Gulfstream G280 & G300
The G280 and G300 are basically a Gulfstream G200 with a T-tail. However, Gulfstream designed the aircraft under a new type certificate. Especially the short landing gear legs inherited from its predecessor make the G280 & G300 easy to recognise from other aircraft in this category. For the rest both aircraft have larger wings with taller winglets.
How to recognise the different versions of the G280/G300
The G280 and G300 can be distinguished by the number and size of the cabin windows.
G280
The G280, which was originally marketed as G250, is the version that most looks like the G200. It has many small oval cabin windows with a portrait orientation on each side, just like the G200.
The G280 retains the many oval cabin windows of the G200, but has of course a T-tail.
G300
The G300 looks more like the classic Gulfstreams than the G280, thanks to the signature large oval cabin windows, five in total on each side. For the rest the G300 is externally not different from the G280.
Similar aircraft
Some airplanes look so similar to the G280/G300 that you may confuse them. Below you can read how to distinguish them.
Differences G280/G300 & G200
As the Gulfstream G280 is essentially a Gulfstream G200 with a T-tail, without looking at the tail you can easily mix them up. Otherwise, it is easy to keep both aircraft apart, also by the size of the winglets.
Differences G280/G300 & Citation Longitude
At first glance the Gulfstream G280 and Citation Longitude are quite similar. Apart from the longer landing gear the Cessna has rounded rectangular cabin windows, different cockpit windows and a longer dorsal fin with intake at the root.
Differences G280/G300 & Hawker 4000
Another close call may be with the Raytheon Hawker 4000. Though a bit smaller, the similarities are apparent. For recognition again look closely at the landing gear, cockpit windows, and the presence of winglets (G280/G300) and fairings for thrust reversers (Hawker 4000). Note to the left on the photo is the nose of a G200!