Gulfstream GIV-SP Charter

The Gulfstream GIV-SP was the 1993 development of the original 1985 Gulfstream IV — same fuselage and wing, uprated Rolls-Royce Tay 611-8 engines, increased maximum take-off weight and 200 nm of extra range. The GIV and GIV-SP together defined the intercontinental heavy-jet class through the 1990s and 2000s, with around 500 units built across variants before the G450 took over in 2004.

The GIV-SP is the mature, value-priced Gulfstream heavy on the pre-owned charter market — the aircraft that established Gulfstream's dominance of the intercontinental heavy-jet segment, still supported through Gulfstream's global service network, and available at charter rates 30–40 per cent below the G450 for the same fuselage cross-section and comparable range.

Cabin dimensions: 45 feet 1 inch long, 7 feet 4 inches wide and 6 feet 2 inches tall — genuinely long, three-zone widebody. Standard layout is a 14-passenger three-zone configuration with forward club-four, mid-cabin conference group and aft three-place divan with berthing. Refurbished aircraft frequently feature updated cabin management, LED lighting and Iridium or Ka-band connectivity retrofits.

Baggage volume is 169 cubic feet in a heated aft hold accessed in-flight — competitive with any modern Gulfstream. The lavatory is fully enclosed (some builds have two), with vanity, natural light and belted seat. The galley is a full three-crew installation.

Twin Rolls-Royce Tay 611-8 engines deliver 13,850 pounds of thrust each — jet-airliner-class powerplants with airliner-class reliability. Maximum operating Mach is 0.88; long-range cruise Mach 0.80. Certified ceiling is FL450. NBAA IFR range with eight passengers is 4,220 nautical miles — enough for New York to Paris, London to Dubai, Los Angeles to Honolulu or Dubai to Bangkok.

Balanced field length at MTOW is 5,450 ft. Landing distance is 3,530 ft. Adequate for essentially every business airport that matters.

Charter hourly rates run $6,500–$8,000 in North America; €7,000–€8,500 in Europe — dramatically below the G450 for the same cabin size and comparable range. Indicative pricing: New York to Paris from $58,000; London to Dubai from £48,000; Los Angeles to Honolulu from $54,000; Miami to São Paulo from $52,000.

The GIV-SP is the value entry-point to intercontinental Gulfstream capability. Refurbished aircraft with modern cabin management deliver 80 per cent of a G450 cabin experience at 30–40 per cent lower cost. Prefer the G450 for modern PlaneView avionics and improved fuel burn; prefer the GIV-SP for maximum cabin volume per charter dollar.