Chad is the editor of AINalerts, AIN's daily business aviation newsletter, and is also the news editor at AIN Media Group.&nbsp;He has been writing about aviation, with an emphasis on business aviation, since 1994. Chad started his writing career at The Avion,&nbsp;the&nbsp;student newspaper at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, serving as editor-in-chief before graduating with a bachelor's in aeronautical science. After a stint as managing editor at Professional Pilot&nbsp;magazine, he joined&nbsp;AIN in late 1998. Chad holds a commercial pilot certificated with instrument and multi-engine ratings, and he also is a CFI/CFII. He lives and works from his home in Venice, Florida.

Online Editor

Chad Trautvetter

First-quarter deliveries at Gulfstream Aerospace fell 13.3 percent year-over-year, to 26 jets. Shipments of its super-midsize G280 held steady at seven in both first quarters, but large-cabin jets fell by four from a year ago, to 19, Phebe Novakovic, chairman and CEO of parent company General Dynamics, said this morning during an investor conference call.

 


The erosion on the higher end was in part due to G450 shipments ending and those of its replacement, the G500, not beginning until after the new airplane is certified in "June or July." A customer-initiated delivery delay of a special-mission G550 also worked against Gulfstream in the quarter.

 


While overall revenues and earnings rose slightly at General Dynamics in the quarter, they declined at its Aerospace division, which includes Gulfstream and Jet Aviation. First-quarter Aerospace revenues were $1.852 billion, down 12 percent from a year ago, while earnings slipped by 21.2 percent, to $346 million.

 


According to Novakovic, Gulfstream’s 0.8:1 book-to-bill ratio in the first three months is slightly higher than the 0.7:1 ratio the company has seen in the first quarters over the past few years. “Gulfstream’s sales are strong in both North America and Europe,” she noted, with U.S. sales boosted by replacement orders and tax reform. Aerospace backlog stood at $12.059 billion as of April 1, down from $12.466 billion at the end of 2017.

Gulfstream Shipments Slip, but Sales Still 'Strong'

Deliveries of its super-midsize G280 held steady at seven in both first quarters, but large-cabin jets fell by four from a year ago, to 19.

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