(Groton, CT – May 29, 2020)  For the past 15-20 years I have consistently participated in Sun-n-Fun to “open” the season, Oshkosh to finish the summer, and NBAA-EBACE to tee up winter prospecting and sales activities. In between each of these would be local and regional shows that filled out the dance card. It was a constant annual rotation that gave a great degree of stability and rhythm to the sales year. We could count on each event to help funnel interest and build excitement. Obviously that construct which worked so well in the past has now been forced to change. I have no doubt that the large and small scale expos will continue in some form or fashion going forward (design and execution yet to be determined), but in the interim period of economic pause a new process for prospecting, buying, and selling is settling in…much of which will remain in effect after normalcy returns and balances with our previous notions. I believe central to this new style of buying aircraft will be an explosive expansion of how we’ve been doing it for the last ten years or so now…online. Online listings, social media, video tours & demos…all of these have been in use for many years now, but going forward they will become the norm and the rule rather than simply the fresh new way to buy/sell.  For a predominant swath of the industry, a decentralized prospecting method will take effect. The key for us at least as sellers will be to embrace this transition, to build on it, and continue to strive for a quality selling process that takes care of the buyer.

COVID-19 era

Columbia Aircraft Sales remains at the ready to serve our clients in their buying and selling journeys.  Our parent company Columbia Air Services continues to maintain a robust level of business in all of our divisions, altogether encompassing forty years in business. The maintenance and avionics shops continue to work at a brisk pace and our FBO locations in Groton CT, Rutland VT, and Bar Harbor ME continue to provide transient and based aircraft with the services they need to keep moving. There have been many bumps in the road over the decades. Columbia has consistently weathered them thoughtfully and professionally, always emerging stronger.  We believe and know that there is smooth air again further down this route.

…And we continue to buy and sell aircraft here in Sales. There is never a wrong time to act on what you need. Some need to sell, some need to buy. The fact is…our business resides square in the middle of that spectrum and we remain at the ready to assist.

New vs. Pre-Owned…it all depends on mission and budget. A factory new Daher product will come with the latest in technological advancements such as the TBM940’s newly announced HomeSafe feature utilizing Garmin’s Autoland system. Or a pre-owned aircraft that possesses similar performance and capability may present a better value for you. We are prepared and capable to help you either way! If you do not see what you are looking for, we can absolutely reach out proactively and find it. The pre-owned spectrum is wide and varied; contact us to begin narrowing your field and price point. New aircraft purchases are an exciting option given new technology and upgrades. As times and needs are changing, engage with someone who is able and willing to pivot with you.

Financing is flirting with historic lows making it advantageous to act now. Rates and terms are attractive, and lenders are eager to assist. The recently passed CARES Act potentially benefits your purchase in the form of a Net Operating Loss Carryback (NOLCB) provision. NOLCB allows tax payments from up to five years ago to be refunded due to losses incurred in the current year. This may have significant implications for companies and individuals who are looking to purchase an aircraft in 2020. More detailed info here:

https://aviationtaxconsultants.com/files/df06c2f0-7db0-11ea-a40a-134073866ecc

Leaning Forward

So why own your own aircraft if you don’t already? Total control over access and use while maintaining freedom of movement. Safety and protection for you and your crew. Uncertainties surrounding the global pandemic lend themselves to supporting a private aircraft in your hangar with which to travel unfettered, without concern for virus transmission due to the mode of travel. One less thing to worry about. Consider it Fast Transit over Mass Transit.  If you already own an aircraft with which to travel, you no doubt already appreciate these tenets.  Is it time to consider an upgrade to be better equipped?

Columbia Aircraft Sales remains eager to transact within the new construct of the post-coronavirus business climate.  Call us for a consult and discussion about what you desire and what works best for you.  We will leverage our long-term expertise and experience within the sale, management and maintenance of high quality aircraft into choice offerings that are tailored and curated for you. Proper representation is crucial to a successful transaction, from either side of the table. We are available for video presentations of available aircraft if in-person inspections and demonstrations are not desired. Delivery to your home base and/or hangar can be arranged to minimize your exposure. Our aircraft for sale are kept clean and tidy. We can sanitize and disinfect to additional levels as needed per the buyers wishes. In essence, we are committed to selling you an aircraft that meets your specific needs & wants, and is ready to operate safely for you out of the box.

Shift YOUR Paradigm

Next steps are inevitably tough to navigate, especially during a stormy and turbulent trip. As the new normal comes into focus more and more, is it time to consider a next step? Columbia Aircraft Sales remains committed to helping our prospects and clients maintain comfortable, safe and unrestricted general aviation travel capabilities in these trying times, within allowable restrictions and limitations. With current low interest rates and more relaxed tax standards, as well as fuel costs trending downward, the cost of flying is improving while protecting yourself becomes more and more paramount. Those who own their own aircraft now have the ability to travel in a proverbial plastic bubble, less exposed to airborne transmissions to be endured by public air travelers. From YOUR doorstep to YOUR vehicle to YOUR own aircraft, CONTROL your access safely and reliably. Consider a purchase or upgrade today and navigate your own vectors out of the rough air.

Let Columbia’s forty years of experience and industry-wide reputation for excellence enable you to realize ideal outcomes. Our experience matters…and we are ready to put it to work for YOU.