The National Aeronautic Association has named Gulfstream Aerospace the winner of the 2014 Robert J. Collier Trophy for development of the G650 business jet.
The Collier Trophy is awarded annually “…for the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America, with respect to improving the performance, efficiency and safety of air or space vehicles, the value of which has been thoroughly demonstrated by actual use during the preceding year.”
Larry Flynn, president of Savannah-based Gulfstream and vice president of Gulfstream parent company General Dynamics (NYSE:GD), said the Collier trophy represents one of the greatest honors an aerospace company can receive.
“The G650 was up against stiff competition for the 2014 trophy,” Flynn said. “I’m very proud of every employee for their contribution to the G650 program. It is through this aircraft and in many other ways that our employees demonstrate how they create and deliver the world’s finest aviation experience.”
The Collier Selection Committee, comprised of 30 individuals from throughout the aviation and aerospace industry, met last week to hear presentations from each nominee and vote for their selection.
This is the third time Gulfstream has won the Collier Trophy. The Gulfstream V and the G550 earned the award in 1997 and 2003.
The G650 was nominated for the 2013 prize, which went instead to the Mars Curiosity rover.
This year, the G650 faced competition from Alan Eustace and the StratEx team that made a record parachute jump from the stratosphere; the Embraer Legacy 500; the F-16 Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance Team; the General Aviation Joint Steering Committee; NASA’s Orion Exploration Flight Test-1; and the Aurora Flight Sciences Orion UAS, or Unmanned Flight System.
“It was a very strong list of nominations, which reflect the advancement of the world’s aviation industry,” said Jim Albaugh, chairman of the National Aeronautic Association. “It was a difficult list from which to select a recipient, and I congratulate Gulfstream on this great honor.”
The award will be presented at the organization’s annual Collier Trophy gala in early May.