Buying or leasing a personal helicopter can improve your bottom line by saving you time and reducing rental costs if you use a helicopter on a regular basis.
A personal helicopter can cover a variety of functions. Some business considerations are on-demand travel for executives, aerial photography services, mapping, transport services, property or asset inventory, aerial agricultural uses and when airline travel is not practical.
For example, when the travel need is immediate, or the distance is not too great, a helicopter with a range of six hundred miles and a speed of two hundred miles per hour can be cost-effective. Personal helicopter prices range from around $200,000 for two passenger to $400,000 for larger, multi-passenger models.
Consider the following before making your big purchase:
1. Do an economic analysis to determine whether to purchase or lease a personal helicopter.
2. Choose the personal helicopter size and price that is right for your business needs.
3. Consider purchasing a used personal helicopter or buy one at a police or government auction.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Do the math: helicopter sales vs. lease
Once you purchase your personal helicopter, you still have to pay to operate it. Take into account tax advantages or disadvantages as well as whether or not the cost of owning and operating a helicopter is worth the time it saves. Calculate the real costs of owning and operating one.
I recommend: The
Helicopter History Site provides good details about the true costs of owning a personal helicopter.
HeliValue$, is considered the "Blue Book" for personal helicopters.
Learn all you can about personal helicopter features and prices, and start shopping on the Internet
From light to heavy, there is a variety of personal helicopters and price ranges choose from. Carefully determine the features you really need by familiarizing yourself with different models, and develop a shopping list with specific criteria for your situation.
I recommend: Air Crew Systems offers a range of options for buying a helicopter. You can even check out helicopters on
eBay. Find different manufacturers at
Controller.com.
Beat high helicopter prices with fractional ownership
Pioneered in the corporate jet market, fractional ownership entitles you to fly a certain number of hours, sharing with other owners.
I recommend: Contact
Sikorsky Shares or
HeliFlite for fractional helicopter sales.
Shop for used helicopters for sale
After analyzing the purchase vs. leasing option and which features and capacities you need, narrow your search to a specific helicopter. There are websites that provide searches by specific criteria. Find the specific model helicopter that suits your needs.
I recommend: Helicopter Sales.Com is a clearinghouse for purchasing all types of helicopters, and
Ekhard Helicopter Sales specializes in used helicopter sales.
Auctions of seized helicopters can be a good source for used personal helicopters
The government sells seized assets through helicopter auctions. But be sure you are dealing with a reputable, reliable helicopter sales company or government agency.
I recommend: The
Government auctions blog is a good place to keep an eye open for a good deal on a personal helicopter. Some websites may require you to register before they will show you their list of seized helicopters for sale. This
E-Zine article provides a comprehensive look at purchasing personal helicopters through auctions and offers good advice.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- Check out a few auctions before you buy. You may get excited by a great opportunity at the first auction, but don't get too eager.
- Decide what model, features and price range you want, and
list your specific criteria on a helicopter sales websites. Let the sellers find you.
- Be careful if you are buying an "as is" personal helicopter. Have a qualified helicopter mechanic check out the helicopter, and have him review the maintenance records.
The official source of Helicopter Sales is the Helicopter Sales page at Business.com
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