Story ID: 338d
Gulfstream G500 Makes MEBAA Debut
By: Peter Shaw-Smith
Caption: Gulfstream's  fly-by-wire G500 and G600 will soon join the popular G650 in Middle East service.
Word Count: 426
Delivering aircraft to the region since the 1960s, Gulfstream has a strong presence in the Middle East, and the Gulfstream fleet there continues to thrive, Scott Neal, senior vice president, worldwide sales and marketing, Gulfstream, told AIN.

The arrival in the market of the Bombardier Global 7500 has done little to dent Gulfstream’s fortunes in the region. “The G650 continues to be very popular in the Middle East, and we have seen a lot of enthusiasm for the G500 and G600 as well. One of our major large-cabin customers in the region, Qatar Executive, operates G650ERs and recently announced plans to grow its fleet exclusively with Gulfstream aircraft, including the recently delivered G500 and the G600,” he said.

“The G650 and G650ER are in-service aircraft with proven speed and range capabilities. More than 320 G650/G650ER aircraft are in service and consistently demonstrating their performance.”

The G650ER, unlike any competitor, certified or planned, provides 1,000 nm more range, as well as 500 nm more range at Mach 0.85 (and 1,500 nm more range at Mach 0.90) out of high-demand, weight-restricted airports, saving operators at least 30 minutes on long-range flights, the company said.

“There are nearly 100 aircraft operating in the Middle East, and almost 35 of those are G650/G650ERs. The largest Middle Eastern fleets of Gulfstream aircraft are in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The majority of Gulfstream aircraft in the region are large-cabin, as our customers there need Gulfstream’s long range and high speeds for business and personal needs,” he said.

“Our large-cabin customer base is quite diverse and includes corporations, individuals, and the Qatar Executive charter service, which is using the G650ER in a full commercial transport role.”

Gulfstream has two factory-authorized service centers in the Middle East: Jet Aviation Dubai and Jet Aviation Jeddah. The Dubai facility can provide line and base maintenance on most Gulfstream aircraft registered in the U.S., European Union, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and the UAE.

“Gulfstream also has three field service representatives in the Middle East—two in Dubai, one in Doha—in addition to $19 million of parts inventory in the region and a Field and Airborne Support Team member based in Dubai,” he said.

“The G500 is making its MEBAA debut, after recently entering service in September with the first customer delivery," Neal said. "The G500 has also earned its type validation for Qatar.” Also on display at the Gulfstream static are the G280, G550, and G650ER.