The Gulfstream I or GI, the very first Gulfstream aircraft, took its maiden flight five decades ago on August 15. Sitting in the cockpit of the twin-engine turboprop that day were Grumman Aerospace test pilots Carl Alber and Fred Rowley.

With Alber and Rowley at the controls and fellow Grumman pilot Bob Smyth following behind in an F8F Bearcat, the GI flew over Bethpage, New York, where Grumman Aerospace was based. Afterwards the aircraft underwent about 800 hours of additional testing. It received FAA certification on May 21, 1959.

The GI was the first aircraft specifically designed for business travel. However, it also saw service with five US government agencies and all branches of the armed forces. When Grumman was selected by NASA to produce the Lunar Module, a GI was outfitted with a cargo door to help transport some of the assemblies.

“The creation of the GI would not have been possible 50 years ago without the dedicated and innovative people working at Grumman Aerospace,” said Joe Lombardo, president of Gulfstream. “Fifty years later, our employees still make the difference in manufacturing the safest, most reliable and most technologically advanced business jets in the world.”

In addition to setting the standard for future Gulfstream models, the GI established a benchmark for executive travel. Today, approximately one third of the 200 GI aircraft Grumman built are still flying, registered in some 15 countries.

WASHINGTON – The Federal Aviation Administration said Thursday it is seeking $7.1 million from American Airlines for continuing to fly airlines after safety problems were reported and for drug-testing violations.

The Texas-based airline delayed repairs on two MD-80’s after problems were reported with their autopilot systems and flew them 58 times in violations of federal regulations, the FAA said.

“The FAA believes the large total amount of the fine for these violations is appropriate because American Airlines was aware that appropriate repairs were needed, and instead deferred maintenance,” the agency said in a statement. “In intentionally continuing to fly the aircraft, the carrier did not follow important safety regulations intended to protect passengers and crew.”

The largest fine FAA has ever proposed against an airline was $10.2 million against Southwest Airlines in March for flying airplanes without performing mandatory inspections.

The FAA is also seeking fines against American for violating drug and alcohol testing procedures involving several dozen flight attendants and other employees, only one of which was a pilot, Dorr said.
The airline also did not make timely inspections of its emergency lighting systems inside aircraft for several years, the agency said.

American is one of the world’s largest airlines, with 60,000 flights a month.

On August 18, 2008, Iran said a home-built rocket will be able to take a satellite into low orbit around the earth.

International concerns about Iran’s nuclear program alarmed Western nations and feared that the development could be a cover for ambitions to build the atomic bomb, but Tehran insists its aims are peaceful.  State television said the Safir (Ambassador) rocket is capable of putting a light satellite into low earth orbit between 250 and 500 kilometers above the earth.

The rocket launch footage showed that the Safir was about 22 meters long, with a diameter of 1.25 meters and weighed more than 26 tons.  The Shahab-3, Iran’s most powerful military missile, has a diameter of 1.30 meters and has a length of 17 meters.

The rocket’s launch raised concerns in Washington that the rocket technology could be diverted to military applications.  The Iranian development and testing of rockets is troubling and Western experts are still skeptic about their intentions.

Glenn Eller of the United States hit victory as he bags a gold medal in the double trap shooting last Tuesday, building a full advance during qualifying and then to strike 45 of 50 targets in the round final. Garnering a total score of 190 and qualifying score of 145, Eller placed an Olympic record. Francesco D’Aniello of Italy took place for the silver while Hu Binyuan of China for the bronze.

Eller carried out four projectiles entering the final, meaning a 47 would have settled the gold even if every other competitor shot perfectly. Eller missed the first two targets of the final, but recovered quickly. He clinched the gold by hitting both targets in the next-to-last pair, then turned and immediately pumped his fist.

Eller, a native of Texas, is a three-time Olympian. He finished 15th in 2000 and 17th in 2004. At the age of 26, he was the youngest of the six finalists this year.

The final round included past Olympic champions Russell Mark of Australia and Richard Faulds of Britain. Jeff Holguin of the United States finished fourth. Afterward, Holguin immediately went over to congratulate the victor. Eller, a member of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, won the first American gold in Beijing in shooting, a Chinese strength.

D’Aniello and Binyuan shot the best final rounds, hitting 46 targets each. D’Aniello and Binyuan finished with total scores of 187 and 184.