61 Years in the Sky- Gulfstream a leader in Aerospace Design
In the past Gulfstream Aerospace was known for military aircraft production. Nowadays, it is a General Dynamics subsidiary which designs, develops, produces, markets and services business jet aircraft. Since 1958 the company has manufactured more than 2,000 aircraft.
Let’s take a walk down memory lane and see how one of the leaders on the global aerospace market was born and what it went through to become a global success.
History and Highlights
Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation evolved from a company named Grumman Aircraft Engineering which was founded in the 1950’s. Back then the company was famous for its Grumman Gulfstream I which was a twin turboprop aircraft developed in New York.
The new aircraft made history. It was the first of its kind especially designed for business travel. It became such a success that the company developed the next jet-powered aircraft Grumman Gulfstream II shortly after. When the production started to grow, to improve efficiency it was decided that the civil and military product lines will be divided.
In 1973 Grumman merged with American Aviation which manufactured light-aircraft. Five years later the Gulfstream line and one of the production plants were purchased by American Jet Industries.
In 1982 the company changed its name to reflect its new international status. Gulfstream Aerospace was born.
The 1900s were a time of significant advancements for the company – new contracts, aircraft and successful integration which led to the opening of a new $16 million service center in 1996.
General Dynamics purchased Gulfstream in the late 1900s’ and invested in the development of new facilities.
In the next decades Gulfstream has been growing and announcing new aircraft, innovating successfully and has transformed into a modern, sustainable manufacturer with rich history and tradition in the industry.
Currently, Gulfstream has a global presence in 12 major locations all around the world from United States to Brazil, UK and Mexico. More than 13,000 people work in them. Each one of the service centers is capable of performing a range of services from extensive modifications to the structure of the plane to maintenance checks.
Present and Future of an Industry Leader
The current range of the company consists of the Gulfstream G280 , Gulfstream G450, Gulfstream G350, Gulfstream G500, Gulfstream G600 as well as Gulfstream G650, Gulfstream G550, Gulfstream G650ER
In its 61 years in the industry Gulfstream has received numerous awards and worldwide recognition. Recently, the company received the flying Innovation Award 2019 for Gulfstream G500 which was called industry-changing.
The International Yacht & Aviation Award goes to Gulfstream for the third consecutive year. In 2018 it was given to the industrial and interior design teams for the design of the seat and cabin of the Gulfstream G500 and Gulfstream G600 jets. These two models once again reaffirmed Gulfstream’s position as a leader in aerospace design and production.
The company has also been involved in helping local communities with a variety of programs and initiatives. Only in 2018 Gulfstream donated $2 million to the United Way of America. The donation was used to support 100 programs and 58 nonprofit organizations.
Throughout the years Gulfstream Aerospace has continuously pioneered aviation. For over 60 years in the industry, the company has grown its reputation for excellence. The commitment to communities and customers and the focus on innovation are reflected in a history of record-setting aircraft, technological innovation, history of industry firsts, global support initiatives and an ever -growing number of happy customers all over the world.
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