Not a pilot, but I have maintained both G200s and Legacy 600s. The G200 is not bad maintenance-wise, but there are some weaknesses. The airframe itself is easy to work on. The Fadec-equipped Pratt 306 engines are pretty reliable. That engine does have one weakness, which are the BOV (blow-off valves) which open and close in sequence during engine acceleration to prevent overpressure in the compressor. If a BOV sticks open, it can lead to compressor stalls, but there have been P&W service bulletins to improve their reliability.
The wing is designed for maximum efficiency at cruise. Low speed flight requires a plethora of high-lift devices - both slats and Krueger flaps on the leading edge - which is equipped with pneumatic boots for deicing, which is not something typically found on a jet. The flaps and slats are driven by electric motors located in the center fuselage, connected to the wings by teleflex cables, which are prone to developing friction problems due corrosion and moisture ingress.
Avionics are standard Collins Proline 21, with almost all of the avionics kit located in the nose, and easily accessible through two hinged doors with quick release fasteners.
The pilots did not find it particularly enjoyable to hand fly. They all commented that the aircraft handled like a city bus compared to other makes they had flown. The high lift devices are absolutely essential for takeoff, BUT had to be retracted quickly during climb to avoid exceeding their maximum speed rating.
The APU starter generator on the earlier G200s was woefully under-rated, and would rarely last even 600 hours in service before failing.
The G280, with the completely redesigned wing, is a much better aircraft, but I assume it would be out of your price range.
The Legacy 600 is, in my opinion, a better aircraft from a maintenance perspective. The Rolls Royce engines are bulletproof - they just plain work, day in and day out - though they do consulme a lot of oil. Avionics are Honeywell Primus 2000. The cabin is very roomy, and the baggage compartment is truly enormous - and accessible from inside the aircraft.
The center fuel tanks, (of which there are 4, all interconnected), are one difference between the Legacy and the airline EMB-135 from which it is derived. If needed for a longer trip, filling those tanks can be somewhat arduous for line crews. They have to fill in a specific sequence to maintain proper C of G, and the computer that controls that process can be quite temperamental.
Tires seem to be another weak point for the Legacy. We had tires disintegrate on landing three different times for completely unknown reasons - the aircraft was not overly heavy or landed overly fast on any of the occasions. We were lucky in that none of the debris went up into the engine intake, but on one failure, the tire tread tore are large hole in one of the flaps.
The G200 cruises at Mach .80 easily. The Legacy, I believe, is slower - and has a lower maximum altitude.
Parts support for the G200 from Gulfstream is good, but some airframe structural parts are typically not stocked in Savannah - but have to be shipped in from Israel - which can be a problem in AOG situations. A similar issue holds true for the Legacy, with some parts only available from Brazil.
Last edited by JRBarrett; 30th Sep 2017 at 20:34.