NBAA Releases New Aircraft Transactions Guide for Business Airplane Buyers and Sellers

The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) has released a new publication for anyone considering buying or selling a business airplane: the NBAA Aircraft Transactions Guide. The guide was developed with contributions from the NBAA Tax Committee and operators with experience in business aircraft transactions.

“Acquiring a business aircraft involves careful regulatory, tax and financial planning, as well as considerations of how to shape the transaction and the ownership structure,” said Scott O’Brien, NBAA senior manager for finance and tax policy. “This guide provides an introduction to those issues and organizes all the key elements of an aircraft transaction in one source.”

The NBAA Aircraft Transactions Guide includes background on the most relevant regulations from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), and covers federal and state tax issues, all of which affect decisions about the aircraft ownership structure. The guide also details the various steps of the aircraft transaction process, from the letter of intent to the closing.

“This guide was developed for NBAA Members that are relatively new to aircraft transactions or those looking for a refresher, and is designed to serve as a checklist to reference throughout the process,” said O’Brien. “It’s not intended to replace your advisors, but rather to help you ask the right questions of your advisors at every stage.”

Beginning with an overview of how to build an acquisition team, the guide describes stages, such as the pre-purchase inspection, and provides key considerations on closing documentation and where to take delivery.

The new resource is designed to complement other Association publications that cover aircraft transactions and related issues, such as the NBAA Federal Excise Taxes Guide and the NBAA Management Guide.

“NBAA and the Tax Committee have always provided guidance on the aircraft transactions process, but Members have expressed a desire to have all the relevant information in one simple resource,” said O’Brien. “This guide lays out all the considerations from the perspective of the buyer and seller.”

The NBAA Aircraft Transactions Guide is available as a free downloadable PDF for NBAA Members.