How Easy is it to Move?

The Questions You're Actually Asking

• Why Priester instead of another large operator?

  In 1945, a family put its name on a single hangar and started flying. Eighty years later, that name has grown to manage nearly 100 aircraft based across the United States and around the world — and the family is still behind it.

  Size has never been the point of it. Aircraft management is a business of small promises kept over and over: the crew that shows up already knowing your airplane, the call returned on a Sunday, the answer that comes from the person who can actually give it. Most operators find those promises harder to keep as they grow; we built the company around keeping them at every size we have been.

  So the experience is the same one wherever your aircraft is based — leadership you can reach directly by name, crews who stay with your airplane, and one safety standard accredited by both ARGUS and Wyvern. For a lot of owners, this stopped feeling the way it felt the day they bought the airplane. It can feel like that again.

• What does it cost to move my aircraft onto a new certificate?

  For a limited time, we are waiving our standard $8,000 conformity fee. That waiver covers the records review, preparation, and delivery of the conformity package to the FAA, initial marketing and technical work, and indoctrination for your flight crews. The only additional cost you would incur is the same expense associated with adding an aircraft to any new operating certificate: simulator training for the flight crews.

  Because we operate a fleet of like aircraft, the onboarding process is streamlined, allowing FAA approval and required crew training to be completed efficiently, typically within 90 days or less.

• Will I lose my charter revenue during the transition?

  There will be a brief period during the transition when your aircraft will not be available for charter. We will work to minimize this downtime by conducting the FAA conformity process while the flight crew is completing training, or by coordinating the conformity inspection with a scheduled maintenance event whenever possible.

• Who will actually be flying and maintaining my aircraft?

  If you wish to retain your current flight crew and maintenance technician, we will gladly honor that preference and retain all existing personnel. Alternatively, if you would prefer to transition to a new crew, we are happy to accommodate that request as well.

  We have established agreements for both scheduled and unscheduled maintenance with several Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facilities throughout the United States and internationally. These partnerships ensure that maintenance requirements are addressed promptly and efficiently, whether for routine scheduled events or unexpected maintenance needs.

• How long does the transition take?

  Because we operate a fleet of like aircraft, FAA approval typically takes no longer than 90 days. We are also generally able to complete the required crew training within the same timeframe.

• What happens to my current charter contracts and clients?

  Many charter clients are loyal to a specific aircraft and crew, and in our experience, they follow the aircraft to its new operator. Any long-term charter contracts would need to be rewritten between the client and Priester. With eight decades of relationships behind us, we are confident we can deliver the charter activity you are looking for.

   

  We encourage you to bring your charter customers with you. Our team is committed to providing the same high level of service and maintaining the current arrangements and standards they have come to expect.

• What's the catch with the no-cost transfer offer?

  We understand this change has come as a surprise to many aircraft owners. Our goal is to be a trusted resource and a seamless alternative as you evaluate your options. Our team is ready to begin the transition process immediately and work closely with you every step of the way to welcome you into the family.

  We are confident in our ability to serve you, and these concessions on conformity fees are our way of saying so. They are available for a limited time and expire on October 31. If a move is on your mind, now is the time to start the conversation.