Gulfstream yesterday revealed that its new Product Support Distribution Center (PSDC) has kicked off operations and that its Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) repair division had completed a landmark 1,000th job.

The 37,706-sq-m environment-friendly PSDC, which consolidated several of the company’s material distribution departments near the main Gulfstream campus in Savannah, US, is now shipping and receiving parts. 

The climate-controlled PSDC is home to more than 300 employees. Gulfstream maintains a worldwide spares support inventory of more than $1.6 billion.

“Spare parts distribution and management play a crucial role in Gulfstream’s day-to-day business, and this cutting-edge facility ensures our parts distribution network will continue to be the standard in business aviation for years to come,” said Mark Burns, President, Gulfstream. “We are very pleased with how the automation technology and new processes have already helped us improve delivery times to customers. The investment in this facility and the high-tech equipment used in it will allow us to support our customers’ needs more efficiently as the Gulfstream fleet continues to grow in established locations and expand to new ones.”

Gulfstream’s parts distribution team manages approximately 500,000 unique part numbers for 18 aircraft models at 11 warehouses and service centres worldwide. The PSDC is the centrepiece of the network. The facility includes eco-friendly material handling equipment and ergonomically designed workspaces. Additionally, it is equipped with touchscreen-enabled workstations, which allow users to seamlessly interact with the customized automated inventory and workforce management system. The system intelligently stores and retrieves inventory based on intuitive storage volume calculations, in addition to workflow optimization rules.

“These systems cut the time it takes to pull parts from minutes to seconds while improving accuracy,” said Derek Zimmerman, president, Gulfstream Product Support. “What you are able to do with a system like this is optimise and prioritize the operations and placement of parts.”

The facility comprises 31,346 sm of storage/production area for aircraft parts and materials and 67,779 sf/6,297sm of office space extended over three levels.

Earlier this year, the PSDC was awarded US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (Leed) Silver certification recognising the green elements of the facility which include:

• Sustainable site development, including recycled fill and recycled construction waste.

• Low-flow plumbing features.

• Low-emitting construction materials.

• Reflective roofing materials and increased roof and window insulation for energy efficiency.

• Highly efficient HVAC systems, including chiller beams and energy recovery systems that optimise building performance.

• High-efficient lighting and lighting control sensors.

• Drought-tolerant and native plants requiring little or no irrigation.


LANDMARK

Meanwhile, Gulfstream’s Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) repair and overhaul department, located in the Gulfstream Savannah Service Center, recently completed its 1,000th APU repair.

“Beginning with the opening of our APU test cell in March of 2009, we have built our APU department into a world-class group that can repair more than 30 APU models found in the aircraft of 10 different fixed wing and rotary wing manufacturers,” said Zimmerman. “Reaching the 1,000th APU repair milestone in such a short time demonstrates the expertise, efficiency and reliability of our team.”

An APU provides air conditioning, electricity and the power for engine starts for an aircraft on the ground. It also serves as a backup power source when the aircraft is in flight.

The APU shop performs the bulk of the company’s APU maintenance as one of five authorized repair facilities worldwide for Honeywell, the industry’s leading APU manufacturer. The shop includes a team of seven APU technicians and a quality control inspector. Team members also work in Gulfstream Savannah’s APU test cell, a 29-sq-m facility that was recently upgraded.

Savannah’s entire cutting-edge APU operation — shop and test cell — is now certified for the repair, inspection, maintenance and overhaul of the Honeywell 36-100, 36-150, RE100 and RE220 series, which includes APUs for all large-cabin Gulfstream aircraft as well as the G280 and G200; Dassault Falcon 20/50/900/2000/7X; Bombardier Global Express, Challenger 300/600/601/604/850; Learjet 45; Cessna Citation VI/VII/X/Excel/Sovereign; and some models manufactured by Hawker Beechcraft, Dornier and Saab.

Gulfstream Savannah recently added a fuel nozzle test bench, which enables on-site inspection of that component.

The Gulfstream service centre in Appleton, Wisconsin, is certified to work on APUs manufactured by Hamilton Sundstrand. These can be found on several aircraft, including the Cessna Citation 650, Learjet 60 and some Falcon 50s.

Gulfstream Savannah and Appleton’s comprehensive APU department includes the latest borescope test equipment, exchanges and rental APUs for Gulfstream and non-Gulfstream aircraft, and more than $18 million in spares inventory.

Over the last four years, the Gulfstream APU team has reduced its repair time from the industry average of more than 30 days to less than 10, thanks to the continuous improvement culture at Gulfstream.

“Their incorporation of Lean Six Sigma principles has helped make them a model of efficiency,” Zimmerman said.

A wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation designs, develops, manufactures, markets, services and supports the world’s most technologically advanced business-jet aircraft comprising the G150, the G280, the G450, the G550, the G500, the G600, the G650 and the G650ER.