Gulfstream American Hustler

In 1974, Allen Paulson began to develop the Hustler, which was a corporate aircraft that featured a propeller in front for short runway use, and a jet in back for high-altitude cruising. He piloted the first test flight.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85394259/allen-paulson/ |title= Clinton farm boy returns after jetting to the top |work= uad-City Times |place=Davenport, Iowa|date=12 Dec 1979|page=3|access-date=2021-09-15}}

American Jet Industries was to produce a seven-seat executive transport, powered by a Pratt & Whitney PT6 turboprop engine in the nose supplemented by a Williams Research Corporation WR19-3-1 turbofan mounted in the tail.{{cite book|last=William|first= Green|url=https://archive.org/details/observersbookofa00gree/page/14/mode/2up?q=%22American+Jet+Hustler%22 |title=The Observer's book of aircraft |location=London, New York |publisher= F. Warne |date=1978|page=14|access-date= 31 July 2011}} It was originally intended that the Hustler would be certified as a single-engined aircraft because the Williams turbofan had not been certified for use as an aircraft propulsion unit. The turbofan, if certified, was to be a standby emergency power unit that could also be used if extra thrust was needed for take-off. But the company, by then renamed Gulfstream American, decided it should be approved as a twin-engined aircraft, and the Williams turbofan was replaced with a Pratt & Whitney Canada JT15D turbofan. To enable the new engine to be fitted a {{cvt|2|ft|8|in}} extension to the forwards fuselage was implemented, allowing the cabin entrance door to be moved in front of the wing, and other aerodynamic changes were made. The intake for the jet engine was also moved from the lower rear fuselage to the base of the fin.{{cite web |url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85391299/twin-engined-aircraft/ |title= Boeing Workforce Is Nearing 100,000 |work= The Wichita Eagle |place=Wichita, Kansas|date=28 May 1979|page=24|access-date=2021-09-15}}

On October 24, 1975, Paulson unveiled the Hustler 400 to the public. Its primary selling points were its fuel economy and exceptional service ceiling for its day. There were technical problems that took more time and money that Paulson had anticipated. He tried to solve these problems in 1977. At one point, he had 76 refundable deposits for the Hustler 500.{{cite book|last=Porter|first=Donald J.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NhKSDwAAQBAJ&q=Hustler|title=A Jet Powered Life Allen E. Paulson, Aviation Entrepreneur |publisher=McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers|date= 2019 |isbn=9781476676562 |access-date=2021-09-15}}

The prototype, designated Hustler 400, first flew on January 11, 1978, but never entered production. The Hustler was a low-wing cantilever monoplane with retractable tricycle landing gear, and a high-mounted tailplane.{{cite web |url= http://www.machdiamonds.com/hustlerbrochure.pdf |title= Hustler 500 Brochure |publisher= American Jet |date= 1978}}{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85394568/first-flew/ |title=Production Still Eludes Paulson-Designed Model |work=The Wichita Eagle |place=Wichita, Kansas |date=7 Jun 1981|page=71|access-date= 15 Sep 2011}}

Gulfstream American Corporation, a company formed by Allen Paulson, acquired the Grumman-American Division for $32 million and $20.5 million in preferred stock. Grumman American, was a subsidiary of the Grumman Aerospace Corporation, that manufactured and sold the Gulfstream II executive aircraft. Paulson's Gulfstream American Corporation manufactured the Gulfstream American Hustler.{{cite web|last1=Thomas|first1=Joel|title=History of Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation|url=https://www.stratosjets.com/history-of-gulfstream-aerospace-corporation/|access-date=January 5, 2016|date=May 19, 2014}}{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85410860/purchase/ |title=Grumman Purchased Completed. |work=The Atlanta Constitution |place=Atlanta, Georgia

|date=4 Sep 1978|page=58|access-date=2021-09-15}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/04/04/business/gulfstream-aerospace-plans-big-stock-offering.html |title=Gulfstream Aerospace Plans Big-Stock Offering, by Agis Salpukas |work=New York Times |place=New York, New York |date=April 4, 1983|access-date=2021-09-15}}{{cite web|title=Gulfstream American Corporation 1978 Annual Report|date=December 31, 1978|url=https://www.gulfstream.com/en/ |work=gulfstream.com}}

Another change was made to the Hustler in 1979, when the front engine was replaced by a Garrett TPE331 turboprop, and the aircraft was re-designated the Hustler 500. The aircraft was flown in this configuration in 1981; however the program was suspended due to a recession in the general aviation market. Elements of the design were used in the prototype Peregrine 600 jet trainer.

;Hustler 400

:Prototype mixed-power aircraft with a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-41 in the nose.

;Hustler 500

:Modified aircraft with a Garrett TPE331 Turboprop in the nose.

{{Aircraft specs

|prime units? = kts

|ref=Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1980–81{{harvnb|Taylor|1980|pp=338–340}}

|crew=One

|capacity=5–7 passengers

|length m=

|length ft=41

|length in=3

|span m=

|span ft=34

|span in=5

|height m=

|height ft=13

|height in=2+1/2

|height sigfig=3

|wing area sqm=

|wing area sqft=190.71

|wing area sigfig=4

|airfoil=GAW Mod. 4

|empty weight kg=

|empty weight lb=5430

|gross weight kg=

|max takeoff weight lb=10000

|fuel capacity={{convert|483|USgal|impgal L|abbr=on}}

|eng1 number=1

|eng1 name=Garrett TPE331-10-501 turboprop

|eng1 shp=900

|prop blade number=4

|prop name=Hartzell metal constant-speed, reversible-pitch propeller

|prop dia m=

|prop dia ft=7

|prop dia in=8+1/2

|prop dia sigfig=3

|prop dia note=

|eng2 number=1

|eng2 name=Pratt & Whitney Canada JT15D-1 turbofan

|eng2 lbf=2200

|max speed kmh=

|max speed kts=400

|max speed note=at {{convert|25000|ft|m|abbr=on}} (max cruise)

|cruise speed kts=350

|cruise speed note=at {{convert|38000|ft|m|abbr=on}} (normal cruise)

|stall speed kts=79

|range nmi=2000

|range note=(normal cruise speed), {{convert|2400|nmi|mi km|abbr=on}} with one-engined cruise

|ceiling m=

|ceiling ft=38000

|climb rate ftmin=3450

|more performance=*Takeoff run to 50 ft (15 m): {{convert|1745|ft|m|abbr=on}}

• Landing run from 50 ft (15 m): {{convert|1600|ft|m|abbr=on}} (with propeller reversal)

}}

• The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985), 1985, Orbis Publishing, Page 2055

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book |editor-last=Taylor |editor-first=John W. R. |editor-link=John W. R. Taylor |title=Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1980–81 |year=1980 |location=London |publisher=Jane's Publishing Company Limited |isbn=0-7106-0705-9}}

{{Gulfstream aircraft}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gulfstream American Hustler}}

Hustler

Category:1970s United States civil utility aircraft

Category:Mixed-power aircraft

Category:Abandoned civil aircraft projects of the United States

Category:Low-wing aircraft

Category:Aircraft first flown in 1978

Category:Single-engined turboprop aircraft