Gulfstream senior regional vice-president for sales Roger Sperry says the business jet maker’s soon-to-be-certified G600 should find a happy home in Australia.
The G600 is on display at this week’s Avalon Airshow alongside the G550 and G650ER.
Sperry said the new technology embedded in the G600’s flightdeck, such as active control side sticks and fly-by-wire technology, alongside features designed to improve the passenger experience – large windows, quiet cabins and low cabin altitude – would prove popular with potential customers.
“We expect the Gulfstream G600 to do well in Australia and the broader South Pacific region,” Sperry said in an emailed response to written questions.
“We’re thrilled to have the G600 on display this week for its Australian debut, and we’re looking forward to its entry-into-service this year.”
The clean-sheet G600 was launched in October 2014 alongside sister-ship the G500.
The aircraft was capable of seating up to 19 people, had a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.925 and maximum range of 6,500nm, according to figures from the Gulfstream website.
While the G500 entered service in September 2018, the G600 is still awaiting certification from the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The G600, which made its first flight in December 2016, had previously been expected to be certified in early 2019.
However, the chief executive of Gulfstream parent company General Dynamics Phebe Novakovic said recently certification had been pushed back due to the recent United States government shutdown that had impacted the process underway at the FAA.
“We expect the G600 to be certified this year, although the exact timing is hard to predict given the impact of the government shutdown on the FAA, but we fully expect certification of the G600 this half,” Novakovic said at General Dynamic’s calendar 2018 fourth quarter results briefing on January 30.
“The pacing item for deliveries of the G500 and G600 will be our ability to deliver in itself. We have that line in good order.”
The company declined to provide figures on the number of its aircraft based in Australia, noting only there were 335 Gulfstream aircraft in service in the Asia Pacific region.
Sperry said Gulfstream’s product lineup meant it was well-positioned in the region.
“We are very optimistic about the business jet market in Australia,” Sperry said.
“Taking it broader, the Asia Pacific region continues to be our largest international market, with a consistent pipeline of orders and deliveries.
“Around the world, we are seeing steady order activity and continued interest in our products, especially in North America and Europe.”
Sperry said Gulfstream had delivered 10 G500s since late September 2018.
