Private Jet Ownership. Built around your needs.

When private jet ownership may make sense

Owning a private jet can make sense when short-notice availability, specific missions and the value of your time justify a dedicated flying solution. Whether whole ownership, shared ownership or charter is the better fit depends on your travel profile, the control you want and the overall financial commitment. Annual flying hours are an important indicator, but not the only basis for the decision. Our advice is based on what genuinely makes sense for you – and sometimes the right answer is not to buy an aircraft at all.

01 · Availability and specific missions

If you need availability around the clock, frequently decide to travel on the day of departure, or have requirements that the charter market struggles to meet consistently, a dedicated aircraft can give you greater control. The key is to align response times, airport access, cabin and equipment requirements with an appropriate crew and operating plan.

Owning an aircraft does not, by itself, provide unrestricted 24/7 availability. Maintenance, crew rest and airport opening hours must be considered, together with backup arrangements when the aircraft is unavailable.

02 · Time and regular use

For frequent travellers, the value of a suitable aircraft lies above all in greater control over the day: several meetings in one trip, shorter journeys to the final destination and more usable time for family or business.

With more than 100 hours of personal or company flying a year, whole or shared ownership may warrant a closer assessment. If desired, owner flying can be combined with charter activity coordinated by Lohn Aviation. Depending on owner preferences and demand, total annual utilisation of around 200–400 hours can be explored as a planning objective. These figures are a starting point for individual analysis, not a universal break-even threshold or a commitment to deliver utilisation.

From the first conversation to a working flight operation

1. Understand your needs and missions

We review typical routes, passenger numbers, baggage and cabin requirements, preferred airports and short-notice travel. Annual flying hours, required response times and personal priorities form the mission profile against which every subsequent decision is assessed.

2. Select the aircraft and ownership structure

Whole ownership offers the greatest control over your aircraft. Shared ownership can be an alternative where usage patterns align, with clear agreements on access, costs, decision-making and exit. We assess the appropriate structure and support aircraft selection, due diligence, acceptance and delivery when purchasing.

3. Assess financing and leasing

Purchase price, capital commitment, operating budget and intended holding period are considered together. Lohn Aviation prepares the aviation aspects of the project and introduces suitable financing partners. Credit and leasing decisions and terms remain with the relevant partner; Lohn Aviation is neither a lender nor a lessor.

4. Prepare registration and operations

Ownership structure, registration, home base, insurance and operating model must work together. Before delivery, we establish who will be responsible for the operation and what needs to be in place for your intended use. This creates a coordinated path from handover to the first flight.

5. Organise crew, maintenance and compliance

A dependable operation requires qualified crews, training schedules, maintenance coordination, continuing airworthiness oversight and clearly assigned responsibilities. Aircraft management brings these tasks together with flight planning, cost control and transparent reporting to the owner.

6. Define any charter activity

You decide whether, and to what extent, your aircraft should be available to third parties. We assess its operational suitability and agree release windows, booking lead times and owner priority. Commercial flights are organised within the appropriately approved operating structure.

Your own flying defines the scope for charter

Charter can contribute towards ongoing costs. What matters is the contribution remaining after additional flight costs, positioning, maintenance and marketing. More flying hours alone do not necessarily produce a better outcome for the owner.

The shorter the notice you need for your own flights, the more capacity must remain available to you. Together, we establish when charter is possible, how confirmed bookings are handled and what alternatives are planned for scheduling conflicts or technical downtime. The financial assessment also considers lower or no charter contribution.

An ownership decision informed by operational experience

Lohn Aviation combines aircraft acquisition and management with hands-on flight operations and access to additional charter capacity. The practical realities of ownership are therefore considered from the aircraft selection stage. For entrepreneurs, families and family offices, this means coordinated decisions from the initial mission profile through to ongoing operations.

Let’s begin with your missions.

For an initial conversation, your most frequent routes, approximate annual flying hours, typical passenger numbers and expectations for short-notice availability are enough. We will also discuss your intended budget and approach to charter activity. Together, we assess whether whole ownership, shared ownership or continued charter use fits your needs.

Frequently Asked Questions About Private Jet Ownership, Acquisition Advice and Aircraft Management

How much does aircraft management cost?

Aircraft management fees depend on the aircraft type, the agreed scope of services and the level of support required. At Lohn Aviation, fees for small piston aircraft start at around €1,000 per month. For large intercontinental jets, they can exceed €10,000 per month. These figures refer to the management fee, not the total cost of operating the aircraft. The individual management agreement defines which services are included and which expenses are charged separately.

Does Lohn Aviation charge for acquisition advice and planning?

Lohn Aviation generally provides acquisition advice and planning at no additional charge when a corresponding aircraft management agreement is concluded. Fees may apply in exceptional cases or where particularly extensive assessments are required. The scope of services and any separate charges are agreed individually. This arrangement does not mean that third-party services during the acquisition process, such as technical inspections or legal and tax advice, are also provided free of charge.

When does owning a private jet make more sense than charter?

Ownership may be the better fit if you frequently travel at very short notice, need an aircraft consistently configured around your requirements, or have specific missions that are difficult to accommodate with different charter aircraft. Charter may be more suitable if you fly infrequently or need very different aircraft sizes from one trip to another. The decision depends on availability, time saved, the mission profile and the overall financial commitment.

How many annual flying hours justify considering private jet ownership?

With more than 100 hours of personal or company flying per year, an individual assessment of whole or shared ownership may be worthwhile. This is not a fixed break-even threshold. Depending on owner preferences and demand, supplementary charter activity can be considered, with total annual utilisation of around 200–400 hours explored as a planning objective. This total includes both owner flights and charter operations. Actual costs, available charter windows and your personal requirements remain decisive.

What is the difference between whole ownership and shared ownership?

With whole ownership, you own the entire aircraft, determine its intended use and bear the associated financial commitment. Shared ownership involves several owners holding an aircraft under a contractual arrangement. Booking rights, short-notice availability, cost allocation, decisions on maintenance and equipment, and future exit arrangements all need to be defined. Shared ownership works best when the participants’ usage patterns and expectations are compatible.

Will my own aircraft always be available at short notice?

Owning an aircraft allows readiness planning to be tailored to your needs, but does not provide unrestricted availability. Maintenance, technical downtime, crew rest, weather and airport opening hours can limit operations. If same-day or overnight departures are essential to you, crew coverage, basing, response times and backup capacity should be addressed in the operating concept from the outset.

Can charter cover the ongoing costs of my private jet?

Charter can contribute towards ongoing costs, but full cost recovery cannot be assumed. What matters is the contribution remaining after the additional costs of flights, positioning, maintenance and marketing. The more short-notice availability you reserve for yourself, the less scope there is for charter. The plan should therefore remain financially sustainable with a lower charter contribution or none at all.

Which costs should I consider beyond the purchase price and management fee?

The overall assessment should include crew, training, insurance, hangarage or parking, maintenance and technical support programmes, as well as fuel, airport and handling charges. Depending on the structure, financing costs, capital tied up in the aircraft and potential changes in its value also need to be considered. It is useful to distinguish between acquisition costs, recurring fixed costs, usage-related costs and reserves for major maintenance events.

How is the right aircraft selected for my family or business?

Selection begins with your actual missions: routes, passengers, baggage, cabin requirements, preferred airports and the availability you need. A suitable aircraft must meet these requirements under realistic operating conditions. Alongside range and comfort, the aircraft’s limitations, access to maintenance and ongoing costs are important. Lohn Aviation brings these criteria together in a search profile and supports selection as part of the aircraft acquisition process.

Can Lohn Aviation coordinate the purchase with financing or leasing?

Yes. Lohn Aviation brings aircraft selection and the planned operating concept together with the preparation of a financing or leasing enquiry, and introduces suitable financing partners. The available structure depends on the aircraft, the purchaser and the intended use. Assessment, terms and the final decision remain with the relevant financing partner. Lohn Aviation is neither a lender nor a lessor.

How long does it take from the decision to buy until the aircraft is ready to operate?

The timeframe depends on market availability or delivery date, technical inspections, contractual arrangements, financing, registration and operational preparation. Even an aircraft available for purchase is not automatically ready to fly immediately after the transaction. Crew, insurance, maintenance support and the home base need to be prepared in good time. Lohn Aviation considers these steps together so that acquisition and entry into service can be coordinated.

How can my family office be involved in aircraft management?

A family office can act as the owner’s commercial and strategic point of contact. Responsibilities, budgets, approval limits and reporting are agreed with the aircraft management team. Operational responsibility remains clearly assigned within the agreed operating structure. This allows aircraft use, costs and major decisions to be managed transparently without requiring the owner to handle every operational detail personally.