Gulfstream announced the G500 and G600 on October 14, 2014. Both were clean-sheet designs under the new GVII family. The G500 flew for the first time on May 18, 2015, and received FAA type and production certificates on July 20, 2018. The first customer aircraft was delivered in September 2018.

The reason for building it was straightforward. Gulfstream needed a modern replacement for the G450, with more speed, more range and a completely new flight deck. The G500 became the smaller GVII, sitting below the longer-range G600.

There was a lot more going on than a new cabin and a pair of new engines. Gulfstream changed the way pilots interact with the airplane. Active control sidesticks, fly-by-wire controls and the Symmetry Flight Deck brought a very different cockpit to the Gulfstream large-cabin family.

That was the real story.

• The G500 was the beginning of Gulfstream's new cockpit:

The Symmetry Flight Deck did not stay exclusive to the G500. Gulfstream carried the same basic flight-deck philosophy into later GVII aircraft, including the G600 and newer models. Active sidesticks and the ten-screen architecture became part of the family's design language.
That gives the G500 an unusual position in the used market. A buyer moving up from an older GIV-series Gulfstream is stepping into a completely different cockpit.

• The cabin is smaller than a G600, but the difference is not cosmetic:

The G600 has 45 ft 2 in of cabin length and roughly 1,884 cu ft of cabin volume in the same general family. The G500 has 41 ft 6 in and 1,715 cu ft. Both have the same 7 ft 7 in cabin width and 6 ft 2 in finished height.
So the G500 gives up useful cabin space to the G600 while keeping the same basic flight-deck concept.
That can be a very sensible trade if most trips involve 6 to 10 passengers rather than a full cabin.

• Early aircraft deserve a closer look:

This is where the G500 gets more interesting for a buyer of a pre-owned aircraft.
Early operators reported teething issues involving engine inlet ice shedding, software and avionics problems, and some active sidestick BIT failures. Aviation Week later reported that these issues had been addressed, while an owner who acquired an early-production G500 described several of the initial problems and subsequent fixes in detail.
That does not make an early G500 a bad purchase.
It does mean serial number, modification status, maintenance records and current configuration deserve serious attention during acquisition.

Bombardier Global 5500 for sale / Range: 5,900 nm / Passengers: Up to 16.
The Global 5500 stretches the mission farther than the G500 and has a similar large-cabin role. Bombardier lists a 5,900 nm theoretical range, Mach 0.90 top speed and 51,000 ft maximum operating altitude. Its Rolls-Royce Pearl 15 engines are a major part of the package.
Choose the Global 5500 when additional range is important. The G500 becomes more attractive when speed, Gulfstream's cockpit and its particular cabin layout carry more weight in the decision.

Dassault Falcon 6X for sale / Range: 5,500 nm at Mach 0.80 / Passengers: Up to 16.
The Falcon 6X is a very serious comparison. It has a wider 8 ft 6 in cabin, 1,843 cu ft of cabin volume and a 5,500 nm published range. Dassault also gives it strong short-field credentials, including steep-approach capability.
The 6X is the aircraft to examine if cabin width and airport access are high on the list. The G500 counters with a higher maximum operating speed of Mach 0.925 and a flight deck that has already established itself across Gulfstream's newer large-cabin family.

Gulfstream G600 for sale / Range: 6,600 nm / Passengers: Up to 19.
This is the closest family comparison. The G600 keeps the Symmetry Flight Deck, active sidesticks, 51,000 ft ceiling and Mach 0.925 maximum operating speed, but adds roughly 1,300 nm of published range and more cabin volume.
If the extra cabin and range are regularly used, the G600 is the logical move. If they are not, the G500 avoids carrying capability you may rarely use.

Bombardier Challenger 650 for sale / Range: About 4,000 nm class / Passengers: Typically around 10 to 12, depending on configuration.
The Challenger 650 sits in a different size and generation of aircraft. It is worth comparing because buyers moving up from a Challenger often look at the G500 as a major step into the large-cabin segment.
The G500 is faster, flies higher and has a substantially larger cabin, while the Challenger's appeal is its mature platform and different operating profile.

Embraer Praetor 600 for sale / Range: 4,018 nm with four passengers and NBAA IFR reserves / Passengers: Up to 12.
The Praetor 600E is smaller, but it deserves a place on the shortlist because it can cover a surprising number of missions at a lower aircraft size. Embraer publishes 4,018 nm of range, Mach 0.83 MMO and a 45,000 ft maximum operating altitude.
If the mission rarely exceeds 4,000 nm and the owner does not need a large-cabin Gulfstream, the Praetor deserves serious consideration. Once passenger count, cabin space and longer missions become routine, the G500 moves into a different category.

The G500 works best when the mission regularly sits in the 3,500 to 5,000 nm range and the owner values speed and cabin quality more than maximum intercontinental range.

Take a generic New York to London mission. The published 5,300 nm capability gives the G500 plenty of theoretical range margin at long-range cruise, but actual dispatch planning still depends on winds, routing, payload and reserves. Push the aircraft toward Mach 0.90 and Gulfstream's published high-speed range falls to 4,500 nm.

That is the useful distinction.

If your trips are frequently 4,000 nm or less, the G500 has a strong case. If 6,000 nm missions are normal, the G600, Global 5500 or a larger ultra-long-range aircraft deserves a closer look.

Airport performance is also respectable for an aircraft of this size. Gulfstream publishes a 5,300 ft takeoff distance at sea level, ISA conditions and MTOW.

The 51,000 ft ceiling gives crews another useful option when traffic, weather or routing make altitude flexibility valuable.

The G500 is a particularly strong choice for an owner who wants a modern large-cabin Gulfstream without moving all the way into the range and cabin size of the G600.

Its real strengths are easy to identify: 5,300 nm published range, Mach 0.90 high-speed cruise, a 51,000 ft ceiling, a wide 41 ft 6 in cabin and the Symmetry Flight Deck with active sidesticks.

The buyer should also understand what makes the aircraft different from an older Gulfstream. The technology is a major part of the value, and early serial numbers deserve more scrutiny because of the initial service history.

If the mission is eight passengers, roughly 2,500 to 4,500 nm and a preference for a fast, modern Gulfstream cockpit, the G500 deserves a serious evaluation with the aircraft records and engine coverage in hand.

Looking for a Gulfstream G500 for Sale?
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• How many passengers?
• Which routes?
• How much range do you need?
• What year or configuration do you prefer?
• What are your requirements for engines, maintenance and avionics?
• Where will the aircraft be registered and operated?

We will search the open market and our off-market network and come back with aircraft that fit the requirement.