Gulfstream delivered 54 business jets in the first half of this year versus 41 in the first half of last year, according to figures released yesterday by parent company General Dynamics. Shipments of  large aircraft (G350 through G550) increased to 34 from 29 in the two six-month periods, and deliveries of midsize/super-midsize jets (G100 through G200) also jumped–to 20 in the first six months of this year versus 12 in the same period last year. "We will deliver 72 large aircraft this year," said General Dynamics chairman and CEO Nicholas Chabraja. Should Gulfstream meet that large airplane goal, and if the other jets continue to sell well, the company would be looking at a record year, surpassing 2001's 101 aircraft shipped. "We had intended to deliver 79 [large aircraft] in 2007, but we've upped that to 82," Chabraja said. "In 2008 we are going to deliver 83 [large aircraft]."