How To Buy A Private Jet: A Complete Guide

How To Buy A Private Jet

With commercial aviation becoming less and less convenient and more expensive, frequent travelers have turned to the private aviation industry to satisfy their air transportation needs.

The private aviation industry offers a few air travel options, including flying with a charter company or purchasing a jet card membership. But the pinnacle of flying privately owns your jet. The process to make this purchase is a detailed one, so you must understand every step, especially before you spend hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars, on an aircraft.

Enlist the Help of an Aircraft Dealer

To find aircraft for sale, your first step is to seek an aircraft dealer’s professional assistance. An aircraft dealer knows the industry’s ins and outs and has access to aircraft listings for sale. They can get you all the information you need to know about jets you’re considering purchasing and lead you through the buying process.

Much like you’d want to visit a car dealership to know you’re getting a quality car, find help with completing all the purchase paperwork, and transfer ownership properly, you’ll want to work with an aircraft dealer. 

Suggested Read: How To Book A Charter With A Private Jet Company

Consider What Features You Want in a Jet

To help your aircraft dealer find a jet for sale to meet your needs, determine precisely what you want out of a private jet. Do you intend to use it only for short, regional flights, or will you need to traverse long distances across the country? Will you require it for transcontinental flights? The range you need will determine how large of a jet you’ll purchase. 

What cabin features will you require? Will you be holding important business meetings on your jet? Or will you predominantly be relaxing and enjoying entertainment features? How large of a galley do you need? Number of crew members will fly with you? and the number of total passengers will your private jet need to carry? These are all essential considerations to narrow down the manufacturer and model of an aircraft for sale.

Another important consideration is the cost per hour to operate. This hourly cost is only one facet of jet ownership’s annual expenses, which can be millions of dollars. Annual prices include staff salary and training, aircraft maintenance, fuel costs, hangar fees, etc. Some jets are far cheaper to own and operate; if you’re on a stricter budget, you’ll want to choose a jet with budget-friendly features, such as a smaller gas tank or more efficient engines.

Finally, decide how much you can afford to spend on a jet and stick to your budget. You can get financing for a private jet or pay for it in full. 

Understand Private Jet Descriptions and Information

Unlike automobiles, the total number of miles flown in a jet doesn’t have a bearing on its value or lifespan. Instead, the number of takeoffs and landings, called cycles, is the most crucial statistic you can glean from listings of jets for sale. In general, the more the processes, the closer a jet is to the end of its useful life. Jets also record the total number of hours in flight, although this number is far less critical than cycles.

You’ll also want to understand the avionics, or flight systems, installed in a jet you’re considering. If you employ a pilot or intend to hire one, they will likely prefer newer avionics over outdated ones; the more updated systems make an airplane easier and more enjoyable to fly. Upgraded and updated avionics also can make a jet safer to fly.

Check the aircraft listing for information related to maintenance plans. Most aircraft owners enroll their private jets into maintenance plans to ensure their ongoing operation and safety. A jet that hasn’t been meticulously maintained is a jet you do not want to buy.

Make an Ownership Plan

Once you’ve found your dreams’ private jet, you’ll want to ensure you continue caring for it for your ownership duration. A reputable aircraft dealer has contacts throughout the private aviation industry for service providers who can help you keep your jet flying high. These service providers include insurance companies, maintainers, purchase financing, and more. Talk to the aircraft dealer you hired to represent you to learn more about these service providers.

Once you’ve completed your purchase of a private jet, you can enjoy flying to your chosen destinations in an aircraft that allows you to relax and do whatever you want doing, rather than sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with strangers and paying handsomely for it.