A confluence of events caused G700 deliveries to lag by 11 units in the third quarter, including aircraft rework, cabin modifications, and a vendor issue.
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A confluence of events caused Gulfstream G700 deliveries to lag by 11 units in the third quarter, according to Phebe Novakovic, the chairman and CEO of Gulfstream Aerospace parent General Dynamics. As a result, planned overall Gulfstream deliveries this year have been contracted from 160 to 150 as forecast G700 shipments fall from 52 to 42. In the first nine months, the company handed over 89 jets (76 large cabin models and 13 super-midsize G280s), up from 72 (57 large cabins and 15 G280s) a year ago.
Novakovic said during the company’s third-quarter investor call on Wednesday morning that only four of the planned 15 G700 deliveries occurred during the quarter. She explained that this was due to paint rework as engine delivery delays led to aircraft being painted before engines were installed, as well as additional type certification procedures due to complex interiors, a quality escape from a vendor that required replacing 16 parts on each aircraft, and four lost workdays after Hurricane Helene.
The revised schedule going forward calls for deliveries of 27 G700s in the fourth quarter, with Novakovic breaking it down by month: five in October, nine in November, and 13 in December.
Despite the G700 delivery challenges, General Dynamics’ aerospace division—which includes Gulfstream and Jet Aviation—saw third-quarter revenues climb year over year by 22.1%, to $2.482 billion, and earnings up 13.8%, to $305 million. For the first nine months, aerospace revenues soared by 27.7%, to $7.506 billion, and earnings rose 19.9%, to $879 million, from a year ago.
A confluence of events caused Gulfstream G700 deliveries to lag by 11 units in the third quarter, according to Phebe Novakovic, the chairman and CEO of Gulfstream Aerospace parent General Dynamics. As a result, planned overall Gulfstream deliveries this year have been contracted from 160 to 150 as forecast G700 shipments fall from 52 to 42. In the first nine months, the company handed over 89 jets (76 large cabins and 13 super-midsize G280s), up from 72 (57 large cabins and 15 G280s) a year ago.
Novakovic said during the company’s third-quarter investor call this morning that only four of the planned 15 G700 deliveries occurred during the quarter. She explained that this was due to paint rework as engine delivery delays led to aircraft being painted before engines were installed; additional type certification procedures due to complex interiors; a quality escape from a vendor that required replacing 16 parts on each aircraft; and four lost workdays thanks to Hurricane Helene.
The revised schedule going forward calls for deliveries of 27 G700s in the fourth quarter, with Novakovic breaking it down by month: five in October, nine in November, and 13 in December.
Despite the G700 delivery fumble, General Dynamics’ aerospace division—which includes Gulfstream and Jet Aviation—saw third-quarter revenues climb year over year by 22.1%, to $2.482 billion, and earnings up 13.8%, to $305 million.