sold the idea of buying?

[starvingcfi]

just curious. has anyone here ever sold the idea of buying an aircraft to a company or companies?

...companies that travel frequently spend so much money on airline tickets. short-notice ticket prices are incredible. even buying advanced notice tix is pretty bad. companies that send 2-3-4 people to different locations once, twice, or three times a week could really benefit from owning an aircraft.

my question is, how would you find the right company to present the idea to? i've already bought a business directory from the chamber of commerce. next, how would you present the idea? how could you get good data for your presentation? conklin and decker numbers seem to be pretty high.

just curious if anyone has tried this before. i've been thinking about it quite a bit. the life of a corporate pilot. ahhhhhhhhh. charter is great. i'm having a blast, but i'd like better pay. better benefits. better equipment. you know.

just curious. thanks.

 

[jarhead]

For a company to make the leap from buying tickets on an airline, to owning an aircraft, is an awful big leap. Prior to my retirement, the company I worked for would often charter an aircraft if 3 or 4 people needed to make a quick, one day out and back trip, especially when going to a remote, small populated area. It used up the whole day to go from Minneapolis MN to Grand Rapids, Michigan, due to no direct flights between those cities. Had an awful wait at O'hare waiting for a commuter flight, and the day was pretty much shot just getting there, so then an overnight and hotel costs were involved. Charter worked best for us in that instance. On the other hand, our large parent company did own a corporate jet for a while, but later sold it, due to cost of owning. The jet was owned during a time of rapid expansion of our business, and the CEO and other Executives had to take frequent, unplanned trips to London and Beijing. So, it was more of a need to utilize their time better, than to manage costs. They then went to fractional ownership, after the corporate jet was sold.

 

[starvingcfi]

what about a few companies buying into an aircraft?...much like a frac. to share expenses. then of course there would be scheduling conflicts. any ideas?

 

[jarhead]

What would be the advantage, or reason to do that, over buying into a frac at 1/8th or 1/4th ownership? Business must have a reason to spend $$$, and it will look for the most cost effective way to accomplish something.

 

[starvingcfi]

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. i dunno.

 

[jergar999]

In addition to my flying job, I also have a part time job working for a rather large francisee with 30 locations in 7 states. I have spent hours and hours and hours trying to convice them to buy anything and let me fly it, with no luck. I covered the money angle (they send groups of 2-7 people all over the place constantly), the time angle, and being able to move almost anything anywhere on a moments notice, and just get laughed at. If you get it figured out, or have any good ideas, post them here. I would like to hear how it happens too. Sorry I'm not much help.

 

[starvingcfi]

d'oh. that doesn't sound good.

 

[jarhead]

Yep, if it were easy, everyone would be doin' it.

 

[SDdriver]

My sugg is to write up a good general business plan with some general numbers and something that will apply to most, mostly talk about the cost and time benifits of ownership, and then go get a nice suit and pitch it to business after business. You pitch it to enough people, one will take it, and that is all you are looking for is one right?

Or you could just do like I did and start your own 135. I wouldn't totaly recommend that, but it is an option. Plenty of threads on here that deal with 135's.

You are targeting the right companies, but you are not getting a reaction that is abnormal. MOst people will laugh at you because they have crazy ideas about owning an airplane and these ideas were probably put there by someone that didn't know didley about owning one. Write something that will show them how much better it is. Maybe target smaller places that will need a light twin or something that isn't millions of dollars to buy and thousands to operate.

Let us know how it goes. Be persistant and if it is what you want don't give up. You can do anything, you just can't give up like most do.

SD

Whew I have to go get another cup of coffie, I am seeing doubles.

 

[bart]

I have done this on two occasions. You really need to understand the tax code and have a solid estimate of operating expenses. I presented a stand alone departmental budget/business plan along with profiles of different aircraft and serious cost/benefit analysis that included hours of interviews with those that would be primary users.

My close rate was about 12%, so be ready for a lot of rejection. I wound up reccommending charter and fractional to several of those I worked with because it best met their needs. Should you be successful, be ready to give them a turn-key hassle-free program, that meets the costs you give them. You will need good relationships with an FBO and a maint faciility as well.

Best of Luck with it, it is fun, but alot of work.