Global Traveler: You became president of Gulfstream Aerospace on April 8, 2007. Please tell us about your aviation background.

Joe Lombardo: Actually, I’ve been with Gulfstream more than 11 years; five years as COO. Prior to that, I was with McDonnell Douglas in California for about 20 years, so I’ve been in aviation for more than 30 years.

GT: What products does Gulfstream offer frequent business travelers domestically and internationally?

JL: Gulfstream offers an extensive product line, from G150 midrange aircraft that can cover 3,000 miles to G550 aircraft that can travel 6,750 miles — from New York to Tokyo. So we have both domestic and international clients.

GT: What is Gulfstream’s affiliation or relationship with the Flight Safety Training Facility in Savannah?

JL: We have a long-term relationship with the Flight Safety Training Facility, which has a new large maintenance training facility in Savannah. It is used by our customers and our employees.

GT: What sets Gulfstream apart from its competitors?

JL: We have more than 10,000 people working for Gulfstream. We use the latest technology and quality of design for our diverse customer base, which ranges from private individuals to corporations. Gulfstream is very committed to the community. We celebrated our 40th anniversary in September 2007, and we’ve been located in Savannah since 1967. Gulfstream places heavy emphasis on customer support and has won awards for being No. 1 in product support, including eight out of 10 years from Professional Pilot and five years in a row from Aviation International News.

While some competitors outsource the completion of aircraft interiors to third parties (and some of their customers have long waiting periods due to custom configuration), Gulfstream has its own completion centers resulting in much faster delivery to the customer.

GT: How does your company prove to be a beneficial or cost-effective travel solution for the very frequent business traveler?

JL: By reduced travel time, convenience, safety and flexibility. Commercial flights are much more stressful. On private business aircraft, the traveler’s time is used more effectively and in a private environment that can be used 100 percent as an airborne office.

GT: What do you envision for the business jet industry?

JL: The market is expanding even though there are cycles. The general trend for several years is that the number of aircraft being delivered is going up. The international market is expanding. New entrepreneurs are taking advantage of private business jets. There are fractional ownership plans [in which an owner buys shares] that are a good option for some, depending on needs. There are more charter companies now than ever before. More and more business travelers see this as an attractive solution. Due to the demands of travel, many travelers have upgraded from fractional ownership to purchasing their own aircraft. This eliminates the need for standing around in line and wasting time traveling through hubs. It also minimizes delays. Plus many of these individually owned aircraft are configured with showers, beds and other exclusive amenities.