How Does This Compare?
India’s state governments, for example, do not typically own Gulfstream-class aircraft. Available records indicate smaller business jets or turboprops—such as Bombardier Challenger variants, Hawker 900XP, or King Air B200—are more common at the subnational level. Pakistan’s federal leadership already utilizes aircraft such as the Airbus A319 in official transport roles. The question, therefore, is whether a province requires a G500-tier platform or whether chartering would suffice.
Operating Costs and Lifecycle Reality
Acquisition cost is only the entry ticket. Annual direct operating costs for a G500 are frequently estimated in the low single-digit millions of USD, depending on utilization. Add crew, maintenance reserves, insurance, training, and compliance—this is a sustained fiscal commitment. For a province already navigating development demands in education, health, and infrastructure, such commitments invite scrutiny.
Yet governments worldwide retain executive aircraft for time-critical mobility, security control, and diplomatic scheduling flexibility. The policy question is not whether states fly; it is what they fly, how often, and at what opportunity cost.
