NAFA member David G. Mayer, law partner at Shackelford, Bowen, McKinley & Norton, LLP, shares his latest blog on business aircraft transactions.
Knowing the right steps and hiring the right people make all the difference when buying or leasing a business jet—the difference between navigating a smooth journey and encountering turbulence en route to closing.
In general, purchase transactions have been harder and longer to negotiate over the past couple of years, as sellers seek favorable sale prices and contract terms from buyers who often push back. Also, buyers are choosing more complex structures for tax and privacy reasons. Gone are the days of the pandemic buying frenzy when buyers would unwisely sacrifice inspections and diligence to acquire a jet quickly.
Nevertheless, some buyers claim that after closing many complex non-aviation deals, they can buy and finance a jet with few, if any, aviation experts involved. Unfortunately, some of them ultimately realize the error of their ways by making avoidable mistakes. A client recently told me that his high-dollar aircraft financing was just a simple loan his inside counsel could handle. Yet, he later admitted that he—and his inside counsel—had overlooked at least five critical issues we discussed, and he asked me to negotiate them for him.
This article was originally published by AIN on January 9, 2026.