Press Release: Universal Recipient of 2010 Gulfstream Outstanding Flight Award

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NBAA, Las Vegas (Oct. 11, 2011) – Gulfstream announced yesterday that Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc. was named the winner of its 2010 Outstanding Flight Award in the Commercial category. The Gulfstream Outstanding Flight Award Program is designed specifically to recognize Gulfstream operators, both commercial and governmental, who use their aircraft in the most outstanding and noteworthy manner each year.

Universal® was nominated for the award for donating the usage of its G150 to help support the non-profit, non-partisan grassroots organization Impact Player Partners, which provides emotional and financial support for severely wounded/disabled veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and their families.

Since 2007, Universal has donated its G150 to help transport wounded veterans to an event in Sugar Land, Texas hosted by Impact Player Partners, called Impact a Hero Weekend. This event provides an opportunity for injured troops from across the country to gather for a weekend of festivities honoring their sacrifices through a public forum of emotional support. Universal was nominated for the Outstanding Flight Award for its volunteer flight of two severely wounded veterans to Impact a Hero Weekend 2010. To show the impact of the event and inspire others to volunteer their aircraft, Universal also created a short documentary video, (www.impactahero.aero) highlighting the flight and the positive effect Impact a Hero Weekend has on those who attend.

"I'd like to thank Gulfstream for honoring us with this award and for helping raise awareness in our industry of the need for corporations to donate their business aircraft to support wounded veterans. None of this would be possible without our G150," said Universal CEO Ralph Vasami. "I am proud to report that our flight and the video have proved a great recruiting tool in soliciting corporations to donate their aircraft to support wounded veterans' travel needs. The symbolism of our G150 and the flight in 2010 has played a role in helping these wounded heroes transition back to life. I encourage more businesses in our industry to donate their aircraft and help these most deserving heroes acclimate back into society."

Vasami urged corporations to not only consider donating their aircraft to help bring veterans to Impact a Hero Weekend, but also for medical appointments throughout the year via Operation Mend, which provides no-cost plastic and reconstructive surgery to severely wounded veterans.

"Any other assistance from the industry to help these veterans participate in events like this can boost their morale, and it's really an incredible and moving event," said Vasami. "It really does help them acclimate back into the community and daily life, having come through a very, very traumatic experience in their lives. So it's extremely impactful, and the use of business aircraft to enable these types of events goes very far in helping these wounded heroes transition back to life."

For more information, and to learn how to support Impact Player Partners or Operation Mend, visit www.impactahero.aero.

About Universal

With more than 50 years in business aviation and over 2.5 million trip legs facilitated, Universal® provides the solutions you need to meet your goals. Discover greater efficiency and productivity through resources including customized trip support, savings through the UVair® Fuel Program, worldwide ground support from Universal Aviation^sm, online flight planning and trip tools, aircraft data link communications, and much more. For more information, contact our worldwide sales at (800) 231-5600 ext. 3300 (North America) or (713) 944-1622 ext. 3300 (Worldwide).

CONTACT:
Louis Smyth
On-site at NBAA: (713) 703-3269
Worldwide Direct: (713) 947-5713
E-mail: lsmyth@univ-wea.com