GULFSTREAM CELEBRATES ROLLOUT OF 300th G550

Milestone Comes Eight Years After Aircraft Entered Service

SAVANNAH, Ga., October 15, 2010 - Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. recently rolled out the 300th Gulfstream G550 aircraft at its manufacturing facility in Savannah. The large-cabin, ultra-long-range business jet received its certificate of airworthiness from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), thereby completing its initial phase of manufacturing.

"This is a proud day for Gulfstream," said Joe Lombardo, president, Gulfstream. "I want to thank our employees for their hard work and dedication in making this possible. Because of the G550’s performance, range and reliability, it continues to be the leader in the ultra-long-range segment."

The 300th G550 is also nearly the 500th aircraft in the GV family, which includes the GV, G550 and G500. Gulfstream suppliers Fokker and Vought recently celebrated milestones for delivery of the 500th tail and wing, respectively, for the GV series of aircraft.

"This is a fantastic achievement," said Pres Henne, Gulfstream senior vice president, Programs, Engineering and Test. "We have delivered 300 G550s, nearly 200 GVs and we’re still going strong. The production rate of the G550 has never been higher. The original estimate for this whole market segment was 300."

From mid-October until late February, the aircraft will be painted in Savannah and outfitted at Gulfstream’s Brunswick, Ga., facility in preparation for its scheduled delivery to an undisclosed international customer in February.

The G550 along with its sister, the G500, were officially introduced Sept, 9, 2002, at the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) convention in Orlando, Fla. The first G550 was delivered on Sept. 17, 2003. Later that year, the G550 development team was honored for its technological breakthrough with the National Aeronautic Association’s Robert J. Collier Trophy, the most prestigious aviation award in the United States.

Powered by enhanced Rolls-Royce BR710 turbofan engines, the G550 has a range of 6,750 nm (12,501 km) at Mach 0.80 and a high-speed cruise capability of Mach 0.87. With its long legs, the G550 easily links Washington, D.C., with Dubai, London with Singapore and Tokyo with Paris.

The G550 fleet recently surpassed 404,000 flight hours. The G550 has a 12-month dispatch reliability rate of 99.89 percent. In addition, it has compiled 50 city-speed records, including one this year. On Feb. 17, a G550 reached a top speed of 532.19 mph in a flight from London to Tokyo.

The G550 is equipped with the Gulfstream PlaneView® cockpit, the most advanced flight deck in business aviation. The cabin aboard the aircraft combines productivity with exceptional comfort. It features up to four distinct living areas, three temperature zones and a choice of 12 floor plan configurations with seating for up to 18 passengers.

 

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 1,900 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 new large-cabin, mid-range Gulfstream G250®; the large-cabin, mid-range Gulfstream G350®; the large-cabin, long-range G450®; the large-cabin, ultra-long-range Gulfstream G500®; the large-cabin, ultra-long-range Gulfstream G550® and the ultra-large-cabin, ultra-long-range G650®. Gulfstream also offers aircraft ownership services via Gulfstream Pre-Owned Aircraft Sales®. The company employs more than 9,000 people at seven major locations. We invite you to visit our website for more information and photos of Gulfstream aircraft at www.gulfstream.com.

General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Va., employs approximately 91,000 people worldwide. The company is a market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and information systems and technologies. More information about General Dynamics is available online at www.gd.com.