The Costs To Own, Operate and maintain Gulfstream G450 Private jet

The Gulfstream G450 entered production in October 2004. Twelve years later, its reliability, performance, and value continue to impress those in the aviation industry, and it remains a leader in its class.

The Gulfstream G450 is a long-range jet that is typically outfitted with three cabin zones and has a range of 4,350 nm. There were 354 produced from 2004 – 2017.

The G450 replaced the G400 in the Gulfstream lineup. The G400 had grown out of the Gulfstream IV (GIV), which first entered service in 1987 and set several world records in its class.

Here is a breakdown of the costs you should expect to incur if you choose to own and operate a Gulfstream G450.

Gulfstream G450 General Information

Start Model Year:	2004
End Model Year:	2017
Fleet Size:	354
Engine Count:	2
Typical Passengers:	14
Model Class:	Jet – Long Range
Up to – Passengers:	16

Gulfstream G450 Cabin

The main cabin is 45ft 1 in (13.74m) in length, or 40ft 4in (12.29m) excluding baggage space, with a height of 6ft 2in (1.88m). It can carry up to 19 passengers and can sleep up to 6, depending on the internal configuration. The cabin is spacious enough for 3 living areas, 2 bathrooms, and a full galley.

A satellite phone, wireless local network, and multifunction printer are all standard, as is the 7-channel Honeywell satellite communications system. Advanced sound suppression reduces cabin noise by an additional 18%, compared to the aircraft’s predecessors, while the specially-designed oval windows double the amount of natural light in the cabin (as compared to comparable aircraft in its class). The designers of the Gulfstream G450 have also optimized fresh air circulation and cabin pressure in a way that reduces in-flight fatigue, thereby ensuring that you will reach your destination feeling refreshed and productive.

Gulfstream G450 Performance

Range:	4,350
Max Cruising Speed:	500
Ceiling (feet):	45,000
Take off Distance (feet):	5,600
Landing Distance (feet):	3,260

Gulfstream G450 Specification

The Gulfstream G450 operates with two Rolls-Royce Tay Mk 611-8C engines, each capable of producing 13,850 lb of thrust. The maximum range, based upon 8 passengers, 3 crew, IFR reserves and march 0.80, is 4,350nm (8,056km). With 14 passengers and accompanying luggage, the range is 3,700nm (6,852km), or the equivalent of flying from Singapore to Dubai. The baggage compartment provides 130 cu ft of space. Takeoff distance is 5,600 ft (SL, ISA, MTOW).

How much is Gulfstream G450

A new Gulfstream G450 will currently cost between $38m to $43m. A pre-owned model will typically cost anywhere in the $14m to $35m range. A model built between 2006 and 2009 can be found for approximately $15m, while a newer model, from 2011 or thereabouts is typically in the $20m to $25m range. Prices of pre-owned aircraft will vary according to age, use, maintenance, records, and the level of upkeep.

Ownership cost for Gulfstream G450

Here are the costs you should expect with ownership of a Gulfstream G450. All figures used are provided by Conklin and de Decker.

The total cost of ownership per year for a Gulfstream G450 is $4,221,475 including market depreciation of $1,726,000 or $6,810,475 including book depreciation of $4,315,000. The figures below are based on 423 hours of usage per year. Both figures include annual fixed costs of $878,884.

Cost Type	With Book Depreciation	With Market Depreciation
Variable Cost per Year	$1,616,591	$1,616,591
Fixed Cost per Year	$878,884	$878,884
Depreciation	$4,315,000	$1,726,000
Total Annual Costs	$6,810,475	$4,221,475
Costs per hour	$16,100	$9,980

How much does it Cost to fix Gulfstream G450 per Year?

The fixed costs of the Gulfstream G450 consist of crew member salaries and benefits ($427,656), hangar costs ($81,300), insurance (hull $34,520, single limit liability $12,500), recurrent training ($107,200), and aircraft modernization ($33,333). Other costs include refurbishing, aircraft modernization, navigation chart service, computer maintenance program, and weather service. Details are shown below:

Item	Costs
Crew Salaries – Captain	$144,000
Crew Salaries – Co Pilot	$108,000
Crew Salaries – Flight Attendant	$76,966
Crew Salaries – Benefits	$98,690
Hangar – Typical	$81,300
Insurance – Hull	$34,520
Insurance – Single Limit Liability	$12,500
Recurrent Training	$107,200
Aircraft Modernization	$33,333
Navigation Chart Service	$18,325
Refurbishing	$154,350
Computer Maintenance Program	$9,000
Weather Service	$700
Total Fixed Cost per Year	$878,884

Variable Costs for Gulfstream G450 per Year

The variable costs of operating a Gulfstream G450 vary according to the number of hours operated and distance travelled. Assuming 423 operational hours per year, and 175,000 nautical miles travelled, annual variable expenses of $1,616,591 can be expected. The largest of these variable expenses is fuel costs, estimated at $2,280 per hour from a total variable cost of $3,822 per hour. The table below shows the breakdown of variable hourly costs and assumes a fuel price of $4.41 per gallon and a usage of 517 gallons per hour. Maintenance labour charges are assumed to be $105 per hour, with 1.12 maintenance hours required per flight hour.  Details are shown below:

Item	Costs
Fuel	$2,280
Maintenance Labor	$118
Parts Airframe/Engine/Avionics	$161
Engine Restoration	$655
Miscellaneous Expenses – Landing/Parking	$89
APU Allowance	$50
Crew Expenses	$307
Supplies/Catering	$162
Total Variable Cost per Hour	$3,822

When you buy a fractional jet share you are paying for part ownership of a specific plane. You will be allocated an amount of time in the aircraft. This usually ranges between 50 – 400 hours of flight time per year. The number of hours depends on the size of the share.

As most of the companies operating fractional jet programs have whole fleets of aircraft, you’re unlikely to be using “your” plane each time you fly. It makes more sense economically for the operator to bring the closest available jet to meet you. Having an empty plane waiting on the tarmac would mean an increase in costs, which will ultimately be handed on to the owners.