Gulfstream Aerospace earlier this month was awarded a Type Certificate by the FAA for its new large-cabin, long-range Gulfstream G450 bizjet. Receipt of the paperwork for the latest in the company’s stable of sought-after jets — introduced less than a year ago — means Gulfstream is on schedule to begin customer deliveries in the second quarter of 2005. According to Gulfstream, the same internal team that developed the G550 — which earlier this year was named the recipient of the 2003 Collier Trophy by the National Aeronautic Association — and the G500 developed the G450. All three aircraft, plus the to-be-certificated G350, include the highly automated PlaneView cockpit, which presents an advanced flight deck designed to significantly reduce pilot workload.
“The technical and design similarities between the G350, G450, G500 and G550 translate to cost savings in terms of same pilot type ratings, crew training and maintenance for our customers who operate multiple-aircraft fleets,” said Bryan Moss, president of Gulfstream. In fact, 2004 is turning out to be a big year for the company, Moss added. “Since February, we introduced the G350; received the Collier Award for the G550; received the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Type Certificate for the G550; and now, the G450 has been certified by the FAA. We anticipate receiving Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) and EASA validation of the G500 and G450 in the next few months and FAA type certification for the G350 before the end of the year.” Go for it, guys.
