People and planes

Aircraft brokers buy and sell aircraft on behalf of clients. They can work either side of the deal, and they often spend their days jumping between those two worlds. Unlike real estate, which is heavily regulated and requires training and certifications, becoming an aircraft broker requires only a desire to work in sales, intimate knowledge of aircraft, and a self-starter attitude.

That said, it is a tight community and getting a leg in can be difficult. Jason Newbold is the founder and owner of BoldJets, a brokerage he opened after many years working as a sales representative with Eagle Creek Aviation in Indianapolis. He met the crew at Eagle Creek during an airport event. “I walked up to one of the guys wearing a suit and said, ‘I have a business background and am aviation driven,’ and I asked what it would take to get into sales.” That initiative, combined with impeccable timing, landed him a role as a researcher.

Newbold explained that most new positions in sales are researchers, which involves generating cost comparisons, finding leads, marketing, finding aircraft for sale, and generally supporting the sales representatives. Do well there and a sales position will come knocking, where your days are filled with more hands-on time with clients.

Currently BoldJets has three sales representatives, so there aren’t any researchers on staff. Newbold said each person is responsible for drumming up their own business. Regardless of the level of support at a firm, he said the career is one where, “You have to count on yourself to get it done.”

In Newbold’s world of light and midsize jets and turboprops, a good sales rep will close at least one airplane transaction a month, but 15 to 17 a year is better. For a guy who loves aviation and just wants to be around airplanes all day, it’s a dream job. “I used to say I got into aviation because I like airplanes, and then I realized I like airplane people,” he said.

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