Simply Abu Dhabi XXXV

5 5 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I T he advanced technology and bespoke cabins of today’s private aircraft originated with Gulfstream more than six decades ago, when the world’s first purpose-built business aircraft, the Gulfstream I, flew on Aug. 14, 1958. From that moment on, the skies were limitless. The story of Gulfstream and its iconic oval windows began with a vision of an aircraft designed exclusively to propel business. When Grumman Aircraft Engineering Company, which developed the first Gulfstream aircraft and began what today is known as Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., set out to design the Gulfstream I, the fundamentals of the design brief were safety, reliability and performance, all combined in a cabin that instilled confidence and encouraged comfort. The Gulfstream I flew up to Mach 0.53 with a range of 2,000 nautical miles/3,704 kilometers and could accommodate up to 12 passengers in its business-focused configuration. The aircraft set the stage for business aviation to come – along with a comfortable cabin, its easy handling and sturdy airframe made for a smoother flight than most expected from a smaller aircraft at the time. Customer feedback, a linchpin of Gulfstream’s business, was also important early on. Customers said they wanted more visibility than a commercial aircraft allowed, so Grumman developed the large oval window that has become the Gulfstream signature. During the Gulfstream I’s 11-year production run, Gulfstream delivered more than 200 of the aircraft, and some of those are still flying today. Gulfstream|I