Buy Very Light Jets

The VLJ is built for short business flights for 1–3 people: London–Paris, Geneva–Nice, Milan–Rome. The optimal leg is 800–2,000 km, i.e. 1.5–2.5 hours' flight. The aircraft are single-pilot certified and use short strips from 1,000 m, so they fly into small airports closer to the destination — Courchevel or St. Moritz instead of a major hub. Send us a request — we'll prepare options, calculate running costs and analyse the best fit for your task.

The class standard is 4–6 passenger seats and 2,000–2,900 km of range: the Phenom 100EX 2,180 km, the Cirrus Vision Jet about 2,300 km, the Citation M2 Gen 2 2,880 km, the HondaJet Elite II 2,865 km. Cruise speed is 630–780 km/h. With a full cabin, real range drops to about 1,500–2,000 km. Send us a request — we'll prepare options, calculate running costs and analyse the best fit for your task.

A light jet (Phenom 300E, CJ4) carries 7–10 passengers over 3,700–4,000 km; a VLJ carries 4–6 over 2,000–2,900 km. Light jets have a roomier cabin with a full lavatory and a bigger hold, and higher speed. But a VLJ is 30–40% cheaper to charter and buy. The rule is simple: up to four passengers and 2,000 km — a VLJ is enough; more — you need a light jet. Send us a request — we'll prepare options, calculate running costs and analyse the best fit for your task.

The entry into the jet class: used Cessna Mustangs and early Phenom 100s sell for $2–3M, HondaJets from 2016–2018 $3.2–4M, the Vision Jet G2 $2.8–3.3M. New Citation M2 Gen 2 and HondaJet Elite II cost $6–7M. Price is driven most by the engine programme (TAP/ESP saves the buyer hundreds of thousands), hours flown and avionics condition. Send us a request — we'll prepare options, calculate running costs and analyse the best fit for your task.

The standard path takes 6–10 weeks. Step 1: a letter of intent (LOI) with price and terms — 3–5 days. Step 2: a 5–10% deposit into escrow and signing of the purchase agreement. Step 3: a pre-purchase inspection — 1–3 weeks. Step 4: rectification of findings and price adjustment. Step 5: closing — simultaneous transfer of funds, title and risk, technical acceptance and ferry of the aircraft.

A pre-purchase inspection (PPI) is an independent check at a certified centre: airframe, engines, corrosion, records and compliance with airworthiness directives. It takes from 3 days on a turboprop to 2–3 weeks on a heavy jet and costs $15–100K — paid by the buyer. By market practice the seller pays to rectify airworthiness-affecting defects. A seller refusing a PPI is grounds to walk away.

The import budget depends on jurisdiction. In the EU the main items are any customs duty (most business-jet codes carry reduced or zero rates) and import VAT, which varies by country of entry (for example 19–22% in much of Europe). Registration in Aruba, San Marino or the Isle of Man under operation outside the EU allows a temporary-admission regime. We produce an exact calculation before the LOI is signed — an error here costs millions.

After purchase the aircraft must be entered into service: choose a registry (Aruba, San Marino, Isle of Man or a national one), sign a management and maintenance contract with an operator, enrol the engines on a programme (ESP/JSSI), arrange insurance, hangar and crew, and plan the first maintenance. We support all of these steps. Send us a request — we'll prepare options, calculate running costs and analyse the best fit for your task.

Before a deal we check: title and absence of liens or leases (a registry title search), the full maintenance history and airworthiness-directive records, the status of heavy maintenance checks and engine time remaining, any incident involvement, and compliance with export rules. We organise this review and an independent pre-purchase inspection before any funds move. Send us a request — we'll prepare options, calculate running costs and analyse the best fit for your task.

Running costs depend on utilisation and aircraft class. Budget for fixed and variable items:

- Crew and support staff;
- Fuel and navigation charges;
- Maintenance and insurance;
- Hangar storage and airport fees;
- Management company fee.

A light jet flying 200 hours a year typically costs from USD 700,000 annually; a long-range aircraft on the same utilisation runs into several million. We prepare a cost-of-ownership calculation for the specific aircraft before you commit, so the budget holds no surprises.