Everything you need to know — from loan requirements and current rates to the full closing process. Loans from $50,000 to $5 million for every category of general aviation.
Buying an aircraft is closer to buying real estate than buying a car. There is a title search, a lien filed with the FAA, an independent pre-purchase inspection, an escrow company coordinating the closing, and a lender who wants to understand not just your finances but the specific aircraft you are buying and how you plan to use it. The financing process has its own vocabulary and its own timeline, and it moves faster than most first-time buyers expect when you have the right people involved.
FLYING Finance arranges aircraft loans from $50,000 to $5 million across every segment of general aviation in the continental United States. First-time buyers financing a used Cessna 172, high-net-worth individuals who prefer the strategic advantages of financing, business owners adding an aircraft to the company, flight schools building out a training fleet, and charter operators expanding a Part 135 certificate. We work across all of it, and the underwriting approach is different for each. This guide walks through the whole picture.
For editorial coverage on the aircraft themselves, the team at FLYING Magazine has covered the GA fleet more thoroughly than anyone. AvBuyer and AircraftForSale.com are where most aircraft searches begin. Plane & Pilot and Kitplanes cover the light sport and experimental side well. This guide picks up where those resources leave off, at the financing step.
Most retail buyers are financing $75,000 to $600,000 on certified piston aircraft: a Cessna 172, Piper Archer, Cirrus SR22, or Beechcraft Bonanza. The loan is a fixed-rate, fixed-term installment loan with the aircraft as collateral. You do not need a corporation or a commercial certificate. You need verifiable income, a credit score above 680, a down payment, and clarity on how you will use the airplane. FLYING Finance handles lender selection, document coordination, and the connection to title and escrow so you can focus on the aircraft.
High-net-worth buyers frequently finance aircraft to preserve liquidity, maintain investment positions, or optimize the tax year of acquisition. Loan sizes of $500,000 to $5 million are common in this segment covering late-model Cirrus SR22Ts, Pilatus PC-12s, TBMs, King Airs, and light jets. Documentation programs for borrowers with strong net worth relative to loan size exist, and they trade some documentation depth for speed and simplicity. The aircraft selection carries more underwriting nuance at this level. A factory-equipped, single-owner airframe with current avionics and an engine on program is a materially different collateral story than the same model with deferred maintenance.
Business aircraft financing covers two scenarios that look similar but underwrite differently. In the first, the aircraft is a genuine operational tool for client travel, site visits, or time-sensitive logistics. In the second, a successful business owner wants to own an aircraft personally and the business supports the financial profile. Both are legitimate and both are common. Lenders evaluate entity structure, documented use, and the financial profile of the principals. The question of whether to hold the aircraft personally, in an LLC, or in the operating company has real tax and liability implications. Consult your CPA and aviation attorney before the loan closes. FLYING Finance does not provide tax or legal advice.
Commercial operators represent a specialized underwriting category. Lenders evaluate revenue-generating capacity, certificate history, and fleet maintenance programs alongside the standard financial picture. Higher utilization accelerates depreciation, which affects loan-to-value terms, and Part 135 operations typically require 20% or more down. FLYING Finance has dedicated programs for flight school fleet financing and preferred OEM relationships with Sling, Tecnam, and Bristell. If you are scaling a training fleet, the interaction between your financing structure, GI Bill enrollment, and 529 student funding also affects how you build your student pipeline. The flight school financing page covers all of it.
"From pre-approval to keys, I can walk you through every step — what lenders look for, how long it takes, what the documents are, and what happens between signing a purchase agreement and getting the wire confirmation."
An aircraft loan is a secured installment loan. The lender provides the capital, records a lien against the aircraft at the FAA Civil Aviation Registry in Oklahoma City, and you repay in fixed monthly installments over the agreed term. When the loan is paid off, the lien is released. Simple in principle, specific in practice.
FLYING Finance operates as a broker, not a direct lender. Rather than being limited to one institution's guidelines and rate sheet, we present your aircraft financing application to the lender in our network best suited to your aircraft type, loan size, credit profile, and intended use. That means competitive terms without having to apply to multiple places yourself and absorb the credit impact of each inquiry.
The distinction from traditional consumer lending is real. Most banks and credit unions that handle auto and mortgage loans do not have the internal expertise to evaluate an aircraft properly. They may not know how to value a factory Garmin G3X installation, how Part 91 versus Part 135 use changes lender risk, or what a pre-purchase inspection report tells them about the asset's true condition. Aviation specialty lenders understand all of that, and the ones FLYING Finance works with do this every day.
For the editorial perspective on which aircraft might be right for your mission, FLYING Magazine has covered nearly every production aircraft in the fleet. The FLYING Finance Aircraft Buyer's Guide and the Aircraft Comparison Engine let you compare airframes side by side with real-world numbers before the financing conversation begins. The Ownership Planning Tool models true cost of ownership so the monthly number you are underwriting makes sense in full context.
Aircraft financing underwriting evaluates three things simultaneously: the borrower, the financials, and the aircraft. All three need to work. A strong borrower profile cannot rescue a poor collateral story, and a pristine aircraft does not compensate for a thin financial file. Here is how each element breaks down in practice.
LTV is the percentage of the aircraft's appraised value a lender will finance — one of the most important variables in any aircraft financing transaction. It varies by aircraft type, intended use, and borrower profile. A higher down payment almost always produces better rate terms, and the difference between 80% and 85% LTV can be meaningful across a 20-year loan.
The documentation package for aircraft financing scales with loan size and borrower complexity. Submitting everything at once is the fastest path to approval. Incomplete files are the most common cause of delays.
W-2 borrowers without business ownership typically see the fastest approvals, often same or next business day on a complete file.
Business owners should expect 3 to 5 business days for a credit decision due to entity review. Full approval follows once the aircraft is identified and appraised.
Low-doc programs are available for qualifying borrowers and trade some documentation depth for speed. Ask FLYING Finance whether your profile qualifies.
Commercial underwriting includes evaluation of the operator's certificate history and revenue profile. New operators without an established track record may face additional scrutiny. FLYING Finance can advise on how to position the application for the best outcome.
Once your documentation is ready, you can submit through the FLYING Finance secure document upload portal or start with the Aircraft Specification Form to give us the details on what you are buying.
Aircraft financing rates in mid-2026 start in the low-to-mid 6% range for well-qualified borrowers on certified piston and turboprop aircraft. Light sport, MOSAIC, and experimental aircraft begin slightly higher depending on lender and aircraft type. Your specific rate is a function of the benchmark rate environment, your credit profile, the aircraft, the loan size, and the term selected. For live benchmark rates — the 1-Month T-Bill, SOFR, and WSJ Prime that aviation lenders use to price their spread — the live rates page tracks those in real time.
| Aircraft Category | Rates Starting At | Typical Down | Max Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certified PistonC172, Piper Archer, Bonanza, Piper Lance, Mooney | 6.50% | 10–15% | 20 years |
| High Performance & Glass CockpitCirrus SR22/SR22T, Diamond DA40/DA42, Cirrus SR20 | 6.50% | 10–15% | 20 years |
| TurbopropPC-12, TBM series, King Air, Piper M600, Caravan | 6.35% | 15–20% | 20 years |
| Light JetPhenom 100/300, Citation M2/CJ, Vision Jet SF50 | 6.00% | 15–20% | 15–20 years |
| MOSAIC / Light SportSling TSi/LSA, Tecnam, Bristell Classic/B23 | 6.75% | 15–20% | 20 years |
| Experimental / KitbuiltVan's RV series, Zenith, Sonex, Kitfox | 7.00% | 20%+ | 15 years |
| Flight School / CommercialPart 141, Part 135, leaseback configurations | 6.75% | 20%+ | 15–20 years |
Rates shown are starting points for qualified borrowers as of mid-2026 and are subject to change with market conditions. Aircraft financing rates improve with automatic payment enrollment, larger loan sizes, and strong borrower profiles. Your actual aircraft financing rate is quoted after pre-qualification based on your specific file and aircraft.
The overwhelming majority of aircraft financing loans are fixed-rate. Your payment and rate are locked in for the life of the loan regardless of what benchmark rates do over a 15 or 20-year term. That predictability has real value, especially for long holds.
However, variable-rate programs are worth a look if your intended hold period is short. For example, if you plan to sell the aircraft or refinance within three to five years, a variable rate that starts lower may work in your favor, particularly if rates are expected to trend down over that window. The tradeoff is payment uncertainty if rates move against you. Most FLYING Finance clients on longer hold strategies choose fixed-rate for budget certainty, but the variable option is a legitimate consideration for buyers with a defined exit horizon.
The full aircraft finance calculator lets you compare multiple scenarios side by side and model the full ownership cost breakdown. If you already know what you want to buy, the application takes about 10 minutes and starts with a soft credit pull only.
From a complete application submission to funding, most aircraft financing transactions close in 10 to 21 business days. The variables are how quickly your documentation comes together, how fast the pre-buy inspection is scheduled, and whether the title search comes back clean. FLYING Finance manages the coordination across all of these moving parts so you are not chasing the lender, the title company, and your insurance agent at the same time.
The aircraft shapes the loan as much as your financial profile does. Here is how underwriting differs across the major categories, and where to go for model-specific detail.
Aircraft financing for business use introduces a second layer of underwriting. Lenders evaluate entity structure, documented use, and the financial profile of the principals alongside the standard borrower analysis. Moreover, business buyers frequently have stronger overall financial profiles and more flexibility in how the loan is structured.
The most common scenario: a successful owner of a non-aviation business who wants an aircraft for personal and business travel. The loan may be in the individual's name, the business's name, or a holding LLC, but regardless of entity, lenders want personal financial statements and tax returns from the principals. The business's revenue stability matters because personal income is often tied directly to it.
For business buyers, the depreciation conversation with a CPA is worth having before the aircraft financing loan closes. Bonus depreciation on aircraft has been in flux, and the tax treatment of business aircraft purchases depends on use percentage, entity type, and current tax law. Consequently, FLYING Finance does not provide tax or legal advice. Consult your CPA and aviation attorney. The bonus depreciation overview provides background context on how the provision has worked for aviation buyers.
Part 135 operations are commercial. The aircraft generates revenue, which both supports and complicates the loan. Lenders apply higher down payment requirements, typically 20% or more, because commercial utilization accelerates depreciation. Charter operators need to demonstrate revenue history and a valid operating certificate in good standing. New certificate holders without an established track record face additional scrutiny, and FLYING Finance can advise on how to position the application for the best possible outcome.
For a full breakdown of business aircraft underwriting, see the business aircraft financing page. For the share-back, leaseback, and dry lease structures available to business operators, see the dry lease and wet lease guide.
Not every borrower fits the standard documentation model for aircraft financing. High-net-worth buyers with complex income structures, recent business owners whose returns do not yet reflect current earnings, and buyers with liquidity concentrated in investable assets may find that low-documentation programs are a better fit than conventional underwriting. In contrast to full-doc programs, low-doc structures rely more heavily on net worth and the aircraft as collateral.
Low-doc aircraft financing programs trade some documentation depth for speed and simplicity. The lender is relying more heavily on the net worth statement and the aircraft as collateral, and they price that accordingly. Ask FLYING Finance directly whether your profile suggests a low-doc approach makes sense for your situation.
Desktop appraisals using Vref or Aircraft Bluebook are standard for loans under $1 million and are included in the underwriting process. On-site appraisals may be required for larger loans, unusual aircraft configurations, or significant modifications not reflected in standard valuation guides. Appraisal costs are typically passed to the borrower and run $500 to $2,000 depending on aircraft type. The Beyond the Barriers page covers specialty programs for borrowers outside conventional guidelines.
Aircraft financing is a secured installment loan where the aircraft serves as collateral. A lender provides capital to purchase the aircraft, records a lien at the FAA Civil Aviation Registry, and you repay in fixed monthly installments over the agreed term. FLYING Finance works as a broker, matching your application to the lender in our network best positioned to offer competitive terms for your specific aircraft, credit profile, and intended use. Most transactions close in 10 to 21 business days from a complete application submission.
Most aviation lenders start at 680. Preferred-tier pricing kicks in at 720 and above. Below 680 is not an automatic disqualification. Down payment size, liquid reserves, income documentation, and the aircraft itself all factor into the underwriting decision. FLYING Finance also works with specialty lenders for profiles outside conventional guidelines. See the Beyond the Barriers page for more.
Standard down payments range from 10 to 15% for certified piston aircraft on a full-doc program, 15 to 20% for turboprop and turbine aircraft, and 20% or more for experimental aircraft, commercial use configurations, and flight school or leaseback situations. A larger down payment almost always produces better rate and term outcomes. Use the Finance Calculator to compare payment impact at different down payment percentages before you apply.
Pre-approval typically takes 1 to 2 business days from a complete file. Full approval after an aircraft is identified and the pre-buy inspection is complete takes another 3 to 5 business days. Closing runs 1 to 3 days once loan documents are executed and insurance is confirmed. Total from application to funding: 10 to 21 business days for most transactions.
Yes. The majority of aircraft loans FLYING Finance arranges are for pre-owned aircraft. Most lenders finance aircraft manufactured from the 1970s onward. Vintage and antique airframes may require specialty programs. Aircraft age, total airframe time, engine time since overhaul, avionics configuration, and annual inspection currency all factor into lender appetite. A well-maintained, properly documented older aircraft is often more financeable than a newer airframe with deferred maintenance and an incomplete logbook.
FLYING Finance arranges aircraft loans from $50,000 to $5 million. Most aviation lenders have a practical minimum around $25,000 to $35,000. Purchases below that range may be better served by personal installment loans. Low-doc programs are available for loans of $250,000 or below for qualifying borrowers.
Pre-qualification uses a soft pull with no credit impact. A hard inquiry is only initiated when the application is formally submitted to a lender, and because FLYING Finance submits to one targeted lender rather than multiple simultaneously, the impact is a single inquiry. Multiple hard inquiries for the same loan type within 30 days are typically treated as a single inquiry by the major scoring models.
Yes. Aircraft refinancing works similarly to mortgage refinancing. It generally makes sense when you can reduce your rate by 0.75% or more and have enough remaining loan balance to recover closing costs within 24 to 36 months. FLYING Finance handles aircraft refinances with the same speed as purchase financing. See the refinancing and upgrades page for details.
A desktop appraisal uses industry valuation databases, primarily Vref and Aircraft Bluebook, to establish the aircraft's market value without a physical inspection. This is standard for most aircraft loans under $1 million. An on-site appraisal may be required for loans above $1 million, aircraft with unusual configurations or significant modifications, or when the desktop value is unclear due to thin comparable sales data.
272 transactions across 41 states. Click the map to see closed and funded aircraft loans by state — transaction count, total volume, and aircraft category breakdown for your market.
Soft credit pull only. Rate locked for 30 days. 90 days to find your aircraft.