Gulfstream III

Gulfstream III
	C-20 Gulfstream III operated by the United States Navy (BuNo 163692)
Role	Business jet
Manufacturer	Gulfstream Aerospace
First flight	2 December 1979
Introduction	1980
Primary users	United States; Gabon ; India ; Italy
Developed from	Grumman Gulfstream II
Variants	Gulfstream IV/G400/G450

The Gulfstream III, a business jet produced by Gulfstream Aerospace, is an all-weather, long-range, high speed aircraft powered by two Rolls-Royce Spey turbofan engines with thrust reversers.

Design and development

The Gulfstream III was built at Savannah, Georgia in the United States and was designed as an improved variant of the Grumman Gulfstream II. The wing span was increased by six feet and five-foot winglets were added, the fuselage was lengthened by an additional two-foot section aft of the main door and an extended and re-contoured radome. The Gulfstream III also had a new curved windscreen and changes to the cockpit instruments and autopilot, the maximum take-off weight was increased. The aircraft received type approval from the American Federal Aviation Administration in September 1980.

Variants

Civil variants

Model G-1159A Gulfstream III - Two or three-crew executive, corporate transport aircraft.

Military variants

C-20A - USAF variant configured for 14 passengers and 5 crew; phased out of USAF service in 2002, one example transferred to NASA for use at the Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards AFB, CA as a test aircraft^[2]^[3]^[4]
C-20B - USAF and USCG variant with upgraded electronics, used for Operational Support Airlift (OSA) and Special Assignment Airlift Missions (SAAM); single U.S. Coast Guard C-20B supports the Commandant of the Coast Guard, senior USCG officials and the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security^[2]
C-20C - USAF C-20B with upgraded and "hardened" secure communications, often utilized as backup aircraft accompanying the VC-25A aircraft when it is operating as Air Force One^[2]
C-20D - USN Operational Support Airlift (OSA) aircraft with modified communications equipment for use by the U.S. Navy, normally in support of high-ranking naval officials^[2]
C-20E - Stretched fuselage/redesigned wing variant for use by the US Army as an Operational Support Airlift (OSA) aircraft^[2]^[5]
Gulfstream III SRA-1 - Special reconnaissance and surveillance version for export.
Gulfstream III SMA-3 - Export model for Denmark, fitted with a Texas Instruments APS-127 search radar. Three maritime reconnaissance and patrol, fisheries protection, search and rescue, and VIP transport aircraft were built for the Royal Danish Air Force in 1983. No longer in service.

NOTE: US Army C-20F and C-20J, USN / USMC C-20G, and USAF C-20H aircraft are all Gulfstream IV variants

Operators

Military and government operators

Military and government operators of the Gulfstream III and C-20 include:

Algeria
Cameroon

Cameroon Air Force

Ivory Coast
Denmark

Royal Danish Air Force

Gabon
Ghana

Ghana Air Force

Italy

Italian Air Force

India

Indian Air Force

Ireland

Irish Air Corps - leased aircraft

Mexico

Mexican Air Force

Morocco

Royal Moroccan Air Force

Oman
Uganda

Ugandan Air Force

United States

Air Force of Zimbabwe

Accidents and incidents

March 29, 2001 - While trying to land at Aspen-Pitkin County Airport, an Avjet Gulfstream III crashed into a hill, killing all 18 people on board.

Specifications (Gulfstream III)

Data from Jane's Civil and Military Aircraft Upgrades 1994–95^[6]

General characteristics

Crew: Two or three
Capacity: 19 passengers (standard seating)
Aspect ratio: 6.0:1

Performance

References

^ Taylor 1982, pp. 383–384.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Model Designation of Military Aerospace Vehicles, DoD 4120.15L, 2004-05-12
^ http://www.af.mil/information/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=87
^ http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/gallery/Photo/C-20A/HTML/EC02-0221-6.html
^ The United States Military Aviation Directory, AIRTime Publishing, Norwalk, CT, c2000, ISBN 1-88058-29-3
^ Michell 1994, p. 313.

Michell, Simon. Jane's Civil and Military Aircraft Upgrades 1994–95. Coulsdon, UK:Jane's Information Group, 1994. ISBN 0 7106 1208 7.
Taylor, John W. R. (editor). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1982–83. London:Jane's Yearbooks, 1982. ISBN 0 7106-0748-2.

[Janes_82_p383-4-1] Taylor 1982, pp. 383–384.

[dod-2] Model Designation of Military Aerospace Vehicles, DoD 4120.15L, 2004-05-12

[3] ttp://www.af.mil/information/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=87

[4] ttp://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/gallery/Photo/C-20A/HTML/EC02-0221-6.html

[5] The United States Military Aviation Directory, AIRTime Publishing, Norwalk, CT, c2000, ISBN 1-88058-29-3

[Janes_up_94_p313-6] Michell 1994, p. 313.

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v t e United States military transport aircraft designations, Army/Air Force and Tri-Service systems
Army/Air Force sequence (1925–1962)	C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-6 C-7 C-8 C-9 C-10 C-11 C-12 C-13¹ C-14 C-15 C-16 C-17 C-18 C-19 C-20 C-21 C-22 C-23 C-24 C-25 C-26 C-27 C-28 C-29 C-30 C-31 C-32 C-33 C-34 C-35 C-36 C-37 C-38 C-39 C-40 C-41 C-41A C-42 C-43 C-44 C-45 C-46 C-47 C-47F C-47T AC-47 C-48 C-49 C-50 C-51 C-52 C-53 C-54 C-55 C-56 C-57 C-58 C-59 C-60 C-61 C-62 C-63 C-64 C-65 C-66 C-67 C-68 C-69 C-70 C-70B C-71 C-72 C-73 C-74 C-75 C-76 C-77 C-77B–D C-78 C-79 C-80 C-81 C-82 C-83 C-83A C-83B C-84 C-85 C-86 C-87 C-88 C-89 C-90 C-91 C-92 C-93 C-94 C-95 C-96 C-97 KC-97 C-98 C-99 C-100 C-101 C-102 C-103 C-104 C-105 C-106 C-107 C-108 C-109 C-110 C-111 C-112 C-113 C-114 C-115 C-116 C-117 C-117D C-118 C-119 AC-119 C-120 C-121 C-121F EC-121 C-122 C-123 C-123A C-124 C-125 C-126 C-127² C-127 (I) C-127 (II) C-128 C-129 C-130 C-130J AC-130 DC-130 EC-130/H HC-130 KC-130 LC-130 MC-130 WC-130 C-131 NC-131H C-132 C-133 C-134 C-135 KC-135 C-136 C-137² YC-137 (I) YC-137 (II) C-137 C-138¹ C-139¹ C-140 C-141 C-142
Tri-service sequence (1962–present)	C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-6 C-7² C-7 RC-7 C-8 C-9 C-10² C-10 KC-10 C-11 C-12 RC-12 C-13¹ C-14 C-15 C-16¹ C-17 C-18 C-19 C-20² C-20A–D C-20F–J C-21 C-22 C-23 C-24 C-25 C-26 C-27 C-27J C-28 C-29 C-30¹ C-31 C-32 C-33 C-34¹ C-35 C-36³ C-37 C-37B C-38 C-39¹ C-40 C-41 C-42¹ C-43¹ C-44¹ C-45 C-46
Revived original sequence (2005–present)	C-143 C-144 C-145 C-146 C-147
Non-sequential designations	C-767 C-767B C-880
Related designations	CT-39 CT-43 CV-2 CV-7
¹ Not assigned • ² Assigned to multiple types • ³ Unconfirmed

v t e Gulfstream aircraft
Grumman	G-159 G-1159 G-I G-II
American Jet Industries/ Gulfstream American	Hustler Peregrine 600 Peregrine
Gulfstream	550 690C 690D 695 695A 695B Jetprop 840 Jetprop 900 Jetprop 980 Jetprop 1000 Jetprop 1200 Peregrine 600 Peregrine 100 G-1159A G-1159B G-IV GIV-X G-V GV-SP GVI GVII G100/G150 G200 G280 G-IIB G-III G-IV/GIV-SP G-V G300/G350/G400/G450 G500/G550 G500/G600 G650/G650ER G700
Military versions	C-4 C-11 C-20 C-20F/G/H C-37A C-37B C-38A X-54