Mark Evers has been involved in aircraft acquisitions since 2003. Here is what he has to say about buying an aircraft:
“Buying an aircraft is easy. However, finding the most suitable aircraft for a client’s mission requirements is a different thing altogether. All too often we see new aircraft owners sell their asset within a year of purchasing it. Reasons vary but invariably, they have realised their aircraft can’t fly the missions they had hoped for, or the operating cost was much higher than anticipated. The root-cause for this is often poor acquisition planning prior to purchasing the aircraft. We avoid these scenarios. Our Aircraft Acquisition Planning service analyses the exact needs of our clients. We look at their mission requirements, what they must have and what would be classed as ‘nice-to-have’. Spending some time on putting together a good acquisition plan is money well spent. It will give the new owner comfort they have an asset that adds value to their business or personal life”.
Selecting the Aircraft
We normally provide a list of three to four suitable aircraft. The selection of aircraft will satisfy the mission capability requirements and the client’s ‘Must-Have’ list. It then comes down to the client ordering the aircraft in terms of most desired and least desired. They may base this on their ‘Nice-to-Have’ list, price, interior, etc. It is important to have a list of most desired to least desired as the aircraft at the top of the list may not be the one the client will buy. There are a variety of reasons for this. When we carry out the desktop appraisal on the aircraft paperwork, we may find issues, or the aircraft may already be under offer by someone else.
The Aircraft Appraisal
Once the client has instructed us to approach a vendor and an LOI is in place, we will ask to see the aircraft’s paperwork and logbooks to check this is in order. We will check that all Airworthiness Directives are up-to-date, which Service Bulletins apply and what the maintenance status of the aircraft is. Once this desktop appraisal has been completed, we suggest a physical inspection of the aircraft. We will appoint an aircraft engineer familiar with the type of aircraft to carry out a physical inspection. The outcome of the desktop and physical inspection will be used to negotiate the purchase price. On some occasions, an Escrow account may be required to be given access to an aircraft’s documentation. In this case, the vendor will request a deposit in an escrow account. The deposit will be released subject to certain conditions being satisfied.
Closing the Deal
Once the aircraft has been checked and the price has been agreed, the client will need to plan to pay for the asset. In the background, we will now get busy making arrangements for the arrival of the aircraft at the new owner’s preferred airport. That means arranging hangar space, handling, and fuel supply, etc.
Managing the Asset
Once the aircraft arrives at the client’s preferred airport, the asset needs to be managed carefully. In essence, the management company needs to ensure the client can just turn up and go. Arranging the itinerary with the greatest attention to detail, ensuring the aircraft is maintained and making sure the client’s favourite catering is on board, are all part of a good aircraft management service. After all, the asset must add value to the client. A good management company will keep costs to an absolute minimum whilst maximising the client’s benefits.
Visit our Aircraft for Sale page to see the full list and details.
Contact Us
At Aviatica Group, we have been assisting clients in aircraft acquisition planning and aircraft purchases since 2003. We have managed clients' assets since 1998. Our client liaison managers are highly trained in delivering a service that is second to none. Contact us today to see how we can match an aircraft to your needs.
Tel: +44(0)333 9000 737 Email: info@aviatica-group.com
