NASA purchased two Gulfstream GIIs as space shuttle trainers. NASA began training space shuttle crews in the Gulfstream GII. The aircraft was modified to simulate space shuttle flight characteristics during its landing sequence by adding in-flight thrust reversers, direct-lift flaps and side force generators to the exterior and by redesigning the left side of the flight deck to mimic the shuttle’s flight deck.

The Gulfstream GIII™ stretched the limits of its predecessor, the Gulfstream GII. The GIII could travel 3,600 nautical miles/6,667 kilometers and a new wing design increased the wing span and added winglets. The GIII first flew on December 2, 1979, and entered service in late 1980. More than 200 GIIIs were sold between 1980 and 1987.

The Gulfstream GIV™ revolutionized business aviation with its intercontinental range and advanced cockpit and cabin technology. Cutting-edge engines combined with a large, yet light, wing gave the GIV a 4,200-nautical-mile/7,778-kilometer range and a maximum speed of Mach 0.88. The GIV flight deck was the first in civil aviation to feature digital flight management computers, increasing fuel-efficiency while reducing pilot workload. The GIV first flew on September 19, 1985 and entered service in August 1987. Gulfstream began producing an updated version, the Gulfstream GIV-SP, in 1993. The “Special Performance” GIV-SP featured increased takeoff and landing weights; an upgraded landing package with structural improvements to landing gear, antilock brakes, wheels and tires; as well as the Rolls-Royce Tay 611-8 engine with 15% less fuel burn than the GIV model. Five-hundred GIV and GIV-SPs were produced between 1987-2003.

Gulfstream built a $3 million Integration Test Facility (ITF) for the Gulfstream GV™. The ITF included a mock-up of a GV cockpit that allowed for testing of avionics and other electronic systems as well as human-factors analysis while the aircraft was in development. Gulfstream later created similar ITFs for the Gulfstream G280™, the Gulfstream G450™, the Gulfstream G550™, the Gulfstream G650™, the Gulfstream G500™, the Gulfstream G600™ and the Gulfstream G700™.

The Gulfstream GV introduced the ultralong-range jet to business aviation. The GV flew up to Mach 0.885 and at altitudes of 51,000 feet/15,545 meters and covered 6,500 nautical miles/12,038 kilometers. Gulfstream debuted its head-up display in the GV’s cockpit and wired the cabin as a complete computerized office. The GV typically accommodated four crew members and 14 passengers in an executive configuration. The GV first flew on November 28, 1995, and entered service on July 1, 1997. More than 190 GVs were delivered.

Defense giant General Dynamics purchased Gulfstream Aerospace for US$5.3 billion in 1999. The corporation previously owned another aircraft manufacturer and had also produced F-16 fighters for the U.S. military. General Dynamics made research and development a priority.

Gulfstream added super-midsize aircraft to its fleet by purchasing Galaxy Aerospace. Gulfstream upgraded Galaxy’s two midsize business aircraft, the Galaxy and Astra SPX, and rebranded them the Gulfstream G200 and Gulfstream G100, respectively. The jets featured cross-continental range and offered wide-cabin comfort.

The Airborne Product Support program set a new standard for aviation customer service. Gulfstream converted a Gulfstream G100 into a parts-and-repair aircraft to transport maintenance technicians to service aircraft under warranty anywhere in North America or the Caribbean. Gulfstream added mobile service worldwide in 2011 with the introduction of the Field and Airborne Support Teams, or Gulfstream FAST™. FAST technicians provide service via aircraft, train, automobile or van.

The Gulfstream G550 revolutionized the pilot experience in business aviation. The aircraft featured the new Gulfstream PlaneView™ flight deck. PlaneView integrated several avionics features, including an infrared camera known as an Enhanced Vision System (later known as Enhanced Flight Vision System) that revealed terrain and runway lights in low-visibility conditions. The G550 was so technologically advanced, the aircraft won the 2003 Robert J. Collier Trophy, North America’s most prestigious award for technological achievement. The G550 also stretched the reach of ultralong-range business travel, linking cities around the world, such as Seoul and Orlando, Florida; Washington, D.C., and Dubai; and Tokyo and Paris. The G550 accommodates up to 19 passengers. The G550 first flew on July 18, 2002 and entered service in 2003. Gulfstream sold the last commercially available G550 in 2020.

The Gulfstream G450 incorporated the Gulfstream G550’s technological advances into the popular Gulfstream GIV airframe. Gulfstream integrated the PlaneView™ cockpit into the aircraft and redesigned the wing to reduce drag and allow for greater fuel capacity. The G450 seats up to 19 passengers. The G450 first flew on April 30, 2003 and entered service on May 2005. Production of the G450 ended in January 2018.

The Gulfstream G150™ redefined comfort and efficiency in midsize jets. The eight-passenger aircraft boasts a wide cabin, exceptional speed and fuel efficiency, and cross-country range. The G150 covers 3,000 nautical miles/5,556 kilometers at Mach 0.75 with a top speed of Mach 0.85. The aircraft first flew on May 3, 2005, and entered service in August 2006. The G150 was the first business aircraft to be certified by the Federal Aviation Administration for Stage 4 for noise standards. Production of the G150 ended in 2017.

Gulfstream Aerospace expanded its Savannah, Georgia, headquarters to include a Research and Development Center. The project was part of a US$300 million expansion plan. The RDC houses personnel from engineering, manufacturing, planning, customer support and materials.

The revolutionary Quiet Spike™ highlighted Gulfstream’s ongoing research into supersonic flight. The telescoping device fits on an aircraft’s nose and spreads the sonic boom shockwaves over the length of the 24-foot-long spike and the airframe surface to minimize the effects of breaking the sound barrier. NASA first flight-tested the Quiet Spike in 2006 as a proof of concept mounted on a modified F-15 fighter.

The Synthetic Vision-Primary Flight Display enhances safety by providing pilots with an artificial view of the environment ahead. The SV-PFD takes data from ground proximity warning systems to produce three-dimensional, color images of terrain, obstacles, runways and approaches. Gulfstream announced plans for SV-PFD in 2006 and introduced the system in 2008.

The Gulfstream G650 debuted as the most advanced aircraft in business aviation. The aircraft can fly 7,000 nautical miles/12,964 kilometers and has a maximum cruise altitude of 51,000-feet/15,545-meters with a Mach 0.85 long-range cruise speed. The G650 has a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.925. The G650’s cabin volume is 2,138 cubic feet/60.54 cubic meters and is accented by 16 Gulfstream panoramic oval windows. The aircraft accommodates up to 19 passengers in as many as four living areas. The G650 first flew on November 25, 2009, and entered service in December 2012 as the world’s fastest civilian aircraft.

The Gulfstream G280 reset the standard for the super-midsize aircraft class. The G280 boasts intercontinental range and a long-range cruise speed of Mach 0.80 as well as remarkable fuel-efficiency. Cabin amenities include a state-of-the-art cabin management system and an in-flight accessible baggage compartment. Gulfstream incorporated the PlaneView280™ flight deck and also equipped the aircraft with autobrake and autothrottle systems. The G280 seats up to 10 passengers. The G280 first flew on December 11, 2009, and entered service on November 14, 2012.

The Gulfstream G650 set the world speed record for a westbound circumnavigation at 41 hours, 7 minutes and also claimed 22 city-pair speed records en route. The 20,310-nautical-mile flight started and finished in San Diego, California, with stops in Guam, Dubai and Cape Verde. The G650 flew each leg at Mach 0.90, the aircraft’s standard high-speed cruise.

The Gulfstream G650ER extends the reach of nonstop business travel to 7,500 nautical miles/13,890 kilometers. The aircraft flew key city-pair connections, such as Hong Kong to Teterboro, New Jersey, and Los Angeles to Melbourne, Australia, prior to its unveiling.

The Gulfstream G650ER™ extends the reach of nonstop business travel to 7,500 nautical miles/13,890 kilometers. Gulfstream’s new aircraft flew key city-pair connections, such as Hong Kong to Teterboro, New Jersey, and Los Angeles to Melbourne, Australia, prior to its unveiling. The G650ER has a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.925 and the aircraft’s cabin accommodates up to 19 passengers in as many as four distinct living areas.

The G650ER set two city-pair records during its circumnavigation feat. The aircraft took off from White Plains, New York, with three passengers and four crew members on board, then flew 6,939 nautical miles/12,851 kilometers eastbound to Beijing at an average speed of Mach 0.87. The total flight time for those two flights was 13 hours and 20 minutes. The aircraft then flew eastbound 6,572 nm/12,171 km to Savannah, accomplishing the mission at an average speed of Mach 0.89 for a total flight time of 12 hours.

The G650ER flew from Singapore to Tucson, Arizona, at an average speed of 597 miles per hour/960 kilometers per hour over a distance of 8,379 nautical miles/15,518 kilometers. The G650ER’s performance beat the previous record by 44 minutes and more than 225 nm/417 km, asserting the aircraft’s title for flying farther faster than any other jet.

The certification allows the ultralong-range G650ER and G650 to access even more airports worldwide, including London City, which requires the certification due to its short runway and stringent noise-abatement requirements. The certification also opens access to Lugano and similar airports located in the mountainous region of Switzerland.

The all-new Gulfstream G500™ and Gulfstream G600™ establish new class-leading benchmarks for optimized performance, cabin design and technology. The aircraft fly long distances at high speeds and provide the comfort of wide, stylish cabins. Gulfstream advanced the state-of-the-art in the G500 and G600 by introducing the Gulfstream Symmetry Flight Deck™ with touch-screen displays, active control sidesticks and Intelligence-by-Wire™ flight controls.

The Gulfstream G500 ushered in a new era of flight deck technology with the Gulfstream Symmetry Flight Deck™ and features a clean-sheet design optimized for class-leading performance and passenger comfort. The aircraft offers a maximum range of 5,300 nautical miles/9,816 kilometers and cruises at up to Mach 0.90 with a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.925. The G500 accommodates up to 19 passengers in three distinct living areas and features the revolutionary Symmetry Flight Deck™, with the industry’s first active control sidesticks and extensive use of touch-screen avionics controllers. The aircraft entered service in September 2018.

The Gulfstream G600™ set a new standard for innovation, cabin style and comfort. The aircraft offers a maximum range of 6,600 nautical miles/12,223 kilometers and cruises at up to Mach 0.90 with a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.925. The G600 features the revolutionary Gulfstream Symmetry Flight Deck™ and accommodates up to 19 passengers in up to four distinct living areas, allowing the flexibility to include a stateroom or media suite.

The G500 completed its world tour after flying nearly 130,000 nautical miles/240,760 kilometers, stopping at 44 cities and visiting 18 countries on six continents in just seven months. The tour, which included a stretch of flying to 20 cities in 18 days, demonstrated the G500’s tremendous reliability and maturity while showcasing its exquisite interior and streamlined flight deck to customers around the world. During the tour, the G500 set 22 city-pair speed records, including flying from West Palm Beach, Florida, to Seville, Spain, in 7 hours and 4 minutes at Mach 0.90 and Geneva to Chicago in 8 hours and 1 minute at the same speed.

The G500 earned both its type certification and production certificates from the FAA in the same day, clearing the way for customer deliveries. The G500 is the first clean-sheet Gulfstream aircraft to receive its type and production certificates on the same day. During the certification program, Gulfstream demonstrated even better performance for the G500, including a takeoff distance of just 5,300 feet/1,615 meters.

Gulfstream officially marked the arrival of a new generation of Gulfstream innovation and design with the first G500 delivery to a North American customer in Savannah, just shy of four years after the aircraft was announced.

The aircraft received both its type and production certificates on the same day from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. The certifications cleared the way for the first completed G600 deliveries to customers as scheduled in 2019.

This milestone came approximately one month after the G600 earned its U.S. Federal Aviation Administration type and production certificates. A U.S. customer took delivery of the aircraft at Gulfstream’s Savannah headquarters.

Gulfstream announced the G700 on the eve of the 2019 National Business Aviation Association Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition in Las Vegas. The G700 heralds a new era for Gulfstream, building on the company’s decades-long investment in research and development and ensuing successes. The aircraft boasts the most spacious cabin in the industry with leading range and speed capabilities.

The G700 made its first flight on Valentine’s Day, demonstrating the program’s maturity and officially launching the rigorous flight-test program of the new industry flagship. The G700 features the most spacious cabin in the industry with 20 Gulfstream panoramic oval windows and up to five living areas. The G700 also introduces many all-new interior differentiators, including an ultragalley with more than 10 feet of counter space and a crew compartment or passenger lounge; an ultra-high-definition circadian lighting system; speakerless surround sound; and a grand suite with shower.

Gulfstream welcomed the all-new Gulfstream G400™ and Gulfstream G800™ to its next-generation product line with a launch event at the Savannah headquarters. Building upon the proven success of the G500, G600, G650ER and G700, the additions will bring revolutionary technology and proven cabin comfort to new aircraft segments, giving customers even more fleet flexibility and access to the highest technology, advanced safety features and most enjoyable cabin experience in business aviation.