For decades, the general aviation market operated on a fairly simple depreciation curve. An aircraft was built, it aged, its value dropped, and eventually, it bottomed out at a price point determined by its utility and remaining engine life. If it flew, it had value. That era is ending. As we move deeper into the transition away from 100 Low Lead (100LL) fuel and face rising insurance premiums, maintenance costs, and hangar shortages, the market is no longer [...]

Aircraft ownership is a game of managing lifecycles. For years, an aircraft serves as a powerful transportation platform and a valuable productivity tool. But no asset flies forever. Over time, operating economics erode, maintenance costs escalate, and market liquidity tightens. Eventually, every aircraft crosses an invisible but critical line where it stops being worth more as a flying machine and starts being worth more in pieces. The decision to part out an aircraft is never arbitrary, and it [...]

The phrase "unleaded transition" sounds clean and modern. It suggests progress. But for a specific segment of the general aviation fleet, it sounds more like an expensive engineering problem. While the FAA and industry groups frame the move away from 100 Low Lead (100LL) as a manageable inevitability, the physics of combustion tell a sharper story. Not all piston engines are created equal. The vast majority of the fleet—the low-compression, naturally aspirated engines found in Skyhawks and Cherokees—will [...]

You don’t find out whether you made a good aircraft purchase when you buy it. You find out when you try to sell it. That is when obsolescence shows up, liquidity disappears, and the structural mistakes you made years ago finally come to collect. Most of these mistakes are not dramatic. They are quiet, paper-based errors that destroy millions in value without the owner even realizing it. Successful people—doctors, entrepreneurs, CEOs—are often the most at risk. They are [...]

When operators think about aircraft maintenance programs, they typically see them as a budgeting tool—a way to smooth out the volatile and often massive expenses of engine overhauls and other major inspections. That is how they have been marketed for decades: predictable costs, simplified maintenance planning, and operational peace of mind. But that is only half the story. Financially, maintenance programs were designed to do something much bigger. They were created to stabilize asset value and preserve liquidity [...]

The idea of acquiring an aging aircraft and monetizing it for parts is compelling. When the sum of an aircraft’s components exceeds its value as a whole flying machine, a tear-down strategy seems like a straightforward path to significant returns. Many owners, seeing this arbitrage opportunity, assume they can manage the process themselves, treating it like a complex mechanical project rather than what it truly is: an institutional asset disposition. In practice, attempting to execute an aircraft tear-down [...]

The current conversation about aviation fuel is focused intensely on the immediate hurdle: finding a drop-in replacement for leaded avgas. Everyone is talking about G100UL, STCs, and tank compatibility. These are critical "right now" problems. But if you zoom out to the ten or twenty-year horizon, the conversation shifts entirely. Ethanol blends and refined unleaded petroleum products are transition technologies. They are the bridge that gets us from the leaded era to the unleaded one. But bridges are [...]

Complete, detailed logbooks are the only ones that matter in aviation. Some of the most common mistakes in aircraft logbook maintenance typically don’t result in major setbacks for aircraft owners.  However, some mistakes could impact your logbook credibility and overall aircraft value. Missing logbooks can cause a significant double-digit loss – anywhere between 40% and 60% of the total aircraft value. Avoid the most common mistakes aircraft owners make to ensure more accurate and reliable aircraft maintenance records [...]

Aircraft insurance costs, coverage, and requirements can vary widely, depending on the aircraft you plan on purchasing whether for yourself or your business. But having the right type of coverage for your aircraft is necessary for both your annual budget and peace of mind. Ever heard any of these misconceptions about aircraft insurance and don’t know what to believe?  I don’t need insurance if I’m not flying far My homeowner’s insurance covers everything Hull insurance always covers full [...]

The Latest Single-Engine Aircraft Models Of 2025: What Aviators To Know Single-engine aircraft remain a favorite among pilots for their simplistic design and lower cost of ownership and maintenance – especially when paired with a comprehensive maintenance program.  Ideal for a variety of flight activities including training, recreation, and personal travel, it’s the continuous innovation in performance and safety features that keep heads turning with every new release. See more of what’s to come in 2025 with the [...]