12 / 92
PAGE 12
THE BERNARDS-RIDGE CONNECTION
FEB/MARCH 2018
! , . ( % (&&" ,,, +() . + (!%& &$ +. +( +() . + (!%& &$ - #+ ) '(!&( '+( ) ) &* *& &$ !% ,!* %. &* ( & () *( !%) &( !) &+%*) % ' ( +)*&$ ( ## +() # # *& ) &, &+%*(. & &(! !% -'!( ) We can update your out-dated Fur for a fresh, new look! Outerwear Fashion +() . + (!%& Need a Make-over? Love your End of Season Blowout Sale! Prices Slashed throughout the Store Fur. Just Wear It! www.Aviatrade.aero 908-696-1174 Philip Rushton, President A traveler’s first step outside of the airline environment is generally into a chartered aircraft or one of the frac- tional or jet card programs. This expe- rience then sets the stage for ‘whole aircraft’ ownership. Since 1988, Aviatrade has been involved in the somewhat esoteric businesses of private jet acquisition, operation, charter and management. Aviatrade’s clients benefit from the broad aviation background of its founder, Philip Rushton. Philip is a for- mer Royal Air Force fighter pilot with dual UK/US airline pilot licenses and a lifetime…(well, at least since age six- teen) of aviation experience. Laying the Groundwork The options for a jet acquisition are truly mind-boggling and the initial comments heard by Aviatrade range from the familiar “I want a jet like my friend owns” to “what’s the cheapest deal in the market?” to “what’s the best jet for the charter market?” The good news is that the US has the largest selection of manufacturers and largest number of pre-owned air- craft available. The other news is that these pre-owned aircraft number in the thousands and the guidance avail- able during the selection and buying process, (unless a buyer hires a con- sultant), can be sketchy at best. The acquisition world uses a foreign language that, if not properly under- stood and interpreted, can mean a dif- ference of ‘seven figures’ when deter- mining the value of any given jet, espe- cially amongst the long-range private jets….APU, RVSM, TCAS II, ELT are some of the easy acronyms, then we get into EASA Ops 1, ADSB, ACARS, SELCAL, etc. The Acquisition Process ‘New aircraft’ acquisitions demand a slightly different emphasis than pre- owned. The manufacturers are delight- ed when a buyer walks in the door with a check book and orders a new jet. In common parlance, this is known as ‘lambs to the slaughter’. The more expensive the jet, the more important it will be to have knowledgeable repre- sentation on hand to keep the acquisi- tion in perspective and control the out- fitting and delivery process, for the benefit of the buyer. The pre-owned jet acquisition process is more time-consuming and has many more moving parts. All of these ‘moving parts’ must mesh in order to reach a satisfactory acquisition. Beyond the actual selection and tar- geting of a particular make and model, we have an initial inspection that pre- cedes an offer known as the Letter of Intent (LOI). The results of this initial inspection will dictate the language and stipulations in the LOI. The LOI is replaced by a comprehen- sive purchase agreement, which is fol- lowed by a pre-purchase inspection (PPI). All of the above must then be han- dled logistically and administratively, oftentimes across time zones and varying cultures. Aviatrade’s job is to manage everyone’s expectations. The Hired Help This somewhat complex acquisition process is the bread and butter of Aviatrade’s business and we are always available to offer informal guidance and advice prior to stepping into the ring. The alternative scenario is probably a bruising (or worse) when in the ring. For additional information or discus- sion, contact Philip Rushton, 908-696- 1174, philiprushton@aviatrade.aero PRIVATE JETS AND THE BUYING EXPERIENCE See ad on page 5 www.theconnectionsnj.com