Industry Insights

According to the National Aircraft Resale Association (NARA), 14 percent of private jet owners do not use a broker to handle the buying and selling of their aircraft. Many feel they know their aircraft needs better than others and – perhaps more importantly – can save some money by going it alone.

But people who do this are making a big mistake. The buying and selling of aircraft can be more complicated than it seems. Those who do not use a qualified broker are taking a risk as many things can go wrong with a transaction. Ironically, they often end up paying more - sometimes quite a bit more – for their aircraft than it is really worth.

“For an ownership experience to be positive it requires planning, effort and communication,” said Scott Plumb, Senior Vice President of Sales for Jetcraft.  “I have watched buyers purchase the wrong airplane because they were consulted by a friend rather than a professional. They then end up with an aircraft that may not be the best f...

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July 17:

This morning we all had breakfast together before our meetings, as we have done the other days. Everyone is moving a bit slower today after the long days of work and fun. We started out with a bit of IT Housekeeping. Next the Marketing Team shared an overview of what they've been doing, events, digital, and social. They also shared a blooper video created from some corporate video footage shot at NBAA in 2013.

Following big group meetings were a few round table meetings with certain departments, and some free time. In the evening we had a Farewell Dinner where everyone wore white. Following the dinner was some dancing and conversation. This will be the last time that we are all together until next year.

July 16:

Day 2 of meetings kicked off with a few words from Chad Anderson facilitating a discussion about some of our key accounts.

Following Chad, Chris Brenner talk...

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From organizing your flight schedules and refueling the aircraft, to supplying the catering and fine wines onboard, your Fixed Based Operator (FBO) is there to make sure your departure and arrival experience runs as smoothly and as securely as possible.

Even if your personal preference is to bypass all facilities onsite and simply step from your car directly on to the aircraft, your choice of departure or arrival airport can be strongly influenced by the quality and availability of FBO services.

Passenger comfort is essential but the safety and security of the aircraft and its crew are also of paramount importance and remain in the expert hands of the FBO. Choosing the right FBO partner for your departure or arrival is extremely important - just ask your pilot, he or she will be able to explain how essential top-rate facilities and services can make a considerable difference to the overall safety of your journey, such as a snooze room for crew, de-icing and cleaning services.

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The below content was distributed by the Editor of Corporate Jet Investor, Alasdair Whyte, through the Corporate Jet Investor One Minute Week weekly newsletter. It has been posted with permission.

Corporate Jet Investor - One Minute Week No. 170

We live in an age where people want instant gratification. We download books to Kindles, watch movies on Netflix and read newspapers (and leading business jet websites) online.

The same is true for people who buy business jets (especially the bit about websites). This is a fundamental change, but one that is easy to miss.

Many of the world’s great old houses were built by Victorian entrepreneurs who were happy to spend years building and furnishing their houses. They would then wait for their gardens to grow. This behaviour is rarer now.

Leading estate agents say that the majority of high value properties in London – ones over $100 million – are sold with furnishings included. “When I started in this business I assumed that the ric...

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With a steadily improving US economy, aircraft values stabilizing globally, and companies with readily available access to capital, it is an opportune time to bring aircraft into the US at a lower cost, according to Jetcraft COO Peter Antonenko.

As aircraft make their way stateside, there are a number of economic questions that both a buyer and seller must answer: Who handles export from the current country? Who handles import? Who pays taxes and other delivery costs? What will be the arrival airport? For the right answers, it means working closely with the country of registration, FAA, Customs and Border Patrol, and the Department of Treasury.

“Where the aircraft is located and where it’s going, that’s where it starts. Then you can begin looking at paperwork and the next steps,” said Antonenko. “Filing a customs declaration, following the normal international arrival procedures, and hiring a broker are all parts of the initial process. Mishandling any of these steps can slow...

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For companies and institutions that own a private aircraft fleet, there will invariably come a time when there is a need to sell. Whether it’s a multinational corporation looking to upgrade their fleet of Sikorskys and Challengers, or a US-based aviation services company aiming to sell their Citation 560XLs, fleet sales can come in any shape or size. There is no cookie cutter approach to handling these transactions.

Because each fleet sale is unique and entails a large scope of planning, preparation and execution, most aircraft brokers simply don’t have the knowledge or capability to handle these transactions. Each fleet sale involves a high level of trust, a wealth of experience and a unique ability to be flexible. It’s also the type of transaction that Jetcraft specializes in.

“We’ve been handling fleet sales for a long time, but these types of transactions aren’t something that Jetcraft started doing overnight,” explains Jetcraft President, Chad Anderson. “You have t...

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Written by David Dixon, President, Jetcraft Asia

[email protected]

At a recent conference in London, I presented on the subject of business aviation trends in China titled “China - is it slowing down or overhyped.” For this article, I’m going to start where I ended that presentation, expounding on my closing point of why, “Everyone wants a China strategy but everyone needs a regional strategy”.

Watching China Grow

Fifteen years ago no one took China seriously as a market for business aircraft and almost any efforts were often met with incredulity. Fast forward to today, where China is top of the agenda when thinking strategically about Asia. There is good reason for that too, as it offers enormous potential for growth in almost every industry, including business aviation.  Today there are more than 120 privately owned aircraft either based or owned in Hong Kong, as well as approximately another 120 aircraft in mainland China. In dollar value terms, the market...

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Whether for leisure or business, every flight has a mission. To match the right jet with that mission, Jetcraft has developed a powerful new tool that helps you easily align a vast selection of aircraft to your specific aviation requirements and needs. It’s called JetRange.

The goal of JetRange is to enable you to determine which jet would make a good fityou’re your mission based on flight plan, airport origin, and intended destination(s). Along with the targeted range map, the tool also displays a long list of specs about featured aircraft to better inform your selection process.

For example, if your mission is Los Angeles to Moscow, you can check the range of flying a Gulfstream G450 from Van Nuys airport to Vnukovo. Common business airports, such as Hong Kong International, Dubai International, and Congonhas in Sao Paulo are included. Dozens of aircraft models are included as well.

A comprehensive tool, JetRange provides comparisons of aircraft from all leading OEMs and...

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Written by Tom Hague, Wings Insurance Director of Sales

While hull and liability insurance are vital for every aircraft owner, be sure you have the best possible policy for your needs before signing anything. Tom Hauge, Vice President/National Sales Director of Sales for Wings Insurance, shares his expertise in aviation insurance and highlights the small print and limitations you need to be aware of.

The aviation market is unique and when considering insurance, without a doubt, the first step is choosing an insurance broker that really understands the market. When you are insuring an aircraft worth anywhere up to $70 million, you need to be confident that your broker has secured the correct policy for your needs.

Beyond hull insurance, where most claims are made, the amount of liability coverage you go for is of significant consideration. One of the questions I get asked most is “How much liability insurance should I carry?” You can only figure that out once you have cons...

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