Gulfstream Sales?

[psysicx]

Is there a difference between the sales people and the demo pilots.Do you have to live in a certain place or can you live wherever there is an opening?I thought demo pilots had to be based at there HQ but what about salesman?

 

[2000flyer]

I can't speak for Gulfstream specifically, but most company's have regional sales reps who cover a defined area.

Demo pilot's generally live at or near the "home office" with the exception of Dassault (and other foreign manufacturers I'm sure) that have a "U.S." headquarters. That is where the demo pilot's leave near.

Smaller companies might have demo pilot's who are also in sales, but for the larger companies, they're a separate group. However, a demo pilot will have as much or more a responsibility in selling the aircraft as the sales person. Think about it, Joe salesman gets in the door, tells the CEO how great his product is and arranges a demo. Pete demo pilot shows up with the plane and in casual conversation mentions how often system A keeps failing and guess what? I'd bet a paycheck the sale just went through the floor! However, Pete "sells" the CEO on what a fantastic product they have compared to company B and keenly shows off every feature of the plane and he just earned Joe a fat commission.

2000Flyer

 

[GVFlyer]

Is there a difference between the sales people and the demo pilots.Do you have to live in a certain place or can you live wherever there is an opening?I thought demo pilots had to be based at there HQ but what about salesman?

The flight department at Gulfstream is divided into Demo and Flight Test. Demo is fundamentaly an extension of Corporate Sales and Flight Test an extension of Engineering. Both are supervised by a Vice President (Air Force) who is the former Chief Pilot for B-1 Bomber development. Flight Test has a Director (a Marine) and Demo has a Director (Navy) and a Chief Pilot (Navy). All demo pilots are based at Savannah. Flight Test has one pilot in Long Beach and the other 12 test pilots are at Savannah.

The sales executives at Gulfstream are not Gulfstream pilots and can easily earn over a million dollars a year. The best way to visualize a sales demonstration flight at the Big G is to think of the sales exec as the Air Mission Commander. The demo pilot may be in charge of the aircraft, but the sales executive is command of the overall mission and as such, the demo pilot reports to him.

Gulfstream Sales Executives are located throughout the world in their respective regions.

GV





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[AA717driver]

Our sales rep probably bought his house in the Hamptons on our commission alone... TC

 

[psysicx]

How hard is it to become a sales rep for Gulfstream or a demo pilot.I would imagine they come from smaller companies.Thanks for the info.

 

[GVFlyer]

How hard is it to become a sales rep for Gulfstream or a demo pilot.I would imagine they come from smaller companies.Thanks for the info.

Normally, Gulfstream sales executives are either grown internally serving first as as sales engineers (who provide sales engineering support to sales execs) or come from other manufacturers, the key manufacturer being Cessna although the company has one sales VP from Airbus and Bryan Moss came from Bombardier.

Gulfstream Flight Operations hires pilots in the following priority: Category I - Experienced Gulfstream Pilots, Category II - Experienced Transport Pilots (Non-Gulfstream), Category III - Experienced Pilots.


GV





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[fokkerjet]

GV,

Didn't see ya at Daytona I must admit, the G550 you had on display was pretty sweet; first time I've seen all the new toys in action

 

[psysicx]

How often do they hire demo pilots with no Gulfstream experience.And how hard is it to get on with a smaller company like Citation?

 

[GVFlyer]

GV,

Didn't see ya at Daytona I must admit, the G550 you had on display was pretty sweet; first time I've seen all the new toys in action

Yep, all the Magic's pretty wonderful; keep in mind though, that no ethical pilot would use the Enhanced Vision System to check out the girls on the ramp.

GV

 

[fokkerjet]

I thought it was odd how they had the airplane parked on the ramp. Does x-ray vision come standard with EVS, or was that something you guys are still "flight testing"?

 

[psysicx]

What kind of pay do they get.I would imagine commision is a big plus.And what about schedules.

 

[2000flyer]

The flight department at Gulfstream is divided into Demo and Flight Test. Demo is fundamentaly an extension of Corporate Sales and Flight Test an extension of Engineering. Both are supervised by a Vice President (Air Force) who is the former Chief Pilot for B-1 Bomber development. Flight Test has a Director (a Marine) and Demo has a Director (Navy) and a Chief Pilot (Navy). All demo pilots are based at Savannah. Flight Test has one pilot in Long Beach and the other 12 test pilots are at Savannah.~

No Army or Coast Guard?

Does x-ray vision come standard with EVS, or was that something you guys are still "flight testing"?

That is Mod 6969. The required glasses run $159,304.04 per Gulfstream SB. No warranty. They will, however, fly a pair in at cost on their spiffy G100 AOG support.

...sorry...couldn't resist

2000Flyer

 

[GVFlyer]

No Army or Coast Guard?
2000Flyer

One Coastie, five Army all in Flight Test. There might be some more in demo but you never see those guys - they're either off flying or off because they've been off flying. Used to be four more Army, but they sold out for the better pay and quality of life offered by other organizations. Who'd of guessed?

GV





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[fokkerjet]

No Army or Coast Guard?

That is Mod 6969. The required glasses run $159,304.04 per Gulfstream SB. No warranty. They will, however, fly a pair in at cost on their spiffy G100 AOG support.

...sorry...couldn't resist

2000Flyer

Gulfstream "trucked in" their G150 mockup; even with free food, I don't believe they had anyone walk through it. Let me see, look at a G150, or walk through a G550 equipped with "x-ray" vision and a cute flight attendant

 

[2000flyer]

One Coastie, five Army. Used to be four more Army, but they sold out for the pay and quality of life offered by other organizations. Who'd of guessed?

GV

I hear the USAF was a little shocked (PC of course) when the Army got a GV. (that comes from a buddy who is a 29 year Army vet).

 

[AA717driver]

I hear the USAF was a little shocked (PC of course) when the Army got a GV. (that comes from a buddy who is a 29 year Army vet).

The Navy's about to get a few 550's. Better make room in the budget AF... TC

 

[psysicx]

I heard that demo pilots are gone a lot.Is there a fair amount of turnover?

 

[Valkyrie]

Is Colin Clark still at Gulfstream?

He used to be a Sales Rep for Governments, at least until 2001.

Nice guy.

 

[GVFlyer]

Is Colin Clark still at Gulfstream?

He used to be a Sales Rep for Governments, at least until 2001.

Nice guy.

Check your PM.

GV

 

[GVFlyer]

I hear the USAF was a little shocked (PC of course) when the Army got a GV. (that comes from a buddy who is a 29 year Army vet).

I'm not sure why, the Air Force paid for the Army's first two GVs. The G550 the Army accepted in December was the first GV series aircraft that they paid for themselves. The Army was operating a G-II (VC-11A, Corps of Engineers) before the Air Force got their first G-III (C-20A/B) and was the first service in DOD to acquire a G-IV (C-20F) in 1991. The Air Force received their first G-IV (C-20G) in late 1993.

The Army aircraft are painted in the standard Diplomatic Mission Livery, white over blue with United States Of America stenciled over the passenger windows, so it's possible that you've seen an Army Gulfstream without knowing it.

The Army operates Gulfstreams out of Andrews AFB Maryland, Hickham AB Hawaii, and Ramstein AB Germany.

GV





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