Has Broad Authority Over Production Of The New BizJet

Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. has promoted L.D. Buerger (pictured) to the position of director, G650 Initial Phase Operations. He reports to Greg Collett, vice president, Initial Phase Operations. In his new role, Buerger is accountable for initial phase manufacturing, manufacturing engineering and planning, industrial engineering and tool design for the G650, which is scheduled to enter service in 2012.

"L.D. comes into his new role at an important time in the program," Collett said. "He will lead the manufacturing team during the production ramp-up over the next several years."

Most recently, Buerger served as senior manager of G650 Production Operations. His team was responsible for quality assurance, tooling and manufacturing engineering and planning for G650 Initial Phase Operations. From 2007 to 2008, Buerger worked as Final Phase team manager at the Savannah Completion Center, where he managed a team of technicians responsible for interior installation, systems checkout and customer acceptance of G450 and G550 aircraft.

Before joining Gulfstream, Buerger was officer-in-charge in the 46th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 46th Test Wing, at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. He led a diverse maintenance unit consisting of more than 220 military and civilian personnel from 16 distinct career fields who maintained 16 various fixed-wing and two rotary-wing military test aircraft. Earlier in his military career, Buerger served as sortie generation flight commander with the 75th Fighter Squadron, 23rd Fighter Group, at Pope Air Force Base in North Carolina. He was directly responsible for 190 enlisted personnel who maintained 27 combat A-10 (Warthog) aircraft. While there, he led two combat deployments to Kuwait and Turkey to help enforce United Nations sanctions. 

Buerger earned a bachelor's degree in civil engineering at the University of Virginia. Upon graduation, he earned a commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force and later became a distinguished graduate of Squadron Officers School. He also holds a master's degree in business administration, with an emphasis on technology management, from Auburn University. He is a Six Sigma green belt.

FMI: www.gulfstream.com