When Allen Paulson purchased the Gulfstream brand from Grumman Corp., he had a vision to create the best corporate business jet in the world. Starting as a mechanic for TWA, Mr. Paulson knew the “nuts and bolts” of aircraft manufacturing and development. He chased innovation and would be involved at every step of the way. I remember during G-IV flight test, he would come through the hangar and ask “ is there anything you need”. If there was a warranted need, it would happen instantly.
Every employee knew that they were part of something bigger than themselves. Attention to detail, long hours and personal sacrifices, were small prices knowing you were working on the best product made and strong leadership that appreciates your efforts. Production was limited, keeping a highly skilled work force with a focus on a quality product. The customer was typically Fortune 500 companies, industry leaders and foreign governments. Like any ultra high end product, they were willing to wait.
Fast forward to General Dynamics. A defense contractor focused on economy of scale vs. maintaining the quality of the Gulfstream brand. Slowly, without direct leadership that would hold the brand to a unconditional level of quality, multiple product lines and the focus on growth at the sacrifice of the brand, Gulfstream is no longer anything more than a corporate jet option.
This is why we face the constant build up and reductions in our workforce. General Dynamics only knows one way of doing business and it is based on their defense contracting experience. There is no face of leadership defending the Gulfstream brand. Sadly, Mark Burns, who had direct exposure to some of the great early leaders as he was coming up within the company, has chosen to seek the vision of General Dynamics and not the vision of the founder Allen Paulson and the generations of employees who dedicated themselves to this vision.
5 replies (most recent on top)
Paulsen built an Aviation company and was a success
Any problems that were generated at GAC came After He sold out to Chrysler then brought in Forstman , and finally GD weasled in.
None of those names / companies were aviation and it showed
But the end came about when the Outside hires during FL / GD times convinced GAC to give up the Roman numerals on the outside of a Gulfstream AC and start naming / numbering ac in the Boeing sausage factory method
Everyone in the world knew what a GI , GII , GIII or GIV was prior to the new numbering system
and now you cant tell a thing about GAC aircraft
GAC lost its identify and soul to big business when that happened
Sad part of that is it took its dedicated work force and squandered it at the same time
For those of you not in the Innovation Awesomeness group, or whatever our new hot shot senior VP calls it, let me give you an idea of just how bad our engineering org has lost its way. When our new senior VP gave his first all-hands meeting, he wandered for 1.5 hours down all kinds of esoteric rabbit holes...like getting into the quad copter business to provide last mile service. This man claims to love great business books. Has he ever read Built to Last? Business Jets are our hedgehog concept. This guy can't stop looking at shiny things we need to ignore. Yesterday, he fired the only guy who had any hope of keeping him moving in the right direction, the VP of Engineering. I'm finding my next job, GAC is lost. I fully trusted my leadership chain to insulate me from the madness, from director up to engineering VP. They can't help us now.
With regards to interior installations, this reply has merit. Once again this is an example of schedule pressures during the completion process. Instead of insisting that the fit of interior components meet a level associated with the Gulfstream brand, they are installed in hope the customer does not noticed at the time of delivery.
I think most companies that get purchased by a fat corporate and get steroids (tons of money) ultimately lose it. Definitely doesn’t feel like a family company anymore. Your name has been replaced by a U number.
The planes are held together with lead tape and Velcro.