PLANECONNECT ™ FLEET DATA NOW AVAILABLE ON MYGULFSTREAM.COM

Additional Information Allows Operators To Determine Possible Maintenance Trends

SAVANNAH, Ga., June 11, 2010 - PlaneConnect™, the air-to-ground maintenance data link Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. introduced in September 2007, now offers summary fleet information to Gulfstream operators through myGulfstream.com, the secure Gulfstream customer communications website.

PlaneConnect automatically relays messages generated by the Crew Alerting System (CAS) and Central Maintenance Computer (CMC) to operation centers on the ground and then via e-mail to operators. With myGulfstream.com, operators can now see summary-level messages across the Gulfstream fleet for a particular model, as well as messages for each of their own PlaneConnect-equipped aircraft.

The fleet data accessible by operators contains no aircraft or operator identification information.

"With this new fleet capability, operators have even more information, which is always good," said Mark Burns, president, Gulfstream Product Support. "Along with providing a searchable record of the last six months of their aircraft operations, access to information from more than 70,000 unique flights is available for comparison purposes. We’ve seen how this type of tool benefits aircraft support by identifying the cause of an intermittent issue and, in some cases, identifying issues before they are apparent to the flight crew."

More than 300 large-cabin Gulfstream aircraft operators use PlaneConnect, and about 80 percent of them choose to have their information sent to Gulfstream Technical Operations in addition to their own flight departments.

At Gulfstream, a computer analyzes and prioritizes those incoming CAS and CMC messages.  Those that may result in an Aircraft-on-the-Ground (AOG) situation once the jet lands automatically generate priority e-mails to the appropriate Gulfstream field service representative (FSR) and Technical Operations staff. This real-time reporting enhances safety and reduces maintenance times by allowing technicians to arrange for parts or service personnel to be readily available before the aircraft lands.

"Using PlaneConnect enables us to have extremely fast maintenance turnaround times, which result in more air time for Gulfstream operators," Burns said. "That’s precisely what they want, and we’re happy we can provide it to them."

PlaneConnect is a free service that Gulfstream operators can access via myGulfstream.com anywhere they have Internet access.  The myGulfstream.com site offers real-time communication and collaboration capabilities, including access to the Gulfstream Computerized Maintenance Program (CMP), technical publications, maintenance manuals and flight-tracking software.

 

NOTE TO EDITORS

Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), designs, develops, manufactures, markets, services and supports the world’s most technologically advanced business-jet aircraft. Gulfstream has produced some 1,800 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 Financial Services Division and 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 91,200 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.