Purchasing a turbine aircraft is one of the largest financial decisions most companies or individuals will ever make. Success rarely depends on one person. It depends on assembling the right team — an acquisition specialist, a maintenance facility, lenders, insurance professionals, tax advisors, and an aviation attorney.
One of the first recommendations we make to every client is to hire an experienced aviation attorney.
Notice I didn’t simply say an attorney. I said an aviation attorney. There is a difference, and over twenty-five years I’ve watched that difference cost buyers real money.
Most Buyers Think Attorneys Only Write Contracts
When aviation attorneys come up, most buyers immediately think about the purchase agreement.
Having a well-written purchase agreement certainly matters. But it’s often the least valuable part of what a great aviation attorney brings to the transaction. Most purchase agreements are built on well-known industry standards, and the majority you’ll encounter are a version of one of a handful of common agreements.
If an attorney inserts language outside those industry standards, it often causes delays and frustration with the seller — without meaningfully improving your position.
Assuming both parties are acting in good faith, those agreements are rarely tested in court. And of course, if a dispute ever does arise, you’ll be thankful an experienced aviation attorney drafted yours.
But long before that possibility exists, there are areas where the right attorney saves you far more money than the purchase agreement itself ever will:
- Corporate structure
- Liability protection
- Sales and use tax planning
- Regulatory compliance
- Closing and documentation
Over the past twenty-five years, I’ve seen every one of these become expensive for buyers who didn’t get the right advice.
Where Great Aviation Attorneys Earn Their Fee
A truly great aviation attorney does much more than prepare documents.
They become a trusted advisor.
They ask questions you haven’t considered. They identify problems before those problems become expensive. They understand that protecting a client isn’t simply about writing stronger legal language — it’s about helping that client make better decisions.
Perhaps nowhere is that more important than taxes.
Every state has its own sales and use tax laws, and those laws change constantly. A structure that works perfectly in one state may create a significant tax liability in another. The difference between getting this right and getting it wrong is frequently larger than the entire legal bill for the transaction.
The Best Answer an Attorney Can Give You
The reality is simple: you don’t know what you don’t know.
Neither does every attorney.
The attorneys I respect most are the ones willing to say:
“That’s a great question. Let me make sure I give you the correct answer.”
I’d rather work with an attorney who verifies today’s law than one who confidently relies on yesterday’s understanding.
In my experience, very few aircraft transactions ever end up in court. When they do, it’s typically limited to a fight over who gets the deposit.
Sales and use tax issues are far more common — and they can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars when handled incorrectly.
Experience Matters
Over the years we’ve worked alongside dozens of aviation attorneys throughout the country. The ones we continue recommending all have several things in common:
- They understand aircraft transactions
- They understand taxes
- They communicate well
- They return phone calls
- They know when to push, and when not to
Most importantly, they understand that the goal is to successfully close the transaction while protecting their client’s interests. Those two objectives are not in conflict, and the best attorneys never treat them as though they are.
When Good Attorneys Create Unnecessary Problems
This is where many buyers are surprised.
Even highly competent attorneys can unintentionally create friction.
Aircraft transactions involve buyers, sellers, brokers, lenders, escrow companies, maintenance facilities, insurers, pilots, and often multiple advisors. Every additional complication introduced into that process increases the likelihood of delay.
Sometimes those delays don’t matter.
Sometimes they cost the buyer the airplane.
I’ve watched excellent transactions become unnecessarily difficult because attorneys insisted on negotiating provisions that had little practical impact on the outcome. The legal bill wasn’t the biggest problem. The lost opportunity was.
Market conditions determine how much that risk costs you:
- In a buyer’s market, sellers often tolerate delays because they need to sell the airplane.
- In a seller’s market, the opposite is true. A frustrated seller may simply move on to another buyer.
The best purchase agreement isn’t necessarily the longest agreement. It’s the agreement that appropriately protects the client while allowing the transaction to move forward.
That’s a balance experienced aviation attorneys understand.
How We Choose the Attorneys We Recommend
Clients frequently ask us for recommendations. We’re happy to provide them.
Our recommendations aren’t based on friendship. They’re based on experience.
We recommend attorneys who consistently protect our clients without creating unnecessary obstacles. Professionals who understand that practical solutions are usually better than endless revisions. Attorneys who recognize that every transaction is unique, and who focus on helping clients achieve their objectives rather than generating billable hours.
Building the Right Team
Buying an aircraft isn’t about finding the lowest purchase price. It’s about making smart decisions from beginning to end.
- The right acquisition specialist
- The right maintenance experts
- The right lender
- The right insurance broker
- The right tax professionals
- The right aviation attorney
Each member of that team has a different role, but they share the same objective: helping you purchase the right aircraft while avoiding expensive mistakes.
At Jet Acquisitions, we’ve spent decades building relationships with professionals we trust. We’re happy to introduce our clients to attorneys who share our philosophy — protect the client, solve problems efficiently, and get the transaction closed.
A strong man may win the battle. A wise man builds a team and wins the war.
Jet Acquisitions — We Only Represent Buyers.