Not after you’ve actually done it a few times.

250 NM trip is NY Metro to Bos or DC. Usually around an hour and you may get up to FL250.

Lease or charter the jet for awhile to see if it makes sense?

I take falcons and citation 650s at 16500, 17500 all the time to Greensboro, Charlotte and the New York New Jersey airports from Richmond. I feel great because my flight time is shorter, I go in a straight line and my fuel burn is less.

737s do 200nm trips too.

I've flown a bunch of 250nm legs in several different jets. Sure, the bigger/faster ones use more feel, but it never felt foolish. A CJ3+ will probably take double the fuel of what your Pilatus uses and cuts your time by 25%. Is it worth it?

***Thread drift alert***

We may be 2 ships passing in the dark here but as long as the sale of the old airplane and purchase of the replacement airplane are in the same tax year then the two transactions offset. So if you sell a $1mm plane that was fully depreciated in 2018 and buy a $1.5mm plane in 2018 and expense it 100% then you will get a $500k write-off for that year since the $1mm recapture on the old plane is offset by $1mm of the replacement plane's purchase price. The caveat is that both transactions must take place in the same tax year. In other words, if you sell in 2018 and buy in 2019 then you will incur recapture on the $1mm in 2018 and then have to wait until you file your 2019 tax return to enjoy the $1.5mm write-off.

-Neal

Spot on Neal. The effect of a like kind exchange without the headaches - so long as the timing is right.

That said, everyone should note that the rules for qualifying plane use as a trade or business have tightened and have made qualification for the write off much more difficult.



***Thread drift alert***

We may be 2 ships passing in the dark here but as long as the sale of the old airplane and purchase of the replacement airplane are in the same tax year then the two transactions offset. So if you sell a $1mm plane that was fully depreciated in 2018 and buy a $1.5mm plane in 2018 and expense it 100% then you will get a $500k write-off for that year since the $1mm recapture on the old plane is offset by $1mm of the replacement plane's purchase price. The caveat is that both transactions must take place in the same tax year. In other words, if you sell in 2018 and buy in 2019 then you will incur recapture on the $1mm in 2018 and then have to wait until you file your 2019 tax return to enjoy the $1.5mm write-off.

-Neal

A 250 nm flight takes Pilatus 45-55 minutes on about 500lbs if fuel.

A CJ3+ is going to cost me $7MM and a 250nm flight will still take 45-55 minutes and burn 1300lbs of gas.

The CJ3+ is not going to save 25%. In fact, if I have to fly it IFR I guarantee it’ll add 25%

You’re not adding it all up Clint.

May? Sounds awesome. Saving zero time and I have to do what ATC says.

Do you own a 737?

What stage length do you want to optimize for - 250nm or 1200nm?

Want or need?

The question is “would I do more 1200nm flights if I had the CJ3+”? Yes. But I still need to do all those 250nm flights. The 250nm will still be very common.

If a used CJ3+ we’re close to the same price as a used Pilatus I’d go for. It’s more than 2x the price and it doesn’t have the load hauling capacity of the Pilatus. It’s a tough decision.

Jason,

To avoid having to recapture so much income I will help you out and buy your current Pilatus for $1.00

Merry Christmas.

Don

You can take the optimal 250nm aircraft and use it for 1200nm trips. And you can use the 1200nm optimal aircraft for 250nm trips. Or you can get the 800nm aircraft that will be suboptimal for both 250nm & 1200nm trips.

You have to decide what is the mission you want to optimze for if you only have one.