Gulfstream supporting football World Cup

Gulfstream is basing eight technicians and one field service representative in South Africa for the next month to support customers flying in for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Four technicians will be based in Cape Town and four in Johannesburg. Technicians will fly or drive to the nine cities where games are being played.

“This will be the biggest presence we’ve had at a world event such as this,” said Mark Burns, president, Gulfstream product support. “We expect heavy traffic from Gulfstream operators across the world, so we want to ensure them that the pieces are in place to provide comprehensive support for their aircraft. With the venues
being spread out, we anticipate the need for services and support will be greater than at a centralized location.”

The technicians will have access to parts held by ExecuJet South Africa in Johannesburg, which runs a Gulfstream line-service facility. Other parts will come from Gulfstream’s European distribution center in Madrid.

“Madrid is stocked with unusual items customers may need,” Burns said. “To deliver parts to South Africa, there will be two flights daily from Madrid to Johannesburg on Iberia Airlines, a partner of ours. Available in Johannesburg are the top 100 demand items and the top 20 removable items, such as landing gear, tires and windshields. These items were in place by the middle of May and will be there until the end of July.”