Summary
- Grumman Gulfstream I pioneered luxury, fast, and comfortable executive jets in the 1950s for business travel.
- Gulfstream I, with its high-density and elite cabin options, served corporate customers and regional transit needs.
- The Gulfstream I set the foundation for today’s Gulfstream jets, influencing design and performance standards.
The Grumman Gulfstream I (G-159) is a twin-turboprop business jet designed and developed by US-based Grumman in the mid-1950s. The aircraft performed its maiden flight in August 1958 and received its FAA type-certification in May 1959. More than 200 examples of the G-159 were built between 1959 and 1969.
The development of the Grumman Gulfstream I
- Seating capacity: 10–14 passengers (original G-159)
- Length: 63 ft 9 in (19.43 m)
- Height: 22 ft 9 in (6.93 m)
- Wingspan: 78 ft 6 in (23.93 m)
- Wing area: 610.3 sq ft (56.70 m2)
- Max takeoff weight: 35,100 lb (15,921 kg)
- Maximum landing weight: 33,600 lb (15,241 kg)
- Fuel capacity: 1,550 US gal (1,290.6 imp gal; 5,867.4 L) in integral wing tanks
- Powerplant: 2x Rolls-Royce Dart Mk.529 turboprop
- Power per engine: 2,190 shaft horsepower (1,630 kW)
In the 1950s, Grumman Aircraft realized a growing need for an executive jet that is fast, efficient, and comfortable to serve the business aviation market. Keeping the demands of the regional business travel in mind, designers and engineers at Grumman developed an aircraft that offered range, performance, and comfort desired by the executive business travelers.
The low-wing cantilever monoplane has a retractable landing gear and a semi-monocoque aluminum alloy fuselage designed to accommodate up to 24 passengers in a high-density configuration. Most corporate customers, however, opted for an 8 to 12-passenger elite cabin. The entry and exit via the forward cabin was done using a hydraulically operated airstair.
- Cruise speed: 348 mph (560 km/h, 302 knots) maximum cruise, at 25,000 ft (7,600 m)
- Range: 2,540 mi (4,090 km, 2,210 NM) with max. fuel, 2,740 lb (1,243 kg) payload
- Service ceiling: 33,600 ft (10,200 m)
- Rate of climb: 1,900 ft/min (9.7 m/s)
- Take-off distance to 50 ft (15 m): 2,875 ft (876 m)
- Landing distance from 50 ft (15 m): 2,125 ft (648 m)
65 Years On: What Was The Grumman Gulfstream?
Most examples of the Grumman Gulfstream I were used for VIP transport.
Gulfstream I variants
G-159 Gulfstream I
- The original aircraft was the twin-engine executive transport aircraft
- Seating for up to 14 passengers
- Two Rolls-Royce Dart RDa.7/2 Mk turboprop engines
G-159 C Gulfstream I-C
- A stretched version of the original G-159
- The fuselage stretched by 10 ft 8 in (3.25 m)
- It could seat up to 37 passengers
- Five G-159 were converted to regional airline version
VC-4A
- The Coast Guard VIP transport plane
- A single example was built
TC-4B
- Navigator and Trainer version for the US Navy
- Ten aircraft were ordered
- The complete order was canceled before delivery
TC-4C Academe
- U.S. Navy and Marine Corps bombardier navigator/trainer
- This version featured added instruments and navigation
- Fitted with a simulated Grumman A-6 cockpit and nose radome
- Nine units were built, with the first one flown in 1967
The Gulfstream I operators
A wide range of business executives, commercial airlines, and military agencies operated various variants of the Gulfstream I. A large number of turboprops were operated by corporate customers. These included both individual owners and companies that provided private transport for their executives. Ford Motor Company extensively used the Gulfstream I during the 1970s and the 1980s for their executives in Brazil. Similarly, the Walt Disney Company operated the turboprop for executive transport.
A small number of aircraft were operated by regional and commuter airlines for passengers and cargo transport. In the US, Air North, Air US, and Chaparral Airlines were among the few airlines operating the Gulfstream I. These airlines operated both the original 14-seater versions and the 37-seater variants for passenger transport.
Chaparral Airlines operates passenger services as American Eagle with a codeshare agreement with American Airlines. Another major US carrier, Royale Airlines, operated the G-1 as Continental Connection on behalf of Continental Airlines. However, the airline only operated the original G-159 models. Many global airlines also operated different variants of the Gulfstream I.
The US space agency, NASA, operated seven units. Moreover, The United States Army operated a single Gulfstream I, although with a civilian registration and color scheme. The military version of the aircraft was operated by the United States Coast Guard (USCG), the US Navy (USN), and the US Marine Corps (USMC).
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Setting the foundation
The Gulfstream line of aircraft established a strong foundation is how today’s Gulfstream aircraft look and perform. Not only did the Grumman Gulfstream began the large-cabin business jet idea, it also led in terms of design and performance of the aircraft being built today by Gulfstream Aerospace.
Photo: Gulfstream Aerospace
Some of the most common features of today’s Gulfstream corporate jets, including large oval windows, bullet-shaped nose cones, the cockpit design, wing design, and flap tracks, are reminiscent of the Grumman Gulfstream I, so much so that today’s clean sheet designs such as the Gulfstream G-650 retains many of those features.
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What are your thoughts on the Grumman Gulfstream I and how today’s modern executive jets are reminiscent of the 1950s design? Share your views in the comments section.