Fleet Planning: Crucial for Any Jet Owner

Fleet planning plays an important role when it comes to the buying and selling of aircraft.

Anyone considering a transition into an aircraft should be asking themselves several questions:

• How have I been using the airplane?
• Is that the right airplane for that mission?
• Is there any other aircraft I should use?
• Should I buy new?
• Should I buy used?

There are a lot of different scenarios that go into managing aircrafts, so the first question many owners ask is: why do I need a fleet plan?

The Importance of Fleet Planning

The simple answer is that everyone needs a fleet plan. It is important to be smart when making decisions, and really look at all the capital issues to make informed decisions.

When constructing a fleet plan, it is important to look at it through three lenses: Operational, Financial, and most importantly, Strategic.

The operational method involves taking a look at how the plane is being used, and it is important because it is building a story of a company’s aircraft trends: what has happened and how it is changing?

Through the financial lens, it is important to understand an owner’s vision of capital expense and what the different scenarios of ownership will cost over the next period, whether it be five or ten years. Guardian Jet takes into account all the different criteria of ownerships and creates options based on financial and operational trends to find owners the best fit for their aircraft needs.

The third, and most important, is the strategic lens. The flight department should consistently be in line with the strategic goals of the company.

It is important to talk with senior managers of the company about goals and comparing that with the financial and operational information. It is vital to find out the specific goals the company has, based on their needs – whether it is timing, trends in the market, what kind of plane they need, or what kind of planes they favor – and then integrate the operational and financial lenses to begin the fleet plan.

Our philosophy is to provide options, instead of just telling clients what they should do. It is a very collaborative process, and one that must be done each year to ensure that goals are met.

For more information, visit our Fleet Planning page.