Presented by Park City Aviators.
The thought of flying commercial—even in first class and with expedited security procedures—is probably not a prospect that strikes you as appealing. Your flight is likely to be filled to the brim with other passengers. Any private conversations may be overheard by those other passengers and airline staff. And that’s all assuming your flight isn’t delayed or canceled, which is becoming the norm for thousands of travelers each weekend due to staffing shortages in the airline industry. That’s why 79 percent of ultra-high net worth individuals choose to travel on private aircraft.
Among those who fly private, the majority choose to participate in fractional jet ownership because of the public perception that they can experience the true luxury of private aviation for a “fraction” of the cost. In reality, what they experience is more akin to owning a flying timeshare that operates frighteningly similar to a commercial airline. Participants are left with a familiar lack of control over how their aircraft is managed. They’ll rarely (if ever) fly on the aircraft in which they have a share, so any customization is out of the question. Traveling during peak seasons or to popular locales will be met with the same restrictions and congestion that we’re all familiar with on commercial flights. Just like airlining it, a fractionally-owned aircraft isn’t really yours. You’re still beholden to your management company and the other fractional owners. Once new fractional owners begin to experience these frustrations, the shine really comes off the apple and many find themselves questioning whether economical, luxurious travel is really possible. This is the point at which Park City Aviators meets most of our future clients. We’re given the rare opportunity to rekindle people’s faith in luxury aviation through the prospect of whole aircraft ownership, and for many it’s a prospect that’s far more realistic than they had previously thought.
Naturally, the cost of ownership will play a part in your decision. After all, just because you have the finances in place to purchase a private jet on your own, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you should. And understandably, there’s a vast disparity in the upfront costs of fractional ownership and that of whole ownership. But here’s a factor that many fractional ownership companies keep to themselves: your investment in a shared aircraft comes with far greater depreciation. The resale value of a private aircraft is largely contingent on the total hours flown. Thus, if you’re sharing an aircraft with multiple other fractional owners, your share can depreciate at 2-4 times the normal rate due to the excessive use of the aircraft. This translates into a substantial loss of the owner’s initial investment. Private ownership minimizes this problem, and proper management of your aircraft can nearly erase it. In fact, Park City Aviators management team has proven that it’s actually possible to sell your aircraft for more than you paid for it a few years ago; thanks to proper maintenance and timing in the market.
And let’s be realistic: owning your own jet comes with immeasurable perks. You can choose the capacity and capability of your aircraft. You can choose how often to use your jet—and when. You can recoup significantly more of your initial investment once you’re ready to sell. Of course, whole ownership comes with a higher upfront capital outlay, but not only is this route far more cost effective over the long term, but it provides a level of comfort and a freedom of choice that’s priceless.
But, even if you’re convinced that owning your own aircraft is the way to go, there’s still the question of which company should acquire and manage your aircraft for you. You’ll want to evaluate this along several factors. What mechanisms do they have in place to ensure the quality of their pilots and crew? Does the company encourage you to be involved with your aircraft as much (or as little) as you prefer? Are you viewed as a dollar value and a statistic, or as a person with unique travel needs and preferences? Will they charge you hidden fees because they’re aware of your net worth and think you won’t mind or notice?
Park City Aviators is an independently owned company that has provided private aircraft acquisition and management services to our clients for over a decade. Our approach is simple: Your needs take precedence. What this means is that you can rest assured that you’ll fly with consistent pilots and crew with excellent safety records and substantial experience; not just whoever is in your area. It means that if you forget your shoes on the plane, we’ll have them polished and ready next time we see you. It means that our team has decades of industry experience, and is ready to put every ounce of it to work to give you the experience you deserve.
So why do we go the extra mile? Because we genuinely care for our clients. You deserve to be treated well, and so does your money. That’s why Park City Aviators provides authentic experiences, exclusive access to exotic destinations, luxurious accommodations, and a range of other customized services for our clients, all on your terms and in your own private jet. Honestly, how can fractional ownership compare?
