Representative image2741AJets
1988 Gulfstream GIV
- Airframe
- 10,553 h
- Price
- Enquire
Representative imageLarge-cabin long-range jet· One in stock now
The Gulfstream IV defined the large-cabin long-range category for a generation. Over 500 were built from 1987, and the airframe's reputation for ruggedness is earned — many are still flying hard schedules three decades on. Range is 4,220 NM at Mach 0.80 with a cabin that seats 14 to 19.
It is, simply, the least expensive way into a genuine heavy-iron Gulfstream cabin.
The aircraft
Gulfstream launched the GIV programme in 1983 as a deep rework of the GIII rather than a light refresh. The thirsty, noisy Rolls-Royce Speys gave way to Tay 611-8 turbofans — dramatically quieter and more efficient — the wing was structurally redesigned with fewer parts and more fuel, the fuselage was stretched, and the Honeywell SPZ-8400 suite made the GIV one of the first business jets delivered with a full glass cockpit. The first aircraft flew on 19 September 1985, and FAA type certification followed on 22 April 1987.
The improved GIV-SP entered production in 1992, raising maximum landing and zero-fuel weights so operators could land with more fuel and payload aboard. In 2002 Gulfstream rebranded the line as the G300 and G400, and production wound down shortly afterwards as the G450 took over in the mid-2000s. Across all versions, more than 535 were built.
The GIV's significance is hard to overstate: it defined the modern large-cabin, long-range category and became the airframe of choice for governments and special-mission operators — from military C-20 transports to the hurricane-hunting weather aircraft still flown by US agencies. That institutional pedigree left behind a deep global base of parts, tooling and engineering knowledge, which is precisely what keeps a thirty-year-old GIV a supportable, working aeroplane today.
Key figures
Standard published figures for a typically equipped Gulfstream GIV. Individual airframes vary with configuration and modification — the specification on a listing is what governs.
Available now
Where it reaches
Click the map to move the origin to your base and see how far the GIV reaches at 70, 90 and 100 per cent of published range.
The broker’s view
A GIV purchase is a maintenance-status purchase. Acquisition prices are modest; the aircraft's real price is written in its engine times, landing-gear overhaul date and mandate-compliance state. A well-bought GIV with fresh major inspections is a remarkable amount of aeroplane for the money — a poorly-bought one is a sequence of invoices.
For operators in Africa and the Middle East the type's parts availability and known engineering base remain genuine strengths.
The family
The original 1987–1992 production run. The lowest entry prices in the family, but earlier serials carry the first-generation systems and the widest spread of maintenance histories — records quality decides everything here.
From 1993: higher maximum landing and zero-fuel weights, letting the aircraft land heavy with fuel and payload intact, plus refined systems. The bulk of the surviving fleet and the version most buyers should target.
A 2002 rebrand offering reduced range and weights at a lower price. Few were built, so comparable sales are thin — price one against the GIV-SP fleet rather than in isolation.
The GIV-SP renamed for its final 2002–2003 production run. Effectively the same aircraft with the youngest airframes in the family, and typically the strongest asking prices in the GIV market.
The successor, delivered from the mid-2000s with the PlaneView flight deck and updated systems. A different budget tier, but worth pricing before committing — a young GIV and an early G450 can sit closer than expected.
Common questions
Published range is 4,220 NM — around nine hours, covering Johannesburg–Dubai, London–New York or trans-African routes non-stop.
It is a 1980s-design heavy jet: fuel burn and inspections cost more than a modern equivalent. The arithmetic works when the purchase price reflects upcoming maintenance — which is exactly what a pre-purchase inspection establishes.
The GIV-SP, from 1993, raised landing and zero-fuel weights and refined systems. Operationally similar; the SP designation carries a modest market premium.
Yes, provided it is equipped. ADS-B Out and FANS datalink upgrades are available and fitted to much of the fleet; an unequipped aircraft faces routing restrictions on busy oceanic tracks and a five-figure-plus upgrade bill. Confirm exact equipage during pre-purchase and price the gap accordingly.
Roughly 5,400 ft of balanced field at maximum weight in standard conditions, and meaningfully more when hot or high — this is not a short-field aircraft. From long, high-elevation runways like Johannesburg it performs honestly, but plan fuel and payload around your actual fields, not the brochure.
The Falcon's three engines give better short-field and hot-and-high performance with lower fuel burn; the Gulfstream answers with a longer cabin, a larger fleet and broader parts availability. Similar money buys either — the choice usually falls out of your runways and your preferred support network.
Buying or selling, the conversation costs nothing. Tell us the mission and the budget and we will tell you honestly whether the GIV — or something else — is the right airframe for it.
Start the conversation