It does. It tells me that a lot of Gulfstream owners are moving up to current production Gulfstream aircraft. There is little incentive for a Falcon 900EX operator to upgrade. Since it's introduction the only significant change to the 900EX has been the EASy cockpit.
On the other hand, the G450, which is the product improvement derivative of the GIV-SP, includes the following enhancements.
The 13,850-pound-thrust Tay 611-8C turbofans, though rated at the same takeoff thrust as the G400’s Tay 611-8s, provide 6 percent more thrust at 5,000 feet (ISA +15 degrees C) and 2 percent better fuel burn, giving the airplane 250-nm more range than the G400, for 4,350 nm at Mach 0.80. On a 3,000 nautical mile mission, the G450 will burn 1,300 pounds less fuel than the G400. The -8C also incorporates FADEC, a larger-diameter fan, modified high-pressure turbine and new bypass/core mixer. Maintenance intervals have been extended to 6,000 hours for midlife and 12,000 hours for full overhaul.
The GIV’s dispatch reliability rating is 99.8 percent, but Gulfstream still looked at addressing and upgrading those systems that historically required the most service attention. The company took the top 10 high-removal items on the GIV and were able to improve nine of them on the G450.
The more capable and reliable electrical power system of the G550 replaced the G400’s electrics. Two 40-kVA integrated drive generators and a 40-kVA APU generator provide improvements in electrical power capacity, no-break power transfer capability and added redundancy. A new Honeywell 36-150 APU provides improved reliability for engine starting, better performance for cabin temperature control and better high-altitude electrical power capacity. It also runs quieter than the G400’s APU.
Cabin comfort is enhanced by a dual-pack environmental control system based on the G550 air-cycle machines and a three-zone (cockpit plus two cabin zones) digital temperature control. A G550-style passive door seal and dual digital pressurization system give added redundancy and safety. Maximum cabin altitude has been reduced from 6,500 feet to 6,000 feet.
Other systems that the G450 shares with the G550 include the nose landing gear, nosewheel steering, oxygen system and fire-extinguishing system. The G450’s wing and tail are the same as those on the GIV/GIV-SP/G400.
As you can see, there is adequate incentive for operators to upgrade from the GIV-SP to the G450. Conversely, if you buy a new Falcon 900EX all you get is the big screens and a higher serial number.
As you know if you have access to JetNet, the Falcon 900EX has not been competitive with even GIV-SP sales much less the combined sales of the GIV-SP/G400/G450 fleet.
Since it's intoduction in 1996, the Falcon 900EX has sold 159 units. GIV-SP sales alone from it's introduction in 1993 to the end of it's production run in 2002 totaled 286 jets.
To meet demand for it's large cabin jets Gulfstream has launched a $300 million, 7 year expansion, hiring 1,000 new employees. Gulfstream will build 72 large cabin aircraft this year, 84 next year, ramping up to a projected total of over one hundred large cabin aircraft per annum in the out years.
GV