Paperwork an aviation buyer asks to see
- Your FAA certificates, ratings and operations specifications, current and complete
- A roster of mechanics and inspectors, with their certificates and tenure
- Parts inventory with traceability records and a list of anything unserviceable
- Your hangar or airport lease, its term and what it says about assignment
- Customer list by revenue, separating military, charter, corporate and private owners
A buyer pool that knows the rules
People who buy aviation companies tend to come from the industry: other repair stations, parts distributors, maintenance groups and investors with aviation operators on staff. They read your paperwork the way an FAA inspector would.
That is good news for a well run shop. Clean records, a solid quality system and a current certificate tell a buyer the business can keep working the day after closing.
The FAA certificate and how the deal is shaped
A repair station certificate is issued to the company that holds it. If the buyer purchases the company itself, the certificate usually stays with it, and the FAA must be told. If the buyer takes only the assets, it may need its own.
That can take real time, so the form of the deal matters more here than in most industries. Ask your aviation attorney early which route fits, and talk with the FAA office that oversees you before you sign a letter of intent.
Mechanics and inspectors are the value
Certificated mechanics, inspectors and avionics technicians are hard to hire anywhere. A shop with a stable crew and people holding inspection authority is worth more than one that relies on the owner signing off work.
Show how long each person has been with you and what they're certificated to do. If your accountable manager or chief inspector plans to retire, buyers need to know who steps in.
Parts, tags and traceability
For parts sellers and shops with stock on the shelf, inventory value depends on paperwork. A part without proper traceability records is worth little to a buyer, no matter what you paid for it.
Do a full count before going to market. Separate serviceable parts with clean records from cores, surplus and items waiting on repair. Buyers price each group differently.
Airport leases and aircraft
Most hangars at Cecil, JIA and Craig sit on airport land run by the Jacksonville Aviation Authority. Your lease term, renewal options and any consent needed for an assignment can make or break a deal.
Aircraft owned by the business are handled differently for Florida sales tax: they're taxed when the buyer registers them. Our guide on sales tax on the assets you sell explains why that changes the allocation.
Why Cecil and the region attract buyers
The Cecil Commerce Center has drawn aviation repair work for years, and NAS Jacksonville keeps military aviation close by. Buyers looking for skilled labor and room to grow see Northeast Florida as a place to add capacity.
Shops serving the west side can also draw customers from Orange Park and Clay County. To see how a valuation is built, read about our business appraisal.
When you're ready, fill out the private valuation form or call (904) 555-0129.