A large proportion of qualified buyers are unable to secure aircraft financing through traditional channels. JSSI Aviation Capital’s Ben Hockenberg discusses how the market is evolving and how more flexible approaches are helping buyers transact more efficiently.
Even when a company or individual has the ability to acquire an aircraft outright, financing can still play an important role, allowing buyers to preserve liquidity, maintain flexibility, and allocate capital across their broader business.
When financing aligns with the aircraft and the buyer's operating reality, it can support more efficient outcomes for all parties involved. This setup aims to have the lender earn returns over a defined term, with the borrower gaining access to the aircraft without unnecessarily constraining capital.
In practice, however, many otherwise qualified buyers find that traditional financing channels don’t always accommodate the specifics of their transaction.
For example, not everyone is in a position to acquire a new or nearly-new aircraft. A sizable portion of buyers shop the slightly older pre-owned aircraft market. Once aircraft age beyond ten years, the pool of willing lenders often becomes meaningfully narrower.
Others can afford newer aircraft but are based in regions that are less well served by established financing channels, or they operate under structures that don’t neatly align with standard underwriting frameworks.
This article was originally published by AvBuyer on May 19, 2026.