GULFSTREAM LAUNCHES FIELD AND AIRBORNE SUPPORT TEAM (FAST) MOBILE MAINTENANCE VEHICLE

Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. will soon support Gulfstream operators in northern California and Colorado using a specially outfitted Field and Airborne Support Team (FAST) mobile maintenance vehicle.

From its base at San Jose International Airport, the vehicle will support customers’ Gulfstream aircraft located in and around San Jose, San Francisco and Oakland, as well as Gulfstream aircraft in Sacramento, Fresno and as far east as Reno, Nev. From December to early March, the vehicle will be based at Denver’s Centennial Airport to serve operators in Colorado during ski season.

The custom-designed FAST vehicle supports technicians with providing a wide range of services, including aircraft-on-ground (AOG) support, line maintenance, inspections and engine changes. It will be staffed by technicians from Gulfstream’s service center in Long Beach, Calif.

“We have more than 60 operators based in northern and central California, and many operators who travel in and out of Colorado from December to March, so we believe there is a good business case for such a resource,” says Mark Burns, president, Gulfstream Product Support.

The FAST support vehicle comprises a 24-foot-long by 8-foot-wide trailer hauled by a Ford F-650 truck. A seven-member team can work directly out of the work center whether it is attached to the truck or offloaded onto a ramp. It is equipped with technical data access, a 645-piece consolidated toolbox, replacement parts, an onboard generator, a lift, a hydraulic mule, an air compressor and aircraft jacks.

On-board capabilities include:

• Line-service repairs

• Engine changes

• Part removal and installation

• Post-flight and storage inspections

• Minor scheduled inspections

• Minor cabin interior repairs

Gulfstream FAST also includes more than 20 lighter duty vehicles across the U.S. and Europe, two G100 aircraft and a dedicated group of pilots and technicians to support operators worldwide.