GDAS
General Dynamics Aviation Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics, was formed in February 2001 to meet the maintenance needs of Challengers, Falcons, Gulfstreams, Hawkers and other business-jet aircraft. The business-jet service company serves a broad range of business aircraft owners through regional maintenance centers in Appleton, Wis.; Westfield, Mass.; West Palm Beach, Fla.; Dallas; and Las Vegas.
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History
The Birth of General Dynamics Aviation Services
General Dynamics Aviation Services was formed on Feb. 16, 2001, when its parent company, General Dynamics 
, established it as an organization dedicated to meeting the maintenance needs of Gulfstream, Challenger, Falcon, Hawker and other business-jet owners. The new subsidiary combined a portion of the maintenance assets from its sister company, Gulfstream Aerospace, with recently acquired Signature Regional Maintenance Centers.
The groundwork for establishing General Dynamics Aviation Services began in 1995, when Savannah, Ga.-based business-jet manufacturer Gulfstream Aerospace decided to expand its focus and enter the aircraft maintenance business. Gulfstream leaders believed bringing product support in-house, instead of relying on third parties to maintain the growing Gulfstream fleet, would help the company sell new airplanes. A year later, Gulfstream Savannah opened a $16 million service center with 136,000 square feet of hangar space.
In 1998, the company’s leaders recognized another business opportunity: servicing business jets built by other original equipment manufacturers who were still relying on third parties to repair their aircraft. As part of this growing product-support initiative and to complement the company’s completions business, Gulfstream acquired K-C Aviation from Kimberly-Clark Corp. in 1998.
The largest independent completions center for business aircraft in North America,
K-C Aviation added 1,200 employees and three state-of-the-art service centers to the Gulfstream network. The centers in Dallas and Appleton, Wis., offered paint facilities as well as hangars suitable for both completions and maintenance work. The Westfield, Mass., location provided aircraft service and interior refurbishment capabilities. These locations complemented existing Gulfstream facilities in Savannah; Brunswick, Ga.; and Long Beach, Calif.
In 1999, Gulfstream became part of General Dynamics, a giant in the defense industry. General Dynamics focused on enhancing product performance and lowering costs. In January 2001, the Falls Church, Va.-based company acquired four Signature Regional Maintenance Centers from BBA Aviation. The centers in West Palm Beach, Fla.; Dallas; Las Vegas; and Minneapolis gave General Dynamics an aerospace presence in all regions of the United States.
A Product-Support Leader
From the start, General Dynamics Aviation Services set the standard for product support. In September 2001, the organization launched a major initiative to improve product support for the owners of mid-size and super mid-size aircraft. It teamed with Gulfstream and FlightSafety International to develop a joint maintenance-training curriculum, enrolled 150 maintenance technicians in the program and placed large-scale orders for support equipment and parts.
Those efforts paid off. In December 2001, General Dynamics Aviation Services announced that all of its aircraft maintenance centers across the United States had achieved the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Diamond Certificate of Excellence Award. The Diamond Certificate represents the highest level of recognition for aircraft maintenance, signifying that at least 25 percent of the employees at each location have completed at least 100 hours of initial or recurring training during the year. General Dynamics Aviation Services centers have repeatedly received the Diamond Certificate. In 2003, the centers received special recognition from the FAA for having 100 percent of their technicians participate in the Aviation Maintenance Technician Awards program. The General Dynamics Aviation Services sites in Las Vegas, Westfield and West Palm Beach were three of only 61 aircraft maintenance facilities worldwide that earned this honor from FAA headquarters in Washington, D.C.
More recently, several General Dynamics Aviation Services facilities strengthened their support network by expanding their fleet of Mobile Support vehicles, which enable technicians to travel at a moment’s notice to support Aircraft-on-Ground (AOG) situations. The nearly 20 vans and trucks throughout the United States provide the resources necessary for technicians to perform or support a variety of maintenance services, including aircraft jacking, engine changes, troubleshooting and repairs.
A Significant Presence
General Dynamics Aviation Services has grown significantly since it was established. In August 2001, the Minneapolis operation opened a new 57,000-square-foot hangar at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP). The structure contains 31,000 square feet of hangar space and 26,000 square feet of office and support shops. Dallas followed suit with an expansion in June 2002, opening a new 25,000-square-foot hangar at Dallas Love Field (DAL). The addition of the new facility nearly doubled the service center’s capacity.
In 2005, the Appleton (ATW) facility was divided into three separate units: a Gulfstream facility focusing on final-phase manufacturing; a General Dynamics Aviation Services facility providing one-stop maintenance and refurbishment of Raytheon, Bombardier, Dassault and Gulfstream business jets; and a Gulfstream Service Center offering product support to in-production Gulfstream aircraft. Minneapolis and Dallas expanded again in 2008. Minneapolis added more than 7,500 square feet for parts warehousing, equipment storage and customer offices, while Dallas leased a 47,200-square-foot hangar from Signature Flight Support to house maintenance operations for the large-cabin, mid-range Gulfstream G200.
Also in 2008, General Dynamics Aviation Services further expanded its facilities and capabilities with a new back shop, repair and overhaul facility in Lincoln, Calif.
Regretfully, due to the economic climate and a reduction in flight hours experienced by a number of customers, the Minneapolis facility closed in mid-2009.
Today, General Dynamics Aviation Services remains committed to serving a broad range of business-aircraft owners through regional maintenance centers in Appleton, Westfield, West Palm Beach, Lincoln, Dallas and Las Vegas.
Revised 06.24.09
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