Tag Archives: g-iii

Return of the G-III On A Sunny Sunday Morning

A G-III is going to be of interest but when it comes on a Sunday morning when the sun is out and conditions look nice, I am going to try and be there.  This was the One Flight jet which I had seen before but I wasn’t going to pass it up because of that given how good the conditions were.  I got there in time to see it land and it parked up on the ramp a little north of me although not easy to get a shot of.  It wasn’t staying for long so I was able to catch it taxiing back out for departure and then taking off too.  Not a bad result for a start to a Sunday morning.

Gulfstream’s GIII Is A Nice Surprise

Vintage business jets are a nice thing to come across and, while the modern generation of Gulfstreams are a common sight around the US, the G-III is now something of a rare beast.  Seeing one at Boeing Field parked on the Modern ramp was a nice surprise so I was just hoping for it to depart while I was there.  Fortunately, I was in luck.  It eventually powered up and taxied for departure.  The hush kits on the old Spey engines are a bit of a giveaway but they aren’t that effective.  The noise on takeoff was definitely a sign of something from a previous generation.

Generations of Gulfstreams

AE7I0619.jpgWhen I am shooting at a major airport, I am always pleased to get some corporate jets.  A steady stream of airliners – often from the same airline – is okay but variety spices things up and corporate jets can do that.  (NetJets and FlexJet do undermine that variety a little but not too much.)  On this occasion, I was treated to a selection of Savannah’s finest products.  They didn’t arrival in age related order but I will forgive that.

AE7I1296.jpgThe first to show up was a G650.  Top of the line for Gulfstream, this is a cool looking jet.  It is a totally clean sheet design for Gulfstream who have tended to tweak previous jets to bring new capabilities.  It looks different and has great performance.  (It is also spawning a new generation of smaller – relatively – jets that I look forward to seeing.)

AE7I1031.jpgNext were some G450s.  A previous generation but still a good performer and something that sells well.  The fuselage is clearly Gulfstream but the wings and engines and significant steps forward from their predecessors.  Not cutting edge but still something the Gulfstream thinks has appeal.

AE7I1094.jpgThe last was a G-III.  This is really going back a bit.  Not a G-IISP but not far off.  The fuselage is familiar, the wing similar but the engines are the old Speys and they have none too subtle hushkits fitted to them in order to meet current noise regulations.  This is certainly a vintage jet by corporate standards and I was pretty pleased to see one still flying.  These are often found now lurking at airports with the signs of lack of use clear to see.  Shame we didn’t have an original Gulfstream turboprop but they are rare beasts these days.