The Gulfstream G550 has been awarded the prestigious 2003 Collier Trophy by the National Aeronautic Association. The annual award, announced last Friday, is given for technology and safety advances in the industry.
Judges praised the G550 for meeting the criteria of providing "the greatest achievement in aeronautics in the United States with respect to improving the performance efficiency or safety of air or space vehicles".
Runway
The G550s most significant safety feature is its Enhanced Vision Systems (EVS) which allow pilots to see runway and surrounding areas in conditions of limited visibility such as at night or in fog.
The PlaneView cockpit developed for the G550 and now featured on the G350 and G450 was acknowledged as another of the jet's groundbreaking features.
It has replaced dials and gauges with a streamlined large-format display with graphic interfaces. The new cockpit design cuts down on the clutter found in conventional flight decks.
Announcing the award here at the show, Gulfstream president Bryan Moss said: "We have a tremendous amount of pride at having won this award."
Gulfstream previous won it with the GV in 1997.
The first Collier Trophy was awarded in 1911 to Glenn Curtis for development of the first seaplane. Two years later it was awarded to Orville Wright.
MARK HANNANT
Source: Flight Daily News
