In an exclusive interaction with SP’s Aviation during India Aviation 2012, Roger Sperry, Regional Senior Vice President for International Sales of Gulfstream, stated that not only the Indian corporates but worldwide it is seen that if you want to run a corporation more efficiently, you will need a business jet

India has a very long and rich tradition of business aviation; we cannot say it is emerging. Business aircraft have been used by Indian corporates for decades,” states Roger Sperry, Regional Senior Vice President for International Sales of Gulfstream. The company has about 20 aircraft flying in India now and has about 25 years of business relationship with the country.

In an exclusive interaction with SP’s Aviation, on the eve of India Aviation 2012 in Hyderabad, Sperry said that most Indian corporations have businesses outside India and based on the nature of their business, the G450, G550 and the G650 will do very well in India. The company, however, declined to name the Indian customer which had placed the order for a G650, stating that it is confidential and between the company and the buyer.

He yet again emphasised that it is a proven fact that business jets help the economy be more efficient and productive. “A CEO or the management goes out to three or four factories in a day and visits many locations, stores, facilities, etc. They can help millions on the way and they can communicate throughout the trip.” He went on to say that a study in the US stated that the Fortune 1000 companies are more effective if they own business jets than the companies who do not.

On being asked to elaborate on the concept of the National Business Aviation Association’s (NBAA) “No Plane, No Gain” theory, Sperry said that it means if you don’t have an aeroplane you are not going to gain or improve your business. “It is a tool which supports our organisations and our industry.”

Speaking about the role of business jets wordwide, Sperry stated that not only the Indian corporates but worldwide it is seen that if you want to run a corporation more efficiently, you will need a business jet; and if your business is going down, you need to find ways to be more efficient, and owning a business jet is a way.

On the G650, Sperry said that the aircraft can go from Delhi to the US without refuelling. Jason Akovenko, Regional Vice President, Asia-Pacific, Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, said, “If you are in the G650 you are in the fastest civilian aircraft in the world.”

On how can fixed based operators (FBOs) support corporate jet travellers; Akovenko said that they enable the corporation to get their business done in more efficient and appropriate way. “The efficient the infrastructure in place, the more efficient the use of business jets. If you are having a meeting in the car, you can continue that meeting in the FBO and in the flight.” And on being asked about the key features the FBOs need to have, he said that the question can be better addressed by people who use the aeroplanes.

Gulfstream has a network of global spares parts and if an Indian customer has any specific requirement, it is available within 24 hours. “The company has an inventory of $1.2 billion, which is positioned around the world and the customers have been given a particular number to call, and if the hub is closer to them, the spare parts are available within a few hours. We try to position our hubs closer to our customers.” On being asked the role of Air Works, “Air Works is a very important part of our global support network.”