At a special ceremony at Gulfstream’s Farnborough Centre, the private jet manufacturer announced that Stuttgart-based DC Aviation has placed an order for the all-new G400 aircraft.
Speaking in front of media representatives, including AeroTime, on September 12, 2024, the Gulfstream Vice-President of Sales for the EMEA and APAC regions, Mike Swift, confirmed that DC Aviation’s order represented the first G400 sale for European dedicated charter operations.
“On behalf of Gulfstream’s more than 20,000 employees around the world I would like to thank DC Aviation for their confidence in Gulfstream and the G400, bringing this category leading aircraft to European charter operations,” Swift said during the press event. “The G400’s compelling combination of speed, efficiency and cabin size fills a much-needed void in the category.”
Swift confirmed that the G400 flight test program is “already progressing well” after taking its first flight on August 15, 2024.
During the G400’s first flight the aircraft flew for just under three hours, reaching speeds of Mach 0.85 and an altitude of 41,000 feet before safely landing back at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV).
“This G400 aircraft model exemplifies our dedication to offering the highest standards of safety, cabin convenience and reliability to our customers,” Svenja Wortmann, Managing Director of DC Aviation, added.
The Gulfstream G400 was first introduced to the world in October 2021, with a price tag of around $34.5 million.
The business jet features Gulfstream’s advanced high-speed designed wing and winglet, introduced on the Gulfstream G500 and G600, which greatly enhance efficiency.
It is powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW812GA engines and can operate up to 4,200 nautical miles at Mach 0.85.
At the Gulfstream ceremony DC Aviation executive, Stuart Burrows said that he “would like to thank personally the people behind the scenes at Gulfstream” and he looked forward to the “future and hopefully more Gulfstream aircraft”.