GENERAL DYNAMICS TO REALIGN AEROSPACE BRANDS

Four Brands to Consolidate into Two

SAVANNAH, Ga., October 18, 2010 – General Dynamics Aerospace group will consolidate four well-respected aviation brands into two in a move to simplify and strengthen its brand identity in an expanding global market.

Effective Jan. 1, 2011, General Dynamics Aviation Services will be rebranded Gulfstream, and Midcoast Aviation will be rebranded Jet Aviation. The rebranding initiative is expected to enhance the service experience for customers.

"The take-away is that we have a service presence at 44 locations around the world, and this organization is growing to meet the demands of an ever more international customer base," said Joe Lombardo, executive vice president, General Dynamics Aerospace group, which includes both Gulfstream and Jet Aviation. "We are investing to provide the best service wherever customers land."

Midcoast Aviation to rebrand as Jet Aviation
In a move designed to simplify and harmonize Jet Aviation’s growing brand footprint around the world, the Midcoast Aviation operation in St. Louis will be rebranded to Jet Aviation effective Jan. 1, 2011. Jet Aviation and Midcoast Aviation strategically complement one another and are together one of the leading providers of completions, maintenance and modifications in the world.

Over the past several years, significant investments have been made in the St. Louis operation.  A 145,000-square-foot hangar was built in late 2008 to expand the company’s current service offering to include narrow-body completions and refurbishment. The facility also has been readying itself for narrow-body projects by seeking Federal Aviation Administration and original equipment manufacturer approvals and by sending technicians for training on narrow-body airframes and working closely with their Jet Aviation Basel counterparts.

The identity change is the next step in a logical progression to supplement Jet Aviation’s completions center in Basel, Switzerland, which is at capacity for narrow-body completions. The organization has been working toward developing an additional resource for performing this work. 

 Another key competency of Midcoast Aviation is providing maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services to operators of top-tier aircraft, including Challenger, Falcon, Hawker, Global and Gulfstream models. From simple inspections to complex repairs, the company has a reputation for MRO excellence. Rebranding the operation will more fully integrate it as part of the Jet Aviation global maintenance service network.

The St. Louis facility began operating in 1971 and it employs nearly 1,000 people. The company was acquired by Jet Aviation in 2006. Today, Midcoast Aviation is recognized as one of the most respected independent service providers in the U.S. with an outstanding reputation for quality in its completions and MRO businesses.

General Dynamics Aviation Services to rebrand as Gulfstream
General Dynamics Aviation Services, a network of five service-center locations, will begin operating under the Gulfstream name on Jan. 1, 2011. Gulfstream and General Dynamics acquired the locations by purchasing K-C Aviation from Kimberly Clark Corp. in 1998 and Signature Regional Maintenance Centers from BBA Aviation in 2001. Since then, those locations have provided service to Gulfstream aircraft as well as those from other original equipment manufacturers. The five centers will continue to service Challenger, Falcon, Gulfstream, Hawker and other manufacturers’ business-jet aircraft.

"We expect the service to get even better as we continue to invest in and expand our service organization," said Mark Burns, president, Gulfstream Product Support and General Dynamics Aviation Services.

Burns will continue to have responsibility for the consolidated network after the name change.

General Dynamics Aviation Services has facilities in: Appleton, Wis.; Dallas; Las Vegas; Lincoln, Calif.;West Palm Beach, Fla.; and Westfield, Mass. Gulfstream has six service centers in the U.S. and one in Luton, England. The combined Gulfstream service organization has more than 3,300 employees. It is the largest original equipment manufacturer-operated business-aviation service organization in the world and is regularly rated No. 1 in independent surveys.

 

NOTE TO EDITORS:

Jet Aviation, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), was founded in Switzerland in 1967 and is one of the leading business aviation services companies in the world. Close to 5,000 employees cater to client needs from 24 airport facilities throughout Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North and South America. The company provides maintenance, completions and refurbishment, engineering, fixed base operations, along with aircraft management, charter services, aircraft sales and personnel services. Jet Aviation's European and U.S. aircraft management and charter divisions jointly operate a fleet of more than 200 aircraft. For more information, please visit www.jetaviation.com

Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation designs, develops, manufactures, markets, services and supports the world’s most technologically advanced business-jet aircraft. Gulfstream has produced more than 1,900 aircraft for customers around the world since 1958. To meet the diverse transportation needs of the future, Gulfstream offers a comprehensive fleet of aircraft, comprising the wide-cabin, high-speed Gulfstream G150®; the large-cabin, mid-range Gulfstream G200®; the new large-cabin, mid-range Gulfstream G250®; the large-cabin, mid-range Gulfstream G350®; the large-cabin, long-range G450®; the large-cabin, ultra-long-range Gulfstream G500®; the large-cabin, ultra-long-range Gulfstream G550® and the ultra-large-cabin, ultra-long-range G650®. Gulfstream also offers aircraft ownership services via Gulfstream Pre-Owned Aircraft Sales®. The company employs more than 9,000 people at seven major locations. We invite you to visit our website for more information and photos of Gulfstream aircraft at www.gulfstream.com.

General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Va., employs approximately 91,000 people worldwide.  The company is a market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and information systems and technologies.  More information about General Dynamics is available online at www.gd.com.