Gulfstream American CV-880 Airlifter

[Kiltonge]

Third-party conversion of CV-880 airframes in the later 1970s. I'll have to continue digging to see if they actually sold any...

March 1979

http://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1979/1979%20-%201000.PDF

One factor in the choice of the CV-880 was the plentiful supply of aircraft
and engine spares. "We have boxes of brand new discs, still as they left
General Electric,"

Basic conversion entails incorporating a freight- door on the forward-
fuselage port side and a cargo floor stressed to 9g. Fuselage frames are
reinforced from the inside, and the floor sills are fitted before the door
area is cut out, the removed portion becoming the freight door.

Still gorgeous...

 

[Kiltonge]

According to this discussion, only N813TW was fully converted and it served with Potter Aviation in Alaska in 1981 - 82.

Some photos online of it after retirement but none in the Potter 'Flying Fish' livery...

 

[Stargazer]

Funny, just as I'm working at sorting out my Gulfstream photos, this topic pops up with a program I wasn't aware of! Thanks a lot for sharing, this Gulfstream takeover of the 880 is total news to me.

 

[Kiltonge]

You are welcome

I have not yet located the STC for this conversion, though it must exist. Oddly I did discover that Gulfstream American held the type cert for the Grumman Widgeon / SCAN 30 as well. Quite a mix of activities...

The overall Type Certifications for the 880 and 990 ( Models 22 and 30 respectively to the FAA ) are now held by AeroXin Inc, affiliated with Scroggins Aviation who do a lot of aircraft set-work for movies. Hope we don't see an 880 burning in a crash scene... Oh happy day!

http://www.convairjet.com/880history.html

ConvairJet.com and Scroggins Aviation's mission is to bring the 880 back from extinction and ensure more history for this beautiful airplane.

 

[Kiltonge]

This apears to be one of the STCs issued, amongst several, dated June 1978 and issued to Aeronautical Engineers Inc of Miami FL.

http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgstc.nsf/0/221DA21AD55801E38625778A00779FFD?OpenDocument&Highlight=4a27

Description of the Type Design Change:
Installation of cargo loading door(forward L.H. side of fuselage).

So I am proceeding on the premise that Gulfstream contracted the detail design to Aeronautical Engineers Inc, who are still operating and still specialising in cargo conversions:

http://www.aeronautical-engineers.com/