u/The-jet-guy

Not all brokers are the same. Some run a real operations and others are just forwarding operator quotes with a margin slapped on top while calling themselves jet brokers. I’ve been seeing way too many people out there that have absolutely no idea what that they are doing and advising people when they couldn't name a private jet while standing in front of one. Here is how you tell the difference:

#1- They can't explain the aircraft: If your broker can't tell you basic information on the plane they are trying to fly you on, they haven't done the homework and most likely don’t have your best interest in mind. They pulled a price, added money and sent it over to you. Just because an aircraft has 6 seats, does not mean 6 people would be comfortable on that plane. You should be able to ask your broker simple questions about the plane and having an answer almost instantly. Anybody can read a brochure, what about the this specific aircraft makes is perfect for the mission? What don't you like about this aircraft? You will find out quickly if your broker actually knows about what they are selling.

#2- They can't tell you anything about the operator: Who is flying you? What is their safety rating? How long have they been operating? If your broker can't answer basic questions about the company putting you in the air, they haven't vetted anything and again are just taking numbers and adding their margin on it.

#3- They send you multiple options with no recommendations: A good broker narrows it down to make it easier on the client. This is what you are paying for, the knowledge and back-end work to make your life easier. Yes, you should always have options, but the broker should be able to tell you the main differences between the planes, why there is a price difference, who the operator is, etc. It should be easy for you to make a decision and be confident you made the right one.

#4- They don’t know how to handle unexpected situations: Any broker can look good when the trip runs smooth and everything goes according to plan. This is aviation and travel logistics, when you are dealing with machines and unexpected things like weather, you are going to run into issues at some point. The real test is an AOG at 10pm the night before your flight or there is a rainstorm rolling in that causes a ground stop and the crew is going to duty out. If your broker has never mentioned what happens in these kinds of scenarios, ask them right now before you sign a contract or send them money.

#5- Pricing is way below market: I see this constantly. Someone gets a quote that's 20-30% under everything else and they think they found a deal….You didn't find a deal, the market is the market and nobody is going to beat it. You found someone cutting corners somewhere, whether that's on the operator they're using, the safety record, or they are charging you something else on the backend. No legitimate or respected operator is selling a trip far below what it's worth. If they could make more, they would. Relationships will get you better deals but not to the point where an operator isn’t making any money.

#6- They pressure you to book fast: This one is tricky because there is real availability pressure and it does exist in this industry. But, if every single trip comes with "this won't last, I need an answer in the next hour," that's a sales tactic, not a market reality. A good broker will be honest with you about what's actually urgent and what isn't. If you are looking at an asap scenario or something like a busy weekend, holiday, etc, that is more when it starts to matter how fast you book. The farther the trip is out, the more time you realistically have.

#7- They disappear after you sign: Some brokers are very attentive until the contract is signed and the wire hits. Then suddenly response times get longer, updates stop coming, and you're on your own day of travel. That is NOT how this should work. Again, you are paying for someone to make your life easier and to advise you, not to go silent when you need them the most.

***BOTTOM LINE***

The broker-client relationship should feel like having someone in your corner who actually knows the industry and how it works. They should be someone you can turn to when you have questions and someone you trust to steer you in the right direction. If it feels like a used car lot, trust that feeling and go somewhere else, there are plenty of people in this industry who genuinely want to help.

I keep seeing a lot of posts from people asking how to get into private aviation as a career, so I figured I’d give my honest take from someone actually in it full time.

First, I would only recommend this industry if you understand what you are actually signing up for and hopefully this sheds a little light.

This is not the kind of career where you do it for two years, make a bunch of quick money, and move on. Private aviation is a long game. Building a real book of business takes a lot of time, trust, good work, and a lot of consistency.

The million dollar question is compensation and there is no right answer because of how much it varies depending on the company. Are you starting your own or are you working for someone? Some are salary, some are salary plus commission, and some are full commission. You really need to understand the structure before jumping in because the difference is massive, especially if you are starting with no book.

You do not need to already know a bunch of wealthy people to make it in this industry, but I would be lying if I said it does not help. If you already have a strong network of people that you know fly, you can get moving faster than others that don’t have any of those connections. If you don’t, then it is cold calls, emails, LinkedIn, networking events, dinners, referrals, random conversations, and pretty much any way you can get in front of people who fly private or know people who do.

There is no shortcut to building a client base. The only shortcut is doing good business over and over again until people trust you and start referring their friends/business partners/your name starts floating around. Personally, it took about a 1.5 - 2 years before I had what I would call a livable income. This job has big highs, but also some very low lows. I had a second job at one point. That part does not get talked about enough.

Everyone sees the flashy side. The planes, the big trips, the lifestyle, the cool clients, etc. But a majority of the career is sitting behind a computer, being on the phone, quoting trips, solving problems, and being available at all times. When I say all times, I mean 24/7/365. Holidays, big events, late nights, early mornings, and everything in-between.

An absolute necessity is knowing aircraft knowledge and general aviation knowledge. You need to know what you are talking about and there is no shortcut to that. Private aviation is very niche. Clients are usually flying private because they value time, so you need to get them the correct information quickly and when they have questions, know the answers. A small mistake can become very very very very expensive, very fast.

Now for the cool parts about the career.

You can work from anywhere and it’s a cool industry assuming you like aviation and logistics. No day is the same and you can go from being slow to being slammed in a matter of minutes. Also, if you own your own company or are in a commission only role, there is no ceiling to your income.

But as you can imagine, this isn’t all sunshine and rainbows.

It is 24/7/365 and I mean 24/7/365. Your phone is always on you and you need to be ready to go at all times if this is something you want to excel at. This is not a clock in, clock out gig. Problems happen even when you did everything right. Aircraft mechanicals, weather changes, airport closures, TFR’s, clients changing plans last minute, and somehow you still have to be the person with the answers and figuring out how to make everything happen before your client even knows the situation.

This industry is also extremely competitive. As you can see in this sub-reddit, when a potential client posts something in here, their inbox has about 60+ people claiming to have the best price while all quoting the same airplanes. People are always trying to get in front of your clients, its up to YOU to make yourself valuable to them.

If you are coming from outreach, lead gen, sales, or relationship building, those skills absolutely transfer. But you also need to be willing to learn aviation at a serious level and accept that the money may not come quickly/if ever if you don’t go 100% in.

If you are seriously considering getting into this line of work, here are just a few questions I would ask yourself before getting into it:

Are you okay being available 24/7/365? Birthdays, holidays, late nights?

Are you willing to cold call, email, network, and get told no constantly?

Can you handle inconsistent income?

Are you willing to learn the aviation side enough to actually advise clients, not just sell to them?

Do you want a career where every day is different, or do you want something more predictable?

I love this career and will be doing this for my whole life. I live and breathe this because it’s something I genuinely enjoy doing. I do not like clocking in, sitting at a desk, and doing the same exact task every day. The industry, the people, the experiences, and the unpredictability of waking up not knowing what the day is going to turn into is something that I find valuable and exciting to me.

If you want a clean 9 to 5, this is not the right fit and I would keep looking.

Private aviation can be an amazing career, but this is not easy money. It is a relationship business, a knowledge business, and a patience game. Hopefully this helps people make the decision!