Industry Insights

Written by Scott Plumb, Jetcraft's former Senior Vice President of Sales

You have chartered several times, and you enjoy the flexibility that private aviation offers; the ability to travel productively and safely with colleagues and family, and still make it back to the office or home with time to spare. You are ready to consider the next step in private aviation – aircraft ownership.

Years ago, the trading of private aircraft was as simple as buying any other high-value asset, but in today’s more complicated world of licencing, tax credits and legal regulations,  merely contemplating this particular multi-million dollar purchase can be slightly nerve-wracking.  Many first-time buyers are intimated at the thought of such as large investment, with risk mitigation at the forefront.  And once your decision is made, how does one go about taking ownership of an aircraft? Here is a walkthrough of the acquisition process.

The first step begins with a series of face-to-face mee...

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There are dozens of private business jet models available today. Narrowing down a purchase selection can be daunting. One way to help streamline the acquisition process is to understand the five basic industry categories of business jets; these categories take into account weight, range, and cabin space. They are very light, light, midsize, super-midsize, and large (and heavy/”bizliner” jets).

Approaching these categories with the following questions in mind will simplify the process even more by helping you relate the categories to your specific business needs:

1) Who typically will be traveling on most flights? Just a few members of your executive team, a small group of customers, or large groups of individuals from across your enterprise or client base?

2) What will you be doing on the flight? Working on your laptop or smart tablet? Conducting in-flight meetings and continuing business as usual? Carrying specialized equipment or materials? Or just flying to get to destination...

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Commentary by Scott Plumb, Jetcraft's former Senior Vice President of Sales

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Last week’s European Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (EBACE) was a major event and helped put the spotlight on the European sector of our industry. For the last few years, Europe has remained more or less stagnant, with only slight growth reported overall. However, there are some bright skies ahead for the continent.

First, it helps to remember that the European fleet is indeed growing. In 2001, Europe held 1,517 aircraft according to the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA). As of 2014 this number had more than doubled to 3,301 aircraft. So growth is occurring, though slower than perhaps the industry would like.

Europe remains the world’s second largest private jet market (behind North America) and accounted for 14 percent of deliveries in 2013. Bombardier’s latest market forecast states that Europe is expected to remain one of the main markets for ...

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We are pleased to welcome the newest member of the Jetcraft management team. Diana Chou, a true business aviation pioneer, recently joined Jetcraft as Chairwoman in Asia. With over 15 years in the industry, Diana brings a wealth of business aviation knowledge and experience to the Jetcraft team based in Hong Kong. She will enhance the company’s already unparalleled local expertise in aircraft sales, transactions and marketing.

Diana is pleased to offer her thoughts on the Chinese business aviation sector.

How would you characterize the Chinese business aviation sector?​

China has the largest mobile phone user base in the world. It also has the largest online shopping economy. China is a dynamic market and shows great potential for private aircraft ownership. Some buyers have never flown before and their first flying experience is in their own private jet or helicopter!  

The sector is a bit different from the US or Europe in that the Chinese people never experienced the industrial...

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Q&A with Jetcraft President Chad Anderson - Including a Look at Jetcraft’s New Inventory

While Jetcraft is well-known for its expertise and experience in the pre-owned sector, the company also helps clients obtain new aircraft. In fact, according to Jetcraft President Chad Anderson, you’d be surprised how many factory new aircraft they have available.

So what are the main advantages of purchasing a new model through Jetcraft?

Jetcraft offers unbiased market intelligence and consulting that can help a buyer decide which manufacturer and which model will be the best fit for their mission. In addition, we have a higher level of flexibility and quality with shortened lead times and customization services available. With our ability to deliver creative solutions, we help customers get the aircraft that they are searching for. We can also assist with financing and are able to take trade-ins of any make and model.

Just as with pre-owned models, Jetcraft monitors the entire process a...

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Since 2012, Jetcraft has been a proud member of the National Aircraft Resale Association (NARA). A professional trade association comprised of select business aviation professionals, NARA members adhere to the highest professional standards that promote the growth and public understanding of the aircraft resale industry. All of the nearly 80 NARA members abide by a strict 14-point “Code of Ethics” that provides guidelines for industry conduct regarding aircraft transactions.

The organization’s members represent every phase of aircraft acquisition and ownership. Businesses and individuals aiming to increase productivity, accelerate business, enhance customer relationships and streamline company infrastructure through pre-owned aircraft ownership regularly turn to NARA members for assistance, not only in the sale or purchase of an aircraft but also for a multitude of advisory and support issues.

To become NARA certified, candidates must pass a rigorous application process that assu...

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The FAA defines a maintenance program as "the performance of tasks required to ensure the continuing airworthiness of an aircraft, including any one or combination of overhaul, inspection, replacement, defect rectification, and the embodiment of an alteration or repair."

So each of these items must be addressed by all aircraft owners and operators.

Maintenance is part of ownership and one of the biggest factors to consider when buying or even selling an aircraft. This is especially true in the pre-owned sector – which is why Jetcraft recommends that all customers take advantage of a maintenance program to service their investment.

Proper maintenance tracking and planning is the key to operating an aircraft safely and efficiently. Maintenance programs take one of the most important and time-consuming elements of private ownership out of the hands of the operator and into the care of a trusted expert. These service providers keep track of inspections, component replacements and new FAA...

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Jetcraft is expanding rapidly in the continent by turning challenges into opportunities and adding a local touch to customer service

Everyone realizes that business aviation is a global industry that reaches across the entire planet. But in recent years, the industry has turned its attention to Africa as private aircraft ownership has truly taken off in this relatively new market.

Economic growth has driven much of this increase as the continent’s economy has been surging by about 5 percent annually, which is a rate expected to continue through 2015. Private jet ownership is also expected to grow at the steady pace of 5.6 percent over the next two decades according to a recent report issued by Boeing.

So why is Africa enjoying a boom in private jet ownership?

There are several elements spurring this growth. Africa is among the fastest rising private aviation markets due to a strengthening economy and a related increase in high net worth individuals (HNWI). The ultra-high...

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The process of buying and selling private jets is not a simple one. There are many moving parts, including market research, aircraft valuations, visual reviews, logbook research, and marketing coordination that each play a pivotal role in the purchase or sale process. As each transaction usually totals in the millions, attention to detail is crucial at every stage.

Often, this whole process falls on the shoulders of a single sales representative. But Jetcraft has a dedicated team of eight professionals standing ready to undertake this arduous – but critical – mission.

“Clients expect one-to-one service when buying or selling a high value asset such as a jet,” says Jetcraft Sales Director Chris Brenner. “Our sales engineering team performs the necessary legwork, market research, value summaries and reviews involved with every transaction. This frees up the sales representative to focus exclusively on the customer and guide them through the transaction cycle, along with any pot...

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