Gulfstream G280: how 243 jets are really flown
The busiest 5% made more than 21 flights a month and the quietest 5% fewer than 4: over five times as many, on the same type.
The harder end, one aircraft in twenty, is at 90% or more; the easier end near none.
For the easiest-used 5%, a short runway is rare: 3% of departures or fewer. At the harder end, 49% or more leave from one.
The hardest-worked 5% log 21 flights a month or more; the easiest-used, 4 or less. The middle aircraft sits at 9.
Fatigue
What each landing and pressurization cycle costs the structure: landings per hour and short hops.
The middle G280 flies 1.6 hours for every landing. One in twenty lands every 1.1 hours or sooner, the most cycles for its time.
Middle half 1.3–1.8 : 1Harder end: 5% at 1.1 : 1 or lessEasier end: 5% at 2.3 : 1 or more
Middle half 24–44%Harder end: 5% at 60% or moreEasier end: 5% at 14% or less
Middle half 352–629 nmLowest 5%: 223 nm or lessHighest 5%: 870 nm or more
Context, not graded: the tint marks the harder and easier end of the fleet.
Spread of trip lengths
All 243 G280sThe data behind it
Every measure for the 243 North America G280s, 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026.| Measure | Fleet median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|
| Hours per landing Each aircraft’s average flight hours per landing | 1.6 : 1 | 1.3–1.8 : 1 |
| Short hops Share of legs under 300 nm | 34% | 24–44% |
| Leg length Median leg | 489 nm | 352–629 nm |
Corrosion
What the air around it does overnight: salt, damp and freeze–thaw.
The middle G280 spends 1% of its nights within 2 km of the coast. One in twenty spends 13% or more of them there.
Middle half 0–3%Harder end: 5% at 13% or moreEasier end: 5% at 0%
Middle half 5.3–8.2 hHarder end: 5% at 11.0 h or moreEasier end: 5% at 2.9 h or less
Middle half 3–17%Harder end: 5% at 29% or moreEasier end: 5% at 0%
Context, not graded: the tint marks the harder and easier end of the fleet.
Salt air across the fleet
171 G280sThe data behind it
Every measure for the 171 of the 243 North America G280s with enough nights at known fields, 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026 (3 on their record since 1 Jan 2025: too few in the 12 months).| Measure | Fleet median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|
| Salt air Nights within 2 km of the coast | 1% | 0–3% |
| Near the coast Nights within 10 km of the coast | 8% | 3–27% |
| Damp air Hours a day at 80% humidity or more, above freezing | 6.8 h | 5.3–8.2 h |
| Freeze–thaw Nights that froze and thawed within the day | 8% | 3–17% |
| Moisture in the air Average absolute humidity overnight | 9.2 g/m³ | 7.7–10.9 g/m³ |
Engines and brakes
What departures ask of engines, brakes and tires: heat and height, and runway length.
The middle G280 leaves from a short runway on 13% of its departures. One in twenty does on 49% or more.
Middle half 8–21%Harder end: 5% at 49% or moreEasier end: 5% at 3% or less
Middle half 1–8%Harder end: 5% at 19% or moreEasier end: 5% at 0%
Middle half 1,111–1,846 ftHarder end: 5% at 2,902 ft or moreEasier end: 5% at 642 ft or less
Context, not graded: the tint marks the harder and easier end of the fleet.
Runway margin at departure
22,998 departuresThe data behind it
Every measure for the 243 North America G280s, 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026 (1 on their record since 1 Jan 2025: too few departures in the 12 months).| Measure | Fleet median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|
| Short runways Departures where the longest runway was under 1.25× the takeoff distance | 13% | 8–21% |
| Hot, high takeoffs Departures at 5,000 ft density altitude or more | 3% | 1–8% |
| Density altitude Typical density altitude at takeoff | 1,440 ft | 1,111–1,846 ft |
Utilization
How steadily the fleet is used: flights, flying days and estimated hours.
The middle G280 made 9 flights a month. The busiest 5% made 21 or more, the quietest 4 or fewer.
Middle half 5.9–13.3Harder end: 5% at 21.3 or moreEasier end: 5% at 3.6 or less
Middle half 4.3–7.7Harder end: 5% at 12.0 or moreEasier end: 5% at 2.8 or less
Middle half 113–248 hHarder end: 5% at ≈408 h or moreEasier end: 5% at ≈68 h or less
Context, not graded: the tint marks the harder and easier end of the fleet.
Month by month
12 monthsMedian flights per aircraft that flew that month · darker bar is the busiest month, June 2026
The data behind it
Every measure for the 175 of the 243 North America G280s with at least 40% of their flights tracked, 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026.| Measure | Fleet median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|
| Flights a month In the months it flew | 8.8 | 5.9–13.3 |
| Days flown a month Days with at least one flight | 6.0 | 4.3–7.7 |
| Estimated hours a year From time in the air | ≈171 h | 113–248 h |
Buying, selling or financing a G280?
See where your G280 sits in the fleet.
Enter a tail number to place it against these 243 aircraft. TailCheck grades it on Fatigue, Corrosion, Engines and brakes, and Utilization, with every percentile shown.
Where G280s are based and fly
Scottsdale is home to more G280s than any other field, 11 of the 225 with a home base.
Boise Air Terminal–Norman Y. Mineta San Jose is the busiest route: 279 flights by 2 different aircraft.
Where G280s are based
| Field | Share | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|
| Scottsdale | 11 | |
| Fort Worth Meacham | 6 | |
| George Bush Intercontinental | 6 | |
| King | 5 | |
| Charlotte Douglas | 5 | |
| William P Hobby | 5 |
Busiest G280 routes
| Between | Flights |
|---|---|
| Boise Air Terminal ⇄ Norman Y. Mineta San Jose | 279 flights |
| Hesler-Noble ⇄ Lawrenceville, Gwinnett -Briscoe | 150 |
| Fort Worth Meacham ⇄ Washington Dulles | 135 |
| Birmingham-Shuttlesworth ⇄ Dekalb-Peachtree | 104 |
| Charlotte Douglas ⇄ Washington Dulles | 90 |
| Arapahoe ⇄ Minneapolis-St Paul | 83 |
Longest G280 flights
| Between | Distance · time |
|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood → Cascais | 3,581 nm · 8 h 26 min |
| Tweed-New Haven → Pisa | 3,526 nm · 7 h 12 min |
| Farnborough → Kenosha | 3,396 nm · 7 h 52 min |
| Oakland → Farnborough | 3,243 nm · 6 h 54 min |
| Norfolk → London Stansted | 3,241 nm · 8 h 23 min |
Busiest G280s this year
The busiest G280 made 34 flights a month, three times the middle aircraft.
Even the tenth on this list made 21.
Ranked by flights a month · updated monthly
| # | Tail | Base | Flights a month | Estimated hours a year | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | N960DT | Fort Worth Meacham | 34 | 751 h | Check this tail → |
| 2 | N96FT | Henderson | 29 | 492 h | Check this tail → |
| 3 | N831MT | Norman Y. Mineta San Jose | 28 | 410 h | Check this tail → |
| 4 | N92FT | Henderson | 28 | 481 h | Check this tail → |
| 5 | N347NA | Washington Dulles | 25 | 408 h | Check this tail → |
| 6 | N268PC | Dekalb-Peachtree | 24 | 336 h | Check this tail → |
| 7 | N284PC | Dekalb-Peachtree | 23 | 330 h | Check this tail → |
| 8 | N969WR | McCarran | 23 | 294 h | Check this tail → |
| 9 | N704LB | DuPage | 22 | 419 h | Check this tail → |
| 10 | N282RH | Palm Beach | 21 | 436 h | Check this tail → |
G280 vs other aircraft of its size
Medians for each North America fleet, same window and method.
It ranks 2nd of 5 types in its size group on flights a month.
| Type | Tracked | Flights a month | Hours a year | Median leg | Hours per landing | Short hops |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gulfstream G280 | 243 | 8.8 | 171 h | 489 nm | 1.6 : 1 | 34% |
| Bombardier Challenger 300/350 | 755 | 9.8 | 194 h | 481 nm | 1.6 : 1 | 35% |
| Bombardier Challenger 600 series | 501 | 8.2 | 180 h | 498 nm | 1.7 : 1 | 34% |
| Gulfstream GIV/G450 | 495 | 8.5 | 189 h | 560 nm | 1.9 : 1 | 33% |
| Dassault Falcon 2000 | 409 | 6.5 | 135 h | 523 nm | 1.7 : 1 | 32% |
G280 vs Challenger 300/350 →G280 vs Falcon 2000 →G280 vs Praetor 600 →G280 vs GIV →
Do older G280s fly differently?
Age matters: by year built, the median G280 in each band flew between 125 and 167 estimated hours a year.
Show the tableHide the table
| Serial block | Built | Tracked | Hours a year | Median leg | Short hops |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001–2091 | 2010–15 | 38 | 125 h | 575 nm | 29% |
| 2093–2169 | 2016–18 | 53 | 167 h | 474 nm | 33% |
| 2170–2235 | 2019–21 | 38 | 166 h | 485 nm | 34% |
| 2236–72189 | 2022–26 | 44 | 152 h | 469 nm | 37% |
US-registered aircraft only: the FAA registry gives serial number and year of manufacture for 173 of the 243 we track. Built = year of manufacture. Avionics upgrades are fitted by modification and the registry doesn’t show them, so check an aircraft’s records.
G280 on paper
Certified figures come from the type certificate data sheet; the rest are the manufacturer’s.
| Measure | G280 | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum takeoff weight (certified) | 39,600 lb | EASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.348 Issue 6, p.10 |
| Maximum ramp weight (certified) | 39,750 lb | EASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.348 Issue 6, p.10 |
| Fuel capacity (certified) | 14,620 lb | EASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.348 Issue 6, p.9 |
| Range (manufacturer) | ≈ 3,600 nm | Manufacturer (spec page, Web page, captured 19 Jan 2026) |
| Takeoff distance (manufacturer) | 4,750 ft | Manufacturer (spec page, Web page, captured 19 Jan 2026) |
| Passengers | Up to 19 certified · manufacturer layouts 8–10 | EASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.348 Issue 6, p.10; Manufacturer (spec page, Web page, captured 19 Jan 2026) |
| Fuel capacity, US gallons (approx.) | ≈ 2,180 US gal | From the certified pounds at 6.7 lb per US gallon of Jet A; actual density varies with temperature |
| High-speed cruise (manufacturer) | Mach 0.84 | Manufacturer (spec page, Web page, captured 19 Jan 2026) |
| Length (manufacturer) | 66 ft 10 in | Manufacturer (spec page, Web page, captured 19 Jan 2026) |
| Wingspan (manufacturer) | 63 ft | Manufacturer (spec page, Web page, captured 19 Jan 2026) |
| Height (manufacturer) | 21 ft 4 in | Manufacturer (spec page, Web page, captured 19 Jan 2026) |
| Cabin altitude (manufacturer) | 6,000 ft at 41,000 ft | Manufacturer (spec page, Web page, captured 19 Jan 2026) |
What the G280’s certification file says
Regulators publish an operational evaluation for each type: how pilots must be rated and trained, and what training must stress.
Here is what the G280 files say, each item with its source.
Crewing a G280
| Item | What the file says |
|---|---|
| Type rating | G280ANAC OER Original, p.13 |
| Minimum crew | 2 pilotsEASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.348 Issue 6, p.10 |
Sources
| Document | Revision |
|---|---|
| EASA TCDS IM.A.348 — Gulfstream G280 | EASA · Issue 6 · 26 May 2025 |
| ANAC Operational Evaluation Report — Gulfstream G280 | ANAC · Original · 17 Dec 2014 |
Chartering a G280
46 of the 243 North America G280s we track are on our charter list (19%).
Charter aircraft flew a median 183 estimated hours a year on 10 flights a month; the rest flew 164 hours on 9.
Where charter G280s are based
| Field | Share | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|
| Lambert-St. Louis | 4 | |
| Henderson | 3 | |
| Jacksonville | 3 | |
| Scottsdale | 3 | |
| McCarran | 2 | |
| Palm Beach | 2 |
Charter status is our own list, built from FAA records and public listings of charter aircraft. No charter rates: prices depend on the operator and the trip. Check a specific aircraft’s record with its tail number before you book.
G280 questions
How many hours a year does a G280 fly?
The median North America G280 flies about 171 estimated hours a year; the middle half sits between 113 and 248. About 1 in 20 flies more than 408.
How often does a G280 fly?
9 flights a month on 6 flying days at the median. About 1 in 20 makes more than 21 flights a month.
How long is a typical G280 flight?
The median leg is 489 nm. About 1 in 20 aircraft average more than 870 nm a leg.
How often do G280 aircraft use short runways?
At the median, 13% of departures are from fields whose longest runway is under 1.25 times the type’s takeoff distance. About 1 in 20 keep it to 3% or less.
Is a high-hours G280 a bad buy?
Not by itself. High hours on long legs are gentler on the structure than the same hours on short hops. Look at hours per landing and short-hop share alongside hours.
Can a G280 fly across the Atlantic?
Yes. The manufacturer quotes 3,600 nm. In our tracking window, 32 of the 243 North America aircraft flew 79 nonstop crossings between the Americas and Europe or Africa. The busiest were Farnborough–Bangor (6 flights), Farnborough–Burlington (5 flights), Bangor–Paris-Le Bourget (5 flights).
How many gallons of fuel does a G280 hold?
About 2,180 US gallons. The type certificate gives 14,620 lb; we convert at 6.7 lb per gallon of Jet A, so the figure is approximate.
Where are most G280 aircraft based?
In North America, Scottsdale is home to the most, followed by Fort Worth Meacham and George Bush Intercontinental. A base is the field an aircraft touches on most of its flying days, month after month.
Cite this data
The Aircraft Ledger. “Gulfstream G280 fleet statistics.” Data to 31 July 2026. theaircraftledger.com/aircraft/gulfstream/g280
Method: Gulfstream G280 aircraft with most departures in North America and at least 20 tracked flights in the latest twelve full months. Flight measures, bases, routes and rankings use ADS-B tracking 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026; corrosion and engines-and-brakes exposure use the same twelve months, or an aircraft’s record since 1 Jan 2025 when it had too few nights or departures in them. Estimated hours from time in the air. Tracking misses some flights, so counts and hours are minimums. ADS-B coverage grew over the window, so we don’t compare one year with the last. Tracking can’t tell one variant from another; the variant split, the busiest table’s variants and the age table use the FAA registry, so they cover US-registered aircraft only. We assume the longest runway at each field, so short-runway figures are conservative. Corrosion measures cover the aircraft we can place on enough nights. Charter status is our own list, built from FAA records and public listings of charter aircraft. About our data