The Gulfstream aircraft were originally designed and manufactured by the Grumman Corporation. Following World War II, Grumman recognized the need for corporate aircraft. Gulfstreams typically seat from 10 to 16 passengers. Like Grumman's fighter aircraft, the Gulfstreams not only possess state of the art technology, but are engineered to look tough as well. The latest addition to the aircraft's lineage is the Gulfstream V. The jet represents a significant technological improvement over the Gulfstream IV. In particular, the plane's range has been extended considerably. This feature, and others, should make the jet highly marketable. It is hoped that the Gulfstream V will reaffirm Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation's dominant position in the large business jet market.
The first Gulfstream aircraft flew on August 14, 1958 (Collins, 1991, p. T10). Following World War II, Grumman had developed a twin piston amphibian called the Mallard. However, the market for amphibians proved limited. Moreover, the larger companies of the era had begun spending large sums converting transports and bombers to corporate use. Such factors eventually resulted in Grumman's involvement in corporate aviation.
The Gulfstream I was the first turboprop designed for business use. Although it proved successful, Grumman Corporation's long term goals were actually to manufacture corporate jets. All that was needed, was the right jet engine. During the 1960s, Grumman chose the Rolls Royce Spey 511 powerplant. The first jet powered Gulfstream II flew on October 2, 1966 (Collins, 1991, p. T 10). The two spey engines attached to the Gulfstream II's tail each is rated at 11,400 pounds of thrust for takeoff. Although they are powerful, these engines and those of the later model, Gulfstream III do have one major drawback: they generate a lot of noise. In fact, as originally engineered, the Gulfstream II and III aircraft do not comply with recent FAA...