Learn to Fly Private

Welcome to the 7th edition of this newsletter. I'm really enjoying getting to write this and connect with you. Thanks to the 18 people who filled out the survey. If you want to help tailor the content you find here and didn't get a chance to fill out the survey, you can find it here. At the end of the newsletter today, I'll share some of the findings from it.

If you're new, first of all welcome! Second, you can see the past 6 issues of this newsletter here in case you missed any.

Here's what we'll cover this week:

• Selecting the private jet membership that works best for you
• Survey Feedback and the Future of the Newsletter

As always, I love your feedback and I want to make this stuff useful. Reply to this email or DM me on X at @prestonholland6. Now let's dive in...

Select the right private jet membership

In previous newsletters, we've done anonymous private jet card reviews and I've written about Wheels Up and the recent turbulence (aviation is full of puns). In fact, in the first newsletter I ever sent I wrote the following explanation about a jet card membership:

There are risks associated with making a jet card purchase, so you need to be as informed as possible before pulling the trigger on a 6 figure cash transfer to an operator.

I get emails and DM's all the time asking about jet card programs. Recently, someone asked my thoughts on the Jetly program. Transparently, I know very high-level information on a lot of these programs but I haven't done a full analysis of good deals or bad deals.

In my day-to-day job, we finance whole aircraft and fractional shares, and December is a crazy month for transactions. Everyone's tax guy called the day before Thanksgiving and told them to buy a jet or they're gonna pay the tax man a lot of money.

So where can you find good information?

There are two major clearing houses of detailed information on private jet cards and fractional programs.

The first is Private Jet Card Comparisons. It is owned and run by Doug Gollan, whom I have personally met. He surveys his members for reviews, puts out an annual guide, and updates his database regularly on jet cards. It makes for a really great resource. If you've been reading this newsletter for a while, you know I'll tell you if there is anything in it for me. The subscription is $250, and if you buy through my link, I get a $50 cut from the sale (no extra cost to you). His content is very good and he doesn't pull any punches. You can subscribe here.

The second is the Sherpa Report. A subscriber sent me this publication and said that it helped them settle on which jet card to purchase. I have read some of their content and I generally agree with the opinions they have expressed. The subscription is $250 and that includes access to consults with their founder, Nick Copley. They also have a free guide to private aviation, which is worth the read. You can subscribe here.

When looking to make a large investment in a jet card or aircraft membership, these types of research products are definitely worth it. The world of private aviation is incredibly opaque, and these two publications (similar to this newsletter) are trying to make it more approachable. They have done far deeper research and analysis than I would ever have the bandwidth to do. It'll probably save you the subscription fee 10x over.

Survey Findings

Thank you again to those that have filled out the survey. It is great to get some guidance on what to cover in this newsletter. Here is the data point I wanted to share with everyone. Aviation is inherently a step-up market, and the gateway is on demand charter. Half of the people who responded to the survey have used on-demand charter in the last year.

Yet the desire to learn how to step further up the chain exists. For instance, fractional partnership and whole aircraft ownership can have some tax advantages for you in the future.

I'll continue writing if you keep subscribing! If you know someone who might benefit from this, I would really appreciate if you forwarded this email to them. I want to help as many people as I can with this platform.
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Think of me as your buddy who works in private aviation and you can text your questions to. If I don't know the answer, chances are I know how to connect you with someone who has the answers.

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Until next week,

Preston Holland

p.s. If you want to help, here's an easy link to the survey. You can use this form.