While three companies are competing to market FAR Part 36 Stage 3 hush kits for the Gulfstream II, IIB and III, two–Really Quiet and Stage III Technologies–have been developing their respective systems much longer than either originally planned. Really Quiet could very well be the first to receive FAA certification, which is expected this month. The company had expected to receive certification just before the NBAA Convention and was hoping to make a big announcement there. Not only was the convention canceled in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, but the STC project was put on hold when the FAA went on high-security alert in the wake of the attacks.
Regarding aircraft performance penalty, Really Quiet director of sales Dave Hewitt said, “We have a slight performance penalty [described as an up to 5-percent loss in range] that we will rectify with a product improvement mod after certification.” In late August Hewitt said the company was doing “fine tuning” and load checks of the ejector and the thrust reverser. The results and other paperwork were to be given to the FAA by the end of August for the final steps in the certification process.
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