Executive Jet Inter-national (EJI), the US business aircraft fractional ownership organisation, has contracted for 11 more Gulfstream IV-SPs, taking its orders for the model to 27.
The new agreement, which includes one additional aircraft for delivery in 1997, accelerates the exercising of five GIV-SP options due in 1999, plus the ordering of five aircraft for delivery in 2000. EJI already operates 11 GIV-SPs, and also holds orders for two GVs.
EJI's Gulfstream fractional ownership scheme, dubbed "Gulf-stream Shares", is a joint marketing and sales effort between the company and the manufacturer, with Gulfstream also responsible for the fleet's maintenance.
EJI introduced eight GIV-SPs during 1996, and will take nine more over the next two years. According to EJI's chairman, Richard Santulli, "demand has been every bit as strong as we anticipated. This order reflects our confidence that the demand will remain high," he says.
Gulfstream says that it has been informed by the US Federal Aviation Administration that a type board meeting regarding full certification of the GV has been scheduled for 11 April.
The aircraft received provisional approval at the end of 1996. Gulfstream has now completed the required flight-testing and final documentation for full certification has been submitted.
Source: Flight International
