Page 54 - World Airnews February Magazine Edition 2021
P. 54

BUSINESS JETS


                                        GULFSTREAM LEADS THE SKIES




                                            their own SAF supply, and Gulfstream has   for heating and cooling, optimised energy
                                            worked to connect them with the World   performance, recycling of at least 75 per
         Gulfstream’s enhanced commitment   Energy refinery. In 2020, Gulfstream also   cent of construction waste, low-emitting
         to sustainability stretches back to 2009,   began offering the fuel at its service centre   building materials, water-saving fixtures
         when the company joined the broader   in Van Nuys.                    and preferred parking for low-emission
         business aviation industry in committing to   With more still to be done, Gulfstream   vehicles.
         the sustainability goals set by the National   launched a carbon offsets programme. In   The all-new Gulfstream Van Nuys
         Business Aviation Association, the General   October 2019, the company flew carbon   service centre opened in December 2019;
         Aviation Manufacturers Association and   neutral for the first time, taking five SAF-  the facility offers SAF to customers and
         the International Business Aviation Council.  fuelled company-owned aircraft filled with   features recycled building materials, an
           Since then, Gulfstream’s robust   employees from Savannah to Las Vegas; the   energy-efficient thermoplastic polyolefin
         sustainability programme has grown to   offsets represented more than 200% of the   roof, water-saving fixtures and landscaping,
                                                                               and enhanced control systems for heating/
         include aircraft operational efficiency,   carbon emitted during the trip. Through the   cooling. All three facilities are expected
         eco-friendly buildings and the use of   programme, operators let Gulfstream know   to receive U.S. Green Building Council
         sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for its   their projected annual flight hours and are   Leadership in Energy and Environmental
         corporate, demonstration, customer   invoiced a monthly fee, which is invested   Design certification.
         support and flight test fleets in Savannah.   in environmentally beneficial activities
         The company even sells SAF to customers   through a third-party provider chosen by   In 2020, the new Gulfstream Farnborough
         of its Long Beach, California, maintenance   Gulfstream.              service centre in Hampshire debuted its
         and completions facility and uses it for   Gulfstream also designs its aircraft with   environmental benefits, including rainwa-
         its own California-based completions and   efficiency in mind. When the industry goals   ter harvesting, radiant heating systems
         delivery flights.                  were established in 2009, the Gulfstream   in the purpose-built hangar, intelligent
           The company’s first foray into using the   G450 and G550 were baselines. The   lighting controls and heat recovery
         fuel came in 2011, when a Gulfstream G450   Gulfstream G500 and G600 both fly faster   systems. The building is also expected to
                                                                               achieve a “Very Good” Building Research
         became the first business jet to cross the   than the G450 and G550 and feature larger   Establishment Environmental Assessment
         Atlantic using renewable fuel. In 2015, the   cabins, but at the same time, they offer   Method (BREEAM) rating.
         company signed a multi-year agreement for   as much as a 32% improvement in fuel
         a regular supply of sustainable aviation fuel   efficiency. Both aircraft fly nearly 30 knots   Overall, Gulfstream boasts 10 Green
         for its Savannah facility. By December 2019,   faster than their predecessors with the   Certified new buildings, featuring
         the company achieved a milestone by flying   same fuel burn while providing a longer   sustainable site construction, material
         its corporate aircraft more than 1 million   and wider fuselage, giving the business   selection, indoor environmental quality
         nautical miles on SAF.             aviation community a new generation of   and water and energy-efficient designs.
           Every gallon of SAF used by Gulfstream’s   efficiency and performance.  These buildings have provided a reduction
         Savannah-based fleet saves at least   In addition to its aircraft, Gulfstream also   in Gulfstream’s carbon footprint by 10 per
                                                                               cent since 2014. Company-wide processes
         60% in carbon dioxide emissions on a   focuses on sustainability within its facilities.   have been optimised to improve quality,
         life-cycle basis vs. petroleum-based jet   The company recently opened several   reduce delays, reduce total costs, and
         fuel. Gulfstream has used a 30/70 blend   new buildings with sustainable features in   improve skills and processes to reduce
         of low-carbon, drop-in SAF and Jet-A in   the United States and Europe. In August   operational waste.
         operations at its Savannah headquarters   2019, the company opened a new facility
         since 2012. To date, it has used more than   in Appleton, Wisconsin, that includes   The manufacturer’s work is not yet done.
         980,000 gallons of the SAF blend and   sensitive land protection, a rainwater   Gulfstream boasts a cross-functional,
         reduced carbon dioxide emissions by more   management system, enhanced control   enterprise-wide Environmental Strategy
         than 1,700 tonnes.                 systems for heating and cooling, optimised   Team dedicated to ensuring the company
           Gulfstream’s use of SAF prompted others   energy performance and electric vehicle   remains on the forefront of sustainability
         to embrace this environmentally friendly   charging stations.         within business aviation as well as the
                                                                               communities where its employees live and
         fuel. In March 2019, it completed the   In September 2019, Gulfstream opened
         first sale of SAF to a Gulfstream operator.   its East Campus service centre in Savannah,   work. Q
         Nearly 20 Gulfstream operators have   Georgia. That facility features energy-ef-  Article courtesy: https://www.forbes.com/
         expressed interest in obtaining and using   ficient lighting, enhanced control systems   sites/businessreporter/2021/01/19/




















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