“We see India as a Growth Engine for Years to Come”

MICHAEL SWIFT,
GROUP VICE PRESIDENT – SALES, EMEA & APAC, GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE

Jayant Baranwal (Baranwal): How was Gulfstream’s current fleet conceptualised? Can you elaborate a little bit on the journey till now?

Michael Swift (Swift): Gulfstream conceptualized our next generation aircraft family with a holistic strategy for a fleet for every mission which includes the G400, G500, G600, G700 and G800. This began with the launch of the G500 in 2013, and you can see that fleet strategy come into play even more now with the recent certification of the G700, the G800 around the corner and the G400 to follow.

Baranwal: And what is the standing of, if you can just give me a little brief overview of Gulfstream family, in the world market today. How do you perceive that?

Swift: It’s a good question. The Gulfstream fleet is well accepted around the world. For my part, I cover all the sales teams outside of the Americas. So, I have Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia, and we see robust demand for all our aircraft in each market. It really comes down to the end client, where they’re flying, where they need to go, and we believe we have a Gulfstream for every mission.

Baranwal: What sets Gulfstream apart?

Swift: We’re a leader in innovation; we’re a leader in sustainability; and we deliver the finest aviation experience to our clients. I’m proud to stand behind that with all our customers.

Baranwal: When you say sustainability, can you elaborate that a little bit for us?

Swift: Absolutely. We have a great sustainability story to tell. We were the first OEM to fly transatlantic on 100 per cent neat SAF, and each year we continue to make further advancements towards our sustainability goals. We have a very robust customer advisory board, and we know that a lot of our customers are trying to tackle their own sustainability efforts in their business. And we want to help them with that from a Gulfstream perspective.

“THE GULFSTREAM FLEET IS WELL ACCEPTED AROUND THE WORLD. WE BELIEVE WE HAVE A GULFSTREAM FOR EVERY MISSION.”

Baranwal: Even today, at times, business jets are perceived as the toys of rich. Is that a correct perspective? And if not, what all could the counterpoints be?

Swift: No, I don’t think so. I just wrapped up a meeting here at MEBAA Show where we were looking at the facts and the figures of the flights and who’s using business aviation, and it’s clear our customers use business aviation in a variety of different ways. We fly special missions. We make medevac flights. Some of our customers are large companies that have facilities in hard-to-reach destinations that aren’t well-served by the airlines. So, I know there’s a misperception of the industry that differs from the reality of the day-to-day operations for business aviation. There’s a reason why it’s called business aviation. It is for business.

Baranwal: Absolutely, so it is like an office in the sky?

Swift: A hundred per cent. I’ve personally flown with our customers all over the world. They’re not sitting back. They’re advancing their business. Connectivity is a huge concern for them because they need to be connected and moving around. And you see that here at MEBAA Show, too. I just met with a customer this morning that flew in on his aircraft, and he can avail his schedule versus having to wait. That owner can arrive, meet with the people he needs to see, and then depart and get to where he needs to be next.

Baranwal: So can we say that business jets considerably contribute towards the economies of the countries?

Swift: Yes, without a doubt.

Baranwal: How? A few quick pointers?

Swift: Business aviation stimulates the economies where it’s active and where it’s growing – business aircraft enable easy connections across continents, including both international business hubs and more remote locations to help fuel economic development.

Baranwal: Your window size is very attractive, and I think it’s a very unique feature of Gulfstream jets. Anything you would like to speak about that which gives a very wide and panoramic sort of view for the traveler sitting next to the windows?

Swift: We get compliments from owners all the time about the windows and how they enhance the way passengers feel when they’re traveling. Along with the natural light they allow, customers benefit from our industry-leading cabin altitude, and a hundred per cent fresh air every two to three minutes. When you get off the aircraft, you don’t feel like you’ve just flown for 10 or 12 or 13 hours. You arrive completely refreshed. The natural light has a big part to play in that.

“WE WERE THE FIRST OEM TO FLY TRANSATLANTIC ON 100 PER CENT NEAT SAF, AND EACH YEAR WE CONTINUE TO MAKE FURTHER ADVANCEMENTS TOWARDS OUR SUSTAINABILITY GOALS.”

Baranwal: So you invite nature to be part of your interior circulation, right?

Swift: Absolutely.

Baranwal: What is special about the Middle East market? Then I’ll come to the India market.

Swift: Gulfstream’s been very active in the Middle East for over 65 years – we’ve been selling airplanes here for a very long time and have a strong installed base in the region. We have loyal customers here that use the aircraft to go to the destinations they need to get to, whether that’s London, the US, Singapore, anywhere, really. This region is a launch pad, and our aircraft are wellsuited for missions out of here. We fly long range, high speed, very efficient flights. So, to get from the Middle East to wherever they need to get to, Gulfstream aircraft can do that.

Baranwal: And how do you perceive the India market?

Swift: The market in India is great and has an incredible story to tell in terms of GDP growth to fleet size. I am there quite a lot and love seeing next generation Gulfstream aircraft coming into the market in India, and customers are excited about that. I personally enjoy working with customers in India and see it as a growth engine for years to come.

Baranwal: It’s going to be a very, very major economy in coming times in the world. And we at SP Guide Publications and the associations like Business Aircraft Operator Association and others, we all are pushing to better the environment for business aviation, smoother regulatory process and so on. And it appears that we have very dynamic government and the policymakers in place, these days. So, therefore, I think, like you said, you rightly love India.

Swift: India is growing into a major market, and we have been bringing our new aircraft into the region regularly over the last few years. We’ve been working with the DGCA so they can better understand the products we are bringing to the market and all the new safety enhancements they offer.

Baranwal: Anything specific you would like to say which is unique to Gulfstream?

Swift: We have a great story to tell and value our customers in India. We’re known for world-class customer support and market-leading products – we look forward to even more customers in India sitting next to our panoramic oval windows and reaping the benefits of Gulfstream whether they are flying in the region or around the world.