Aircraft Leasing & Financing Services
We leverage decades of industry experience and long-standing connections with reputable lenders to help you identify the most suitable service and financing options for your particular situation.
Secure Financing for Your Next Aircraft Acquisition
Even for high-net-worth individuals, a business aircraft is a significant investment, which is why it’s important that prospective buyers have a complete understanding of what aircraft financing options are available before they begin the acquisition process. Qualified aviation consultants such as the team at Essex Aviation Group can help you navigate the complexities of private jet financing and identify the financing arrangement and company that best meets your particular needs and situation.
Aircraft Financing Options: An Overview
Aircraft Financing
Aircraft financing refers to the procurement of funds for the purchase and operation of a private aircraft. Private jet financing transactions can be structured a number of ways, including secured loans and leases, such as operating leases, finance leases, leveraged leases and sale leasebacks.
Aircraft Leasing
An aircraft lease involves the use of an aircraft for a specified period of time without transferring the title. The owner of the aircraft — the lessor — maintains legal ownership, but the lessee holds possession and is responsible for all the costs associated with operating the aircraft for the duration of the lease.
Essex Aviation’s Aircraft Financing Consulting Services
Essex Aviation offers comprehensive service and support to high-net-worth individuals, corporations and family offices looking to finance a new or pre-owned private aircraft.
We not only bring decades of technical expertise and experience to the table, but also maintain long-standing relationships and regularly work with a large array of reputable aviation lenders globally, each of which maintains a significant portfolio of assets.
We can also leverage our network to help you assemble a team of qualified industry professionals, including tax advisors and attorneys, aircraft trust experts and aircraft management companies.
The Aircraft Financing & Leasing Processes
Aircraft Financing
- We begin every engagement by working with the client to assess their particular travel requirements and help them identify the private aviation service that best meets their needs, whether that’s aircraft leasing, membership programs or outright acquisition.
- For clients who choose to pursue aircraft acquisition, we’ll help them identify the appropriate make and model based on their travel requirements. Once we’ve identified a suitable option, we’ll work with the client’s bank to determine whether it supports aircraft financing.
- If the client’s bank does not support private jet financing, we can introduce them to lenders that do. Those lenders may include traditional banks, banks with aircraft finance groups and private lending groups. We’ll work closely with the client to identify a suitable lender and financing structure.
- Once we’ve identified a suitable lender, the lender will evaluate the client against its financing criteria, which include the “5 Cs” of credit — character, capital, capacity, collateral and conditions — as well as additional portfolio parameters based on the age and models of aircraft they’re able to finance.
- We conduct a full technical review of the aircraft and partner with the client’s bank or lender to address credit and Know Your Customer requirements before finalizing financing.
Aircraft Leasing
- Perform Initial Evaluation
Each client is unique and their private aviation expectations and needs vary accordingly. For those new to private aviation, Essex Aviation is an invaluable resource during the initial evaluation of private aircraft programs. Our team leverages industry experience, expertise and connections to help clients compare options based on their current and future needs to ensure that they’re matched with the right aircraft and aviation utilization model. - Oversee the Proposal
Once the client has chosen an aircraft type, Essex Aviation will help them sort through various proposals from identified private jet leasing companies and evaluate which option will most closely meet the requirements of their unique situation. - Oversee Negotiations and Contracting
Once a provider has been selected, Essex will represent the client through the review and will negotiate the terms, final contract and closing on the private jet lease. - Ongoing Financial Monitoring
Although the billing process for lease providers is straightforward, our team will continue to provide routine statement monitoring and review on an as-requested basis to ensure that the client’s financing costs are in order.
Why Essex Aviation?
Unbiased
Essex Aviation is not a brokerage firm and does not list aircraft for sale. We made this choice in order to avoid any conflicts of interest by representing both a buyer and seller. We accept no commissions, referral fees or any other forms of compensation from any third parties. At Essex, we work solely for our clients, offering unbiased and uncompromised advice.
Unparalleled Expertise
Lee Rohde, Tom Mitchell and Michael Moore have been working in the aviation business for a combined 100+ years. Passionate about aviation since they were in their teens, Lee, Tom and Mike provide a unique combination of experience and a wealth of unparalleled knowledge while advocating for their clients’ interests.
Confidential
We are committed to protecting the privacy of our clients. Every agreement we enter into includes privacy and confidentiality clauses, which are strictly adhered to by every member of Essex Aviation.
Honest and Fair
Essex is a well-respected consumer advocate within the aviation industry, known for our character and honesty. It is our desire to form and maintain long-term relationships with our clients and remain accountable for the analysis and support of past and ongoing decisions.
Our Testimonials
Our Clients Say It Best
“Essex Aviation’s guidance and data analysis was crucial to our successful first CJ3 lease and later our CJ4 purchase. The expertise of Essex allowed us to understand more fully our flight metrics, history, costs and how to match our future aviation needs with available options in a way that would not have been possible on our own.”
Alexandra Glazier, President and CEO
New England Donor Services
“Lee and Tom are the dynamic duo you've been looking for. Their collective skills provide exacting coverage on every detail needed when considering an airplane purchase or refurbishment. I worked with them on a lengthy process, from identification of plane, purchase, full refurbishment, staff assignments thru delivery. I was never once disappointed. Perfect personalities for even the pickiest of clients!”
Heidi M.
“Essex Aviation facilitated an end-of-lease process for a large aircraft and assisted us with structuring a subsequent lease extension. The transactions had several challenging issues that required expert counseling and negotiation. The Essex team is friendly, prompt, easy to work with, and most importantly, simply the best at what they do. We couldn’t be happier with the outcome.”
Joe Stone, CFO
Sartini Enterprises, Inc.
“Lee, Tom and the team at Essex have worked with us over the years on a variety of fixed wing, rotor and other special projects, performing to superior standards throughout. We initially went through an industry downselect to compete them against their peers and they surfaced as the best fit for us. We continue to be very happy with the relationship.”
Mike D.
Northeast Based Family Office
“Knowledgeable. Informed. Competent. Thorough. Practical. Candid. Professional. Responsive. Efficient.”
Tony R., CFO
Northeast Based Family Office
“We had a very positive experience with Essex. We found them to be competent, professional and objective. They dedicated a significant amount of time to providing an extremely insightful evaluation of our aircraft division. The report detailed strengths and weaknesses in our operation, together with constructive recommendations . They interacted very well with the staff and were able to elicit accurate and honest information.”
Michael M.
Northeast based Family Office
“Throughout my career as a family office executive, Essex Aviation has been my go to aviation expert. Lee and Tom have guided me through the most complex aircraft acquisition while being able to meet difficult client deadlines. The Essex team has provided key analysis ranging from the mundane, such as the interpretation of the placement of a placard on an aircraft to negotiations relating to an engine care program. Lee and Tom are key partners in all aspects of family office aviation matters.”
John Castrucci, Family Office Executive & Founder
Global Family Office Advisors
“I engaged Essex Aviation to prepare an analysis of large cabin aircraft that best met my needs. Their process was comprehensive and thorough. After an exhaustive search of available aircraft, they represented me on the acquisition, negotiation and importation of a long range aircraft and then oversaw a comprehensive customization of the entire plane. Throughout the process, Essex was a knowledgeable, trustworthy and detail oriented partner.”
Daniel R.
Become the Proud Owner of Your Very Own Business Jet
Securing aircraft financing is only one step in the journey to becoming an aircraft owner — see what other steps you’ll need to take in our in-depth acquisition guide.
Are You Ready to Become the Proud Owner of Your Very Own Business Jet?
The decision whether to purchase a private aircraft is likely one of the biggest decisions you’ll make in your life. In order to ensure that you’re fully prepared to make that decision — and to ensure that you get the greatest return on your investment — it’s important that you be aware of everything that actually goes into acquiring, owning and operating your own plane.