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Aviation History
1959
1959 - 0924.PDF
459 High, wide and handsome: a Gulfstream on test. The Day-Glo paint shows up as white major electrical loads in the event of an engine failure. Thegenerators are described as being of the "wide-speed range, 300 amp, 28-volt types, specificaDy designed for 8,000 r.p.m.operation." The secondary system is the A.C. power system, composed oftwo 1,500 VA inverters, powered by the D.C. generators. Each engine gearbox drives one of the inverters.Two 24-volt nickel-cadmium storage batteries, located one in each nacelle, comprise the stand-by system.The auxiliary power system consists of two A.C. alternators driven by the engine accessory gearbox. The alternators, of thethree-phase, variable-speed type, supply power to the propeller blade and spinner, the engine air intake and the electrical wind-shield anti-icing systems. Two electrically retractable 600 Watt sealed-beam landing lightsare used. Anti-collision lights are provided on the leading edge of the fin cap, in the tailcone, and in the bottom of the fuselage.Wing inspection lights are installed to facilitate inspection of the leading edges. Also standard is a receptacle on the nosegear towhich can be attached a telephone for intercom communications between ground and flight crews. The port nacelle contains areceptacle for an external (D.C.) power supply, which can be used for engine starting if the self-contained starting system isinoperative. Three inverters, labelled "A," "B," and "E," units are utilized."A" supplies all fixed frequency power requirements except for radar. "B" is a stand-by. "E," a small emergency unit, suppliesessential instruments in case the other two inverters are inoperative. A fourth ("C") inverter is supplied as optional equipment and isused to power the radar. Although available only as optional items, several electronicequipments have been installed in the prototypes and have been approved by the C.A.A. These include: dual V.H.F. communica-tions; dual A.D.F.; dual V.H.F. navigation; dual glide slope receiver; marker beacon; intercommunication; and weather radar.The second aircraft contains an X-band radar. In production aeroplanes, provision is made for installing an HF transceiver, theDME section of VOR/TAC, and an ATC transponder. Pressurization is maintained by an engine-driven superchargermounted in the starboard nacelle. The supercharger is a positive- displacement Roots-type compressor. An auxiliary power unit islocated in the tail of the aeroplane, and can be used as an alternate source of air. The A.P.U. is a gas turbine compressor which isrun off the main fuel supply. Fully enclosed, it has fire-detection devices and a one-shot extinguishing system. Up to 50 amp ofD.C. power can be derived from the A.P.U. Cooling is accomplished by means of a "bootstrap" air cyclesystem employing water separation to reduce humidity. In the event of cooling-equipment failure the aeroplane can be ventilatedwith ram air. Flight Development. First flight of the Gulfstream took placeon August 14, 1958. A second prototype made its initial flight on November 11, while the third aeroplane, after being delayedby a strike at Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co., first took to the air on February 17, 1959. A total of more than 300 flight hours havebeen recorded at the time of writing, and it is expected that certi- fication will be obtained by April 15. Customer demonstrationflights have been held to a minimum so as not to delay flight tests. To speed certification, the first aeroplane has been flown toStewart Field, Florida, where Grumman maintain a staff for year- xound testing under near ideal weather conditions. No. 2 aero-plane has also been to Florida, and to Wright Field, Ohio, for in-flight icing tests. Up to three inches of ice are reported to havebeen accumulated on the aircraft during these tests. Present plans call for Grumman to retain title to two, andpossibly three, aeroplanes. Customer machines will follow, the first going to Sinclair Oil Company. Marketing Prospects. That a market exists for a "million•dollar" (fully equipped price with custom electronics and interior), ten-place business aeroplane may seem strange to the averagereader until it is realized that in America no fewer than 1,000 large multi-engine aircraft are now being used for corporate transporta-tion. As noted in Flight's special "Business and Touring Aircraft" number (October 10, 1958) most of these aeroplanes are of WorldWar II vintage. It is not unreasonable to expect, therefore, that a number of DC-3 operators will eventually re-equip with amodern turbine-powered executive aeroplane. If even one-fourth of corporate large-aircraft operators purchase a turbine businessaeroplane, a substantial opportunity exists for the manufacturers of DC-3 replacements.Now being offered to the business operator in direct competition with the Grumman Gulfstream are several turboprop and turbojetaircraft. These are: the turbojet-powered Lockheed Jetstar; the turbojet-powered McDonnell M-119; the RDa.7/2-poweredFairchild F-27 Friendship; and the turbine-powered Convair con- versions (the Canadair 540, Eland-powered aeroplane is anothercandidate). Of these aeroplanes, only the Gulfstream has been specifically tailored to the needs of the business operators; andGrumman are hoping that this consideration will weigh heavily in the customer's mind. On the debit side of this argument isthe fact that, by enjoying airline and military sales, the other manu- facturers are in a better position to offer a lower sales price.To date, 27 firm orders have been-reported by Grumman. Sales of the aircraft are under the direction of Mr. Henry Schiebel, com-mercial sales manager. Gulfstreams are not delivered directly by Grumman, however; this is the responsibility of four distributors(Atlantic Aviation of Delaware, Pacific Airmotive of California, Southwest Airmotive of Texas, and Timmins of Canada).Grurnman furnish the distributor with a completed aeroplane, less interiors and custom electronics. It is then the responsibility of thedistributor to equip and deliver the aircraft in accordance with the customer's detailed specifications. The Future. Grumman policy at the present time is to con-centrate on the business market. Primary sales efforts are being directed along these lines; however, some feeder-line and militaryinterest has been evoked. The Gulfstream has been designed such that full use can bemade of growth versions of the Dart engine. The airframe is capable of accepting the RDa.10 with but few changes. It isreasonable to expect that even higher-powered engines could be installed in the future, with corresponding increases in performanceand payload-carrying ability. Grumman have considerable experi- ence in "stretching" aeroplanes and it would be surprising if thishad not already been considered by them. The possibility thus exists that the Gulfstream will eventuallysee uses other than that for which it was originally intended. If so, there will be an interesting reversal of the trends of the past.Heretofore, the large business aeroplane field has been dominated by aircraft designed for the airlines and the military. It wouldbe to the lasting credit of the executive field (and also an indica- tion of its maturity) if an aircraft tailored to their requirementswas adopted for other uses. D. E. A. LEADING DATA Dimensions. Overall length, 64ft. Wine (area 610.3 sq ft); span, 78.33ft; root chord (at aircraft C/L) 134in; incidence, 0 deg; dihedral, 6.5 deg; aspect ratio, 10. Tail (area 136 sq ft); horizontal span, 306in; chord, 64.25in; incidence, 0 deg; dihedral, 6.5 deg; aspect ratio, 4.81. Vertical Fin (area 117.1 sq ft); height from ground 22.84ft. Certification Strength Requirements. Basic flight design gross weight, 33,600 Ib; basic design landing gross weight, 32,000 Ib; positive manoeuvre limit load-factor, 2.5g; limit sinking speed, 10 ft/sec. Weights. Weight empty, 20,276 Ib: max. fuel load, 10,400 Ib; landing weight (with 1,450 Ib fuel reserve), 23,950 Ib; take-off gross weight, 32,500 Ib. Estimated Performance. Cruising T.A.S. at 25,000ft with 14,000 r.p.m. at 26,000 Ib, 350 m.p.h.; max. range at 25,000ft with 10,400 Ib fuel and initial take-off weight of 32,500 Ib (including 500 Ib fuel reserve), 2,460 st. miles; C.A.A. take-off field length at sea level at 32,500 Ib, 3,850ft; C.A.A. landing field length at sea level at 30,900 Ib, 3,850 ft. Limit speeds: MD=0.675 above 15,200ft: VD=341.5 kt C.A.S. below 15,000ft.
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