First off, we’ve been at this since 1980 and have seen aviation businesses come and go. During the Covid 19 pandemic there was the broker jet card sugar high, when all the commercial airlines were grounded. Then of course some of these newcomer brokers learned that this was not a get rich quick scheme. Now the latest craze is management. However, private jet management can be a slippery slope.
In 2025 there are some ways to make money in aviation beyond charters.
There is little dispute that Part 135 charter operators can make a higher net profit than a broker. That assumes that they have their aircraft operating costs under control. Some believe that returning to base is a better model than floating aircraft. And the biggest fear as a direct carrier is an unexpected AOG maintenance call at a far away from base small regional airport.
When you look at aviation and take away the aircraft sales and manufacturing, the business centers around operating an aircraft.
All aircraft require routine maintenance, so the MROs are definitely a steady business. Here it’s parts and people to make that work successfully.
So now back to the charters. You’ve got two basic groups the direct carrier’s owned aircraft and the managed aircraft.
Our friends at the Aircraft Guys have been working on a series on the State of the Charter Industry. With our weekly newsletter read by over 25,000 aviation professionals, there are lots of people to talk to.
It has been interesting to hear from a fair number of Part 91 owners, (full owners not fractional). Quite a few are finding out that the cost of owning and operating their aircraft has skyrocketed over the last 5 years. This has made the prospect of chartering part time a necessity to help offset costs.
Owners who want to charter their aircraft part time need to really seek out the right people to do that. This can be a nightmare, if not done correctly. Here I would say if there is any owner who reads this article and is considering chartering to save some money, please contact us.
We’re not here to sell you anything but help you do it the right way. There are very few people out there who actually know how to do this to protect your interests and maximize your return. You also don’t want to unwittingly become a Part 134-1/2 operator.
We’re always here to help. That’s why some of the largest corporations in the world work with us.
You can call the Aircraft Guys at 786-949-4141 or email us at hello@blueislanddigital.com.