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Bill Winston Private Jet: The Gulfstream IV Registered to Living Word Christian Center

Bill Winston's church, Living Word Christian Center in Forest Park, Illinois, has a 1999 Gulfstream IV on the FAA registry. What the record shows.

By Wijet EditorsUpdated

At a glance

Bill Winston private jet: the registry record

Aircraft
Gulfstream G-IV (1999)
Serial number 1377, FAA registry
Registration
N316VB
Owner of record
Living Word Christian Center, Forest Park, Illinois
Not Bill Winston personally
Registered since
February 2016
Certificate issued 02/11/2016
Registry status
Valid
Checked November 6, 2026

Does Bill Winston have a private jet? The FAA registry lists a 1999 Gulfstream IV, tail number N316VB, owned by Living Word Christian Center in Forest Park, Illinois, the church Winston founded and leads. The owner on the record is the church, not Winston himself.

That distinction shapes everything below. A church-owned aircraft is a different thing from a personal jet, and this page sticks to what the public record shows.

The short answer

Yes, with a caveat. FAA registry records show a Gulfstream G-IV (N316VB) registered to Living Word Christian Center, Forest Park, Illinois, where Bill Winston is founder and senior pastor. The record names the church as owner, so we do not call it his personal jet.

Does Bill Winston Have a Private Jet?

The FAA Civil Aviation Registry lists N316VB as a Gulfstream G-IV built in 1999. The registered owner is Living Word Christian Center. Winston is the founder and senior pastor of that church, according to his published biography, so the aircraft sits inside an organization he leads.

What the registry does not say matters as much. It does not say who flies the jet, how often it flies, or what it is used for. We found no public statement from the church about the aircraft, so we do not describe its purpose.

What the FAA Record Says, Line by Line

Here is the N316VB entry as we read it on November 6, 2026.

Registry fieldWhat it shows
ManufacturerGulfstream Aerospace
ModelG-IV
Year manufactured1999
Serial number1377
Registered ownerLiving Word Christian Center, Forest Park, Illinois
Certificate issue dateFebruary 11, 2016
StatusValid
Expiration dateFebruary 28, 2029
Aircraft typeFixed wing, multi-engine, turbofan

Three things are worth knowing about how to read it.

The registered owner is the party the FAA holds responsible for the aircraft. For N316VB that party is a church corporation. If an individual had registered the jet, the person would appear here instead.

The Certificate Date Marks the Current Registration

The certificate issue date of February 11, 2016 shows when the current registration was issued, not when the airframe was built. The jet itself dates from 1999, so it had a life before 2016 that this record does not describe.

“Valid” Means the Paperwork Is Current

A valid status means the registration is active. It says nothing about the condition of the aircraft or how much it flies.

The Gulfstream IV: An Older Long-Range Jet

The Gulfstream IV is a large-cabin, long-range business jet. Jetcraft’s G-IV overview says the type received FAA certification on April 22, 1987, lists a range of 4,200 nm with four passengers, and describes a typical layout of 14 passengers plus two crew seats. That overview covers the original 1987 to 1992 production run, for which it reports 196 aircraft built; a 1999 airframe comes from the later years of the G-IV family.

A 1999 airframe is an older jet by business aviation standards, but the G-IV is still a recognized long-range design. See our longest range private jets ranking for how it compares with current models, and our guide to the safest private jets in the world for how age and equipment relate to safety.

What a Gulfstream IV Costs to Own and to Charter

We will not put a price on this particular aircraft: the registry does not give one, and no source we opened states what the church paid.

For context, owning any large-cabin jet means fixed annual costs for crew, hangar and insurance, plus per-hour costs for fuel and maintenance. Our cost of owning a private jet guide breaks down each line. Chartering a comparable large jet is the alternative for anyone who flies occasionally, and the private jet charter cost guide covers hourly ranges by size.

Two Churches, One Name: The Minnesota Falcon 50 Is Not His

A second church with the same name, Living Word Christian Center in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, also has an aircraft on the FAA registry: a Falcon 50 with tail number N7LW. That church is led by Mac Hammond, and the two congregations are separate organizations.

Anyone searching the registry for “Living Word Christian Center” will find both, which is how the two jets get confused. N316VB is the Illinois church’s Gulfstream. Read about the other one in our Mac Hammond private jet page.

How We Checked

We searched the FAA Civil Aviation Registry for tail number N316VB on November 6, 2026 and read the full entry, including registered owner, serial number and certificate dates. We confirmed Winston’s role at the church from his published biography. We searched for public statements from the ministry about an aircraft and found none, so this page does not speculate about use.

Registry data changes when aircraft are sold or re-registered. If you are reading this later, check the entry yourself on the FAA site.

For other public figures and ministries with aircraft in the registry, see celebrity private jets, including Kenneth Copeland and Joel Osteen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Bill Winston own a private jet?
Not by name, according to the FAA record we read. A Gulfstream G-IV, N316VB, is registered to Living Word Christian Center in Forest Park, Illinois, the church Winston founded and leads. The registered owner is the church, so we describe it as church-owned, not as his personal jet.
What kind of plane does Living Word Christian Center own?
The FAA registry lists a Gulfstream G-IV built in 1999, serial number 1377, tail number N316VB. It is a twin-engine, large-cabin, long-range business jet. The current registration was issued to the church on February 11, 2016 and is shown as valid.
How much is a Gulfstream IV worth?
It depends on the year, hours, engine program and cabin condition, and asking prices change often, so we do not quote a figure here. Check current listings and an independent appraisal. Our cost of owning a private jet guide explains what drives running costs after purchase.
Is Bill Winston's jet the same as Mac Hammond's?
No. Mac Hammond leads a different Living Word Christian Center, in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, whose registered aircraft is a Falcon 50 (N7LW). Winston's church is in Forest Park, Illinois, and its registered aircraft is a Gulfstream G-IV (N316VB). The shared name causes the mix-up.

Sources

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