GIV vs GV: how the two fleets are really flown
On all four chapters' lead measures, the gap inside each fleet is bigger than the gap between the GIV and the GV. On flights a month, the middle half of GIVs runs 5–15 and of GVs 4–9; the medians are 9 and 6.
Gulfstream GIV/G450 fleet statistics →Gulfstream GV/G550 fleet statistics →
Fatigue
On hours per landing, the gap between the types is smaller than the spread inside either fleet: the middle GV at 2.2 : 1, the middle GIV at 1.9 : 1.
What each landing and pressurization cycle costs the structure: landings per hour and short hops.
Hours per landing
Where the two fleets sitSide by side
Every active aircraft of each type in North America: 495 GIVs and 445 GVs.| Measure | GIV median | Middle half | GV median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hours per landing Each aircraft’s average flight hours per landing | 1.9 : 1 | 1.7–2.2 : 1 | 2.2 : 1 | 1.9–2.7 : 1 |
| Short hops Share of legs under 300 nm | 33% | 26–40% | 30% | 21–39% |
| Leg length Median leg | 560 nm | 446–719 nm | 647 nm | 455–829 nm |
Corrosion
On salt air, the two fleets' medians match, at 2%.
What the air around the fleet does overnight: salt, damp and freeze–thaw.
Salt air
Where the two fleets sitSide by side
Aircraft we can place on enough nights at known fields: 388 GIVs and 330 GVs.| Measure | GIV median | Middle half | GV median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt air Nights within 2 km of the coast | 2% | 0–7% | 2% | <1–6% |
| Near the coast Nights within 10 km of the coast | 32% | 7–58% | 20% | 8–64% |
| Damp air Hours a day at 80% humidity or more, above freezing | 7.4 h | 6.4–8.6 h | 7.6 h | 6.0–9.0 h |
| Freeze–thaw Nights that froze and thawed within the day | 7% | 2–13% | 6% | 2–13% |
| Moisture in the air Average absolute humidity overnight | 9.5 g/m³ | 8.4–10.9 g/m³ | 9.4 g/m³ | 8.3–11.0 g/m³ |
Engines and brakes
On short runways, the two fleets' medians match, at 39%.
What departures ask of engines, brakes and tires: heat and height, and runway length.
Short runways
Where the two fleets sitSide by side
Departures we could assess: 494 GIVs and 445 GVs.| Measure | GIV median | Middle half | GV median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short runways Departures where the longest runway was under 1.25× the takeoff distance | 39% | 27–52% | 39% | 26–56% |
| Hot, high takeoffs Departures at 5,000 ft density altitude or more | 5% | 2–8% | 4% | 2–8% |
| Density altitude Typical density altitude at takeoff | 1,391 ft | 1,148–1,736 ft | 1,327 ft | 983–1,644 ft |
Utilization
On flights a month, the gap between the types is smaller than the spread inside either fleet: the middle GIV at 9, the middle GV at 6.
How steadily each fleet is used: flights, flying days and estimated hours.
Flights a month
Where the two fleets sitSide by side
GIVs with at least 40% of their flights tracked (392) and every active GV (445). Each type uses the tracking rule its own fleet page uses.| Measure | GIV median | Middle half | GV median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flights a month In the months it flew | 8.5 | 4.9–14.7 | 6.3 | 4.5–9.0 |
| Days flown a month Days with at least one flight | 5.8 | 3.6–9.7 | 4.7 | 3.5–6.4 |
| Estimated hours a year From time in the air | ≈189 h | 120–358 h | ≈168 h | 120–253 h |
Choosing between a GIV and a GV?
Check both tails, not the types.
Enter the two tails on your shortlist. TailCheck grades each one on Fatigue, Corrosion, Engines and brakes, and Utilization against its own type, then puts them side by side.
Trip-length mix
34% of GIV legs and 32% of GV legs were under 300 nm, a gap of 2 percentage points; 32% and 37% were over 900 nm.
| Leg length (nm) | GIV | GV |
|---|---|---|
| <150 | 17% | 15% |
| 150–300 | 17% | 17% |
| 300–450 | 10% | 9% |
| 450–600 | 8% | 8% |
| 600–900 | 15% | 14% |
| 900–1,200 | 11% | 11% |
| 1,200–1,800 | 9% | 10% |
| 1,800+ | 12% | 16% |
Share of legs by length in nautical miles, 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026: 49,371 legs by 495 GIVs and 33,698 legs by 445 GVs, every leg with a known distance. The GIV's trips bunch at <150 nm, the GV's at 150–300 nm.
GIV vs GV: on paper
Certified figures come from each type certificate data sheet, the rest from the manufacturer. Each figure names its source; a range covers the variants one page tracks together; a dash means we don’t have a source for that figure yet. We don’t have a manufacturer source for the GIV yet, so its manufacturer rows show a dash.
| Measure | GIV/G450 | GV/G550 |
|---|---|---|
| Range (manufacturer) | —Not in our sources yet | 6,750 nm (G550)Manufacturer (archived spec page, 19 Jan 2021) |
| High-speed cruise (manufacturer) | —Not in our sources yet | Mach 0.85 (G550)Manufacturer (archived spec page, 19 Jan 2021) |
| Takeoff distance (manufacturer) | —Not in our sources yet | 5,910 ft (G550)Manufacturer (archived spec page, 19 Jan 2021) |
| Cabin length (manufacturer) | —Not in our sources yet | 43 ft 11 inManufacturer (archived spec page, 19 Jan 2021) |
| Maximum takeoff weight (certified) | 70,900–74,600 lbEASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.070 Issue 13, p.37 | 90,500–91,000 lbEASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.070 Issue 13, p.56 |
| Fuel capacity (certified) | 25,895–29,500 lbEASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.070 Issue 13, p.36 | 41,489–41,506 lbEASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.070 Issue 13, p.55 |
| Maximum operating altitude (certified) | 45,000 ftEASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.070 Issue 13, p.36 | 51,000 ftEASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.070 Issue 13, p.56 |
| Passenger seats (certified) | Up to 19EASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.070 Issue 13, p.37 | Up to 19EASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.070 Issue 13, p.48 |
GIV vs GV: questions
Which is flown more, the GIV or the GV?
The GIV, by about 21 estimated hours a year: the middle GIV flew ≈189 h a year, the middle GV ≈168 h. That is a fleet median: the middle half of GIVs logged 120–358 h and of GVs 120–253 h, so one aircraft can sit far from its type. In flights, the medians are 9 a month for the GIV and 6 for the GV.
Which lands more often for its hours, the GIV or the GV?
The GIV: its middle aircraft flies 1.9 hours per landing, against 2.2 for the GV, 0.3 hours fewer per landing. More landings per hour means more pressurization cycles for the same time in the air. Short hops, legs under 300 nm, make up 33% of the middle GIV's legs and 30% of the middle GV's.
Which flies longer trips, the GIV or the GV?
The GV, by 87 nm on the median leg: 647 nm for the middle aircraft, against 560 nm for the GIV. 34% of GIV legs and 32% of GV legs were under 300 nm, a gap of 2 percentage points; 32% and 37% were over 900 nm.
Which spends more nights by the sea, the GIV or the GV?
About the same: the middle aircraft of both types spends 2% of its nights within 2 km of the coast. Salt air is one of the corrosion inputs a TailCheck report grades for one aircraft against its own type.
Does this comparison include the G450?
Yes. The tracking data doesn't tell the GIV, GIV-SP, G300, G400, G350 and G450 apart, so the GIV figures here cover all of them. The specs table names a figure’s variants where the sources separate them.
Does this comparison include the G550?
Yes. The tracking data doesn't tell the GV and G550 apart, so the GV figures here cover all of them. The specs table names a figure’s variants where the sources separate them.
Cite this data
The Aircraft Ledger. “Gulfstream GIV/G450 vs Gulfstream GV/G550.” Data to 31 July 2026. theaircraftledger.com/compare/gulfstream-giv-vs-gulfstream-gv
Method: GIVs and GVs with most departures in North America, ADS-B tracking. Flight measures cover 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026; each figure is the median of its own fleet, with the middle half (25th–75th percentile). Estimated hours from time in the air. We assume the longest runway at each field, so short-runway figures are conservative. Specifications from type certificate data sheets and the manufacturers, each cited. About our data