-pair speed records.”
Moss added, “As proud as we are of the engineers who designed this plane, we’re equally proud of our employees who build these planes. They’ve done an outstanding job, delivering 100 G550s in less than three years.”
The 100 th G550 was manufactured at Gulfstream’s Savannah , Ga. , production facility. Following flight testing, it received its Certificate of Airworthiness from the Federal Aviation Administration on February 13, 2006 . After a short stop at the company’s Long Beach , Calif. , paint facility, the G550 was flown back to Brunswick , where Gulfstream technicians installed the interior furnishings.
“Gulfstream aircraft have consistently offered NetJets’ Owners reliability, comfort and performance,” said Richard Santulli, chairman and chief executive officer of NetJets. “We continue to look to Gulfstream to create innovative products that set new industry standards.”
Gulfstream and NetJets’ business relationship spans 11 years. In 1995, NetJets purchased its first Gulfstream business-jet aircraft in a multi-aircraft contract for 20 Gulfstream IV-SPs (GIV-SP). Today, NetJets’ fleet includes seven G550s, five G450s, eight GVs, 34 GIV-SPs, two G400s and 22 G200s.
In addition to providing aircraft to NetJets, Gulfstream provides maintenance and product support for every Gulfstream aircraft in the NetJets worldwide fleet. Consistently rated number one in product support in trade magazine surveys, Gulfstream Product Support provides scheduled maintenance to 75 percent of the approximately 1,500 Gulfstream aircraft currently in service.
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 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 7,900 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 72,700 people worldwide and had 2005 revenue of $21.2 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 can be found online at www.generaldynamics.com.
