Updated . Educational only — not tax, legal, or lending advice. Confirm figures with your CPA, the state revenue department, and a lender before you close.
New versus Used Is a Worksheet, Not a Slogan
A new aircraft costs more up front and less in surprise maintenance. A used aircraft is the reverse. The loan does not change that; it spreads whichever price you accept. Type-level budgeting pages — piston, turboprop, jet — hold the category costs. This page is the comparison method.
Put these lines on one page
| Line | New | Used |
|---|---|---|
| Contract price | Invoice, options included | Contract, squawks excluded or included |
| Engine and prop status | Zero time, warranty | Hours and years to published TBO, not “mid-time” as a vibe |
| Avionics remaining support | Current | Ask what is on the manufacturer’s support list |
| Insurance, year one | Quote the new hull value | Quote agreed value and pilot time-in-type |
| Down time | Delivery slot | Prebuy findings and parts |
| Loan payment | From the calculator, at the real advance | Same, often at a lower advance if the collateral is old |
| First-year cash, not just the payment | Down payment + payment + insurance + training | Those, plus the prebuy invoice and any overhaul you already know about |
Depreciation and bonus depreciation can favor a new business aircraft on an after-tax basis. They do not pay the shop. If you cannot write the check for an annual on the used airplane, the tax deduction on a new one is not the problem you actually have.
Do not use a single “cost per hour” that divides all fixed costs by 100 hours and then compares it with a wet lease. Fixed costs are fixed. Fly more and the hourly figure falls without the airplane getting cheaper to own.
Questions buyers actually ask
Is a new aircraft always easier to finance?
It is easier to appraise and insure. The payment is larger. Easy and affordable are not the same test.
Should I finance an overhaul inside a used purchase?
If the lender will add it to principal and the after-overhaul appraisal supports the loan-to-value. Get the work order before the commitment, not after.