Gulfstream GIV/G450: how 495 jets are really flown
The busiest 5% made more than 26 flights a month and the quietest 5% fewer than 3: over eight times as many, on the same type.
At the harder end, one GIV in twenty sees a freeze and a thaw on 28% or more of its nights. At the easier end, most see almost none.
The harder end, one aircraft in twenty, is at 20% or more; the easier end near none.
The hardest-worked 5% log ≈658 h a year or more; the easiest-used, ≈67 h or less. The middle aircraft sits at ≈189 h.
Fatigue
What each landing and pressurization cycle costs the structure: landings per hour and short hops.
The middle GIV flies 1.9 hours for every landing. One in twenty lands every 1.2 hours or sooner, the most cycles for its time.
Middle half 1.7–2.2 : 1Harder end: 5% at 1.2 : 1 or lessEasier end: 5% at 2.9 : 1 or more
Middle half 26–40%Harder end: 5% at 58% or moreEasier end: 5% at 13% or less
Middle half 446–719 nmLowest 5%: 225 nm or lessHighest 5%: 985 nm or more
Context, not graded: the tint marks the harder and easier end of the fleet.
Spread of trip lengths
All 495 GIVsThe data behind it
Every measure for the 495 North America GIVs, 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026.| Measure | Fleet median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|
| Hours per landing Each aircraft’s average flight hours per landing | 1.9 : 1 | 1.7–2.2 : 1 |
| Short hops Share of legs under 300 nm | 33% | 26–40% |
| Leg length Median leg | 560 nm | 446–719 nm |
Corrosion
What the air around it does overnight: salt, damp and freeze–thaw.
The middle GIV spends 2% of its nights within 2 km of the coast. One in twenty spends 22% or more of them there.
Middle half 0–7%Harder end: 5% at 22% or moreEasier end: 5% at 0%
Middle half 6.4–8.6 hHarder end: 5% at 11.0 h or moreEasier end: 5% at 3.2 h or less
Middle half 2–13%Harder end: 5% at 28% 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
388 GIVsThe data behind it
Every measure for the 388 of the 495 North America GIVs with enough nights at known fields, 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026 (15 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 | 2% | 0–7% |
| Near the coast Nights within 10 km of the coast | 32% | 7–58% |
| Damp air Hours a day at 80% humidity or more, above freezing | 7.4 h | 6.4–8.6 h |
| Freeze–thaw Nights that froze and thawed within the day | 7% | 2–13% |
| Moisture in the air Average absolute humidity overnight | 9.5 g/m³ | 8.4–10.9 g/m³ |
Engines and brakes
What departures ask of engines, brakes and tires: heat and height, and runway length.
The middle GIV leaves from a short runway on 39% of its departures. One in twenty does on 75% or more.
Middle half 27–52%Harder end: 5% at 75% or moreEasier end: 5% at 11% or less
Middle half 2–8%Harder end: 5% at 20% or moreEasier end: 5% at 0%
Middle half 1,148–1,736 ftHarder end: 5% at 2,458 ft or moreEasier end: 5% at 635 ft or less
Context, not graded: the tint marks the harder and easier end of the fleet.
Runway margin at departure
47,098 departuresThe data behind it
Every measure for the 494 of the 495 North America GIVs with enough departures we could assess, 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026 (6 on their record since 1 Jan 2025: too few in the 12 months).| Measure | Fleet median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|
| Short runways Departures where the longest runway was under 1.25× the takeoff distance | 39% | 27–52% |
| Hot, high takeoffs Departures at 5,000 ft density altitude or more | 5% | 2–8% |
| Density altitude Typical density altitude at takeoff | 1,391 ft | 1,148–1,736 ft |
Utilization
How steadily the fleet is used: flights, flying days and estimated hours.
The middle GIV made 9 flights a month. The busiest 5% made 26 or more, the quietest 3 or fewer.
Middle half 4.9–14.7Harder end: 5% at 26.4 or moreEasier end: 5% at 3.0 or less
Middle half 3.6–9.7Harder end: 5% at 15.1 or moreEasier end: 5% at 2.4 or less
Middle half 120–358 hHarder end: 5% at ≈658 h or moreEasier end: 5% at ≈67 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, September 2025
The data behind it
Every measure for the 392 of the 495 North America GIVs 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 | 8.5 | 4.9–14.7 |
| Days flown a month Days with at least one flight | 5.8 | 3.6–9.7 |
| Estimated hours a year From time in the air | ≈189 h | 120–358 h |
Buying, selling or financing a GIV?
See where your GIV sits in the fleet.
Enter a tail number to place it against these 495 aircraft. TailCheck grades it on Fatigue, Corrosion, Engines and brakes, and Utilization, with every percentile shown.
Where GIVs are based and fly
Teterboro is home to more GIVs than any other field, 31 of the 328 with a home base.
Teterboro–Van Nuys is the busiest route: 462 flights by 129 different aircraft.
Where GIVs are based
| Field | Share | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|
| Teterboro | 31 | |
| Van Nuys | 30 | |
| Fort Lauderdale | 13 | |
| John Wayne -Orange | 10 | |
| Addison | 9 | |
| Miami-Opa Locka | 9 |
Busiest GIV routes
| Between | Flights |
|---|---|
| Teterboro ⇄ Van Nuys | 462 flights |
| McCarran ⇄ Van Nuys | 342 |
| Washington Dulles ⇄ Teterboro | 314 |
| Miami-Opa Locka ⇄ Teterboro | 311 |
| Palm Beach ⇄ Teterboro | 233 |
| John Wayne -Orange ⇄ Van Nuys | 183 |
Longest GIV flights
| Between | Distance · time |
|---|---|
| Savannah → EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg | 3,968 nm · 8 h 52 min |
| Bangor → ATHINAI (APP,MET) | 3,959 nm · 8 h 23 min |
| Gary/Chicago → Prague Vaclav Havel | 3,941 nm · 8 h 17 min |
| Vero Beach → Amsterdam Schiphol | 3,940 nm · 8 h 15 min |
| Comodoro Arturo Merino Benitez → Del Norte | 3,935 nm · 9 h 18 min |
Busiest GIVs this year
The busiest GIV made 34 flights a month, three times the middle aircraft.
Even the tenth on this list made 29.
Ranked by flights a month · updated monthly
| # | Tail | Flights a month | Estimated hours a year | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | N456FX | 34 | 764 h | Check this tail → |
| 2 | N486FX | 33 | 725 h | Check this tail → |
| 3 | N452FX | 33 | 719 h | Check this tail → |
| 4 | N460AK | 33 | 717 h | Check this tail → |
| 5 | N466FX | 32 | 717 h | Check this tail → |
| 6 | N483FX | 32 | 695 h | Check this tail → |
| 7 | N461FX | 30 | 723 h | Check this tail → |
| 8 | N451FX | 30 | 686 h | Check this tail → |
| 9 | N450FX | 29 | 665 h | Check this tail → |
| 10 | N479FX | 29 | 634 h | Check this tail → |
GIV 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 GIV/G450 | 495 | 8.5 | 189 h | 560 nm | 1.9 : 1 | 33% |
| 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% |
| Dassault Falcon 2000 | 409 | 6.5 | 135 h | 523 nm | 1.7 : 1 | 32% |
| Dassault Falcon 900 | 336 | 5.3 | 117 h | 534 nm | 1.7 : 1 | 32% |
GIV vs Challenger 600 series →GIV vs Global 5000/5500 →GIV vs Falcon 900 →GIV vs G280 →GIV vs G650 →GIV vs GV →
Do older GIVs fly differently?
Age matters: by year built, the median GIV in each band flew between 102 and 208 estimated hours a year.
Show the tableHide the table
| Serial block | Built | Tracked | Hours a year | Median leg | Short hops |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1008–1125 | 1987–89 | 21 | 208 h | 510 nm | 36% |
| 1131–1238 | 1990–92 | 27 | 102 h | 519 nm | 38% |
| 1213–1281 | 1993–95 | 30 | 134 h | 528 nm | 35% |
| 544–1358 | 1996–98 | 40 | 160 h | 560 nm | 35% |
| 629–1470 | 1999–01 | 71 | 161 h | 565 nm | 34% |
| 1472–5001 | 2002–04 | 43 | 167 h | 557 nm | 35% |
| 4012–5088 | 2005–07 | 57 | 144 h | 557 nm | 31% |
| 4109–4213 | 2008–10 | 63 | 203 h | 577 nm | 32% |
| 4214–5384 | 2011–13 | 41 | 178 h | 560 nm | 31% |
| 4305–50500930 | 2014–26 | 42 | 139 h | 516 nm | 32% |
US-registered aircraft only: the FAA registry gives serial number and year of manufacture for 435 of the 495 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.
What the GIV’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 GIV/G450 files say, each item with its source.
Crewing a GIV
| Item | What the file says |
|---|---|
| Type rating | GIV: GIV; GIV-SP: GIV; G300: GIV; G400: GIV; G350: G-V; G450: G-VEASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.070 Issue 13, p.39 |
| Minimum crew | 2 pilotsEASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.070 Issue 13, p.37 |
Sources
| Document | Revision |
|---|---|
| EASA TCDS IM.A.070 — Gulfstream GII, GIII, GIV, GV | EASA · Issue 13 · 6 Aug 2026 |
Chartering a GIV
272 of the 495 North America GIVs we track are on our charter list (55%).
Charter aircraft flew a median 289 estimated hours a year on 12 flights a month; the rest flew 124 hours on 6.
Where charter GIVs are based
| Field | Share | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|
| Teterboro | 25 | |
| Van Nuys | 22 | |
| Fort Lauderdale | 6 | |
| Miami-Opa Locka | 6 | |
| John Wayne -Orange | 5 | |
| Los Angeles | 4 |
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.
GIV questions
How many hours a year does a GIV/G450 fly?
The median North America GIV/G450 flies about 189 estimated hours a year; the middle half sits between 120 and 358. About 1 in 20 flies more than 658.
How often does a GIV/G450 fly?
9 flights a month on 6 flying days at the median. About 1 in 20 makes more than 26 flights a month.
How long is a typical GIV/G450 flight?
The median leg is 560 nm. About 1 in 20 aircraft average more than 985 nm a leg.
How often do GIV/G450 aircraft use short runways?
At the median, 39% 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 11% or less.
Is a high-hours GIV/G450 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 GIV/G450 fly across the Atlantic?
Yes. In our tracking window, 215 of the 495 North America aircraft flew 1,130 nonstop crossings between the Americas and Europe or Africa. The busiest were Luton–Teterboro (88 flights), Teterboro–Paris-Le Bourget (58 flights), London Stansted–Teterboro (36 flights).
Where are most GIV/G450 aircraft based?
In North America, Teterboro is home to the most, followed by Van Nuys and Fort Lauderdale. A base is the field an aircraft touches on most of its flying days, month after month.
Cite this data
The Aircraft Ledger. “Gulfstream GIV/G450 fleet statistics.” Data to 31 July 2026. theaircraftledger.com/aircraft/gulfstream/giv
Method: Gulfstream GIV/G450 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