Grumman Gulfstream I

Gulfstream I
A USCG VC-4A Gulfstream I in flight, 1964
Role	Business aircraft
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Grumman
First flight	August 14, 1958
Number built	200
Variants	Grumman Gulfstream II

The Grumman Gulfstream I (company designation G-159) is a twin turboprop business aircraft. It first flew on August 14, 1958.

Design and development

The United States military version for this plane is the C-4 Academe. The TC-4 is a version with added instruments and navigation. It was used by US Navy for bombadier/navigator training for the A-6 Intruder. A VC-4A variant was flown by the United States Coast Guard as an executive transport until the early 1980s. It was later used as a logistics and long-range command and control aircraft until 2001.

A 38-passenger stretched version, the G-159C, was developed by Gulfstream. Five were delivered from November 1980. Air North (Plattsburgh NY) was one among the few airlines to use this version, before its acquisition by Brockway Glass.

Operational history

In August 2006, a total of 44 Grumman Gulfstream I aircraft remain in service. The major operator is Phoenix Air in the United States with 13 aircraft. Some 19 other airlines also operate the type.

Variants

A U.S. Navy TC-4C Academe from VA-42 at NAS Oceana, 1989.

G-159 Gulfstream I

Twin-engined executive, corporate transport aircraft with accommodation for up to 14 passengers, powered by two 2,210-ehp (1648-kW) Rolls-Royce Dart RDa.7/2 Mk 529-8X turboprop engines. 200 built.

G-159C Gulfstream I-C

Stretched commuter airline version. Five Is were converted into Gulfstream I-Cs, by having the fuselage lengthened by 10ft 8in (3.25m) to provide seating for up to 32 passengers.

C-4 Academe

TC-4C Academe

Bombardier, navigator trainer trainer for the US Navy. Nine built.

VC-4A

VIP transport version for the US Coast Guard. One built.

Operators

Civilian operators

Gulfstream 1 of Cimber Air operating a scheduled service from Copenhagen Airport in 1981

G-159 at the Hellenic Air Force Museum at Dekelia (Tatoi), Athens, Greece

United States

• Phoenix Air

Canada

• Propair

Denmark

• Cimber Air

Military operators

Greece

• Hellenic Air Force

United States

• United States Army - The United States Army Corps of Engineers operated a single Gulfstream I (with a civilian colour scheme and registration) between 1961 and 1981. The US Army also later received at least 1 Gulfstream I confiscated from drug dealers.
• United States Coast Guard
• United States Navy

Venezuela

Specifications

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965-66

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Capacity: 10–24 passengers
• Length: 63 ft 9 in (19.43 m)
• Wingspan: 78 ft 6 in (23.93 m)
• Height: 22 ft 9 in (6.93 m)
• Wing area: 610.3 sq ft (56.70 m²)
• Empty weight: 21,900 lb (9,934 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 35,100 lb (15,921 kg)
• Powerplant: 2 × Rolls-Royce Dart 529 turboprop, 2,190 shp (1,630 kW) each

Performance

• Cruise speed: 348 mph (302 kn; 560 km/h) (max cruise, at 25,000 ft (7,625 m)
• Range: 2,540 mi (2,207 nmi; 4,088 km)
• Service ceiling: 33,600 ft (10,241 m)
• Rate of climb: 1,900 ft/min (9.7 m/s)

See also

Related development

• Grumman Gulfstream II
• Gulfstream III
  

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• Beechcraft King Air
  

Related lists

• List of military aircraft of the United States
  

References

• Frawley, Gerard (2003). The International Directory of Civil Aircraft, 2003-2004. Fyshwick, ACT, Australia: Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd. pp. 132. ISBN 1-875671-58-7. 
• Harding, Stephen (1990). U.S. Army Aircraft Since 1947. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife. ISBN 1-85310-102-8. 
• Taylor, John W. R. (1965). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965-66. London: Samson Low, Marston. 

External links

• The Grumman G-159 Gulfstream I on Airliners.net