Aircraft sales broker training teaches you how to value an aircraft, list and market it, negotiate a purchase agreement, and manage a deal through escrow, inspection, and closing. It is not a job, a license, or a guarantee of income: no course, IABI’s included, can place you with an employer, promise what you will earn, or issue a government credential.
This guide sets out what serious aircraft sales broker training has to cover, how to judge any course against that standard, and how IABI’s own course for this side lines up. For the bigger picture on the whole career path, see How to Become an Aircraft Broker. This site is published by the International Aircraft Broker Institute (IABI, iabi.aero).
Key points
- An aircraft sales broker represents a buyer or seller through a purchase or sale, from valuation through closing — closer to real estate brokerage than to arranging flights.
- Real training covers valuation data sources, listing agreements, the deal sequence from offer to closing, title search, and tax and import awareness — not just deal vocabulary.
- There’s no federal “aircraft sales broker license.” What does and doesn’t apply varies by state; see the dedicated page linked below.
- Aircraft sales deals typically involve an aviation attorney, an escrow or title company, and an inspection facility — a broker coordinates these, not replaces them.
- No course can promise a job, an income figure, or a placement outcome.
- IABI, which publishes this site, sells an aircraft sales broker course. What it includes is set out factually below.
What an aircraft sales broker needs to know
The competency map — what a course should actually teach, whatever it calls its modules.
Market research and valuation
Before quoting a value, a broker checks the aircraft against current market data. The main sources used in the industry:
- JetNet — aircraft and transaction data, fleet and ownership records, and market intelligence used by dealers, brokers, and financial institutions.
- AMSTAT — business aircraft market research: fleet data, transaction history, and valuation support focused specifically on business aviation.
- VREF — an aircraft valuation and appraisal service offering online valuation reports and USPAP-compliant appraisals.
- Aircraft Bluebook — a valuation guide, published by Aviation Week Network, covering current and historical market values by model year.
A broker should know how to pull and interpret data from at least one of these, not just cite a number.
Listing and marketing
Listing an aircraft well means an accurate, complete description — specs, total time, damage history if any, logbook status — plus distribution to where buyers actually look, including listing marketplaces such as Controller.com. Overstating condition or omitting known issues damages the broker’s credibility and can create liability.
Exclusive listing and acquisition agreements
An exclusive listing agreement authorizes a broker to represent a seller for a defined period, usually with a stated commission. An acquisition (buyer-representation) agreement does the same for a buyer. Training should cover what these agreements actually commit each side to — not just that they exist.
The deal sequence: LOI to closing
A typical aircraft sale moves through a set sequence:
- Letter of intent (LOI) — buyer and seller agree on price and key terms, non-binding on most points.
- Aircraft purchase agreement (APA) — the binding contract: price, deposit, inspection rights, closing conditions.
- Deposit in escrow — buyer funds go to a neutral third party, not directly to the seller.
- Pre-purchase inspection — an independent inspection facility examines the aircraft’s condition and records before the buyer commits fully.
- Closing — funds and title transfer, typically coordinated through the escrow/title company.
A broker needs to understand each stage well enough to manage it and explain delays or problems to a client — not draft the legal documents, which is an attorney’s job.
FAA registry and title search
US-registered aircraft are recorded with the FAA Civil Aviation Registry, which records aircraft registration applications, bills of sale, and liens. A title search confirms the aircraft has no undisclosed liens before a buyer closes.
The Cape Town Convention International Registry
For many turbine aircraft, financiers and buyers also check the International Registry, the electronic registry created under the Cape Town Convention. It records international interests in aircraft equipment — used to establish priority among competing financial claims — and is administered on behalf of the treaty’s supervisory authority.
Logbooks and maintenance status
Airframe, engine, and propeller logbooks show total time, cycles, and maintenance history. A broker should know how to check that logbooks are complete, that required inspections and airworthiness directives are current, and flag gaps for the buyer’s inspection team rather than assessing airworthiness personally.
Tax and import/export awareness
Sales and use tax treatment varies by state, and moving an aircraft across a border raises import duty and customs questions that vary by country. A broker should recognize when these apply and say so — not give specific tax advice. This is squarely a job for a tax professional or customs broker.
Working with attorneys, escrow/title companies, and inspection facilities
A sales broker coordinates a small team rather than working alone: an aviation attorney drafts and reviews the purchase agreement, an escrow/title company holds funds and handles registration and lien release at closing, and an independent inspection facility performs the pre-purchase inspection. Knowing what each does — and when to bring them in — is a core skill.
What to look for in a course
Use these on any aircraft sales broker course, not just IABI’s. For a longer checklist, see How to Choose an Aircraft Broker Course.
- Does it teach you to build an actual valuation, using sources such as JetNet, AMSTAT, VREF, or Aircraft Bluebook — not just “research the comps”?
- Does it walk through the full deal sequence, LOI through closing, rather than jumping straight to “negotiate the deal”?
- Does it cover title search and registry basics, so you understand how liens and ownership are checked?
- Does it explain how escrow and pre-purchase inspections protect a buyer’s deposit, in concrete terms?
- Is tax and import guidance appropriately limited to “this varies — talk to a professional,” rather than specific figures?
- Is the credential described accurately — a private training certificate, not a license or an accreditation?
- Does the provider avoid promising a job, an income figure, or a placement outcome?
- Can you see the actual module list before you buy?
Free from IABI · IABI publishes this guide
Want to talk it through before you spend anything?
IABI runs a free webinar on how to become an aircraft broker, and offers a free one-to-one consultation. Both are a way to ask questions and judge the teaching for yourself before paying for any course.
How IABI’s aircraft sales broker course lines up
IABI publishes this site — treat this section as IABI’s own description of its course, not an independent review.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Course | Aircraft Sales Broker Package |
| Price | $999 (payment plans available at checkout) |
| Format | Online, self-paced, lifetime access |
| Included | 12 course modules + 3 masterclasses |
| Refunds | All fees non-refundable |
| Experience required | No aviation experience required |
| Certificate | IABI’s own certificate on completion — a private training credential, not a government license and not an accreditation |
The three masterclasses included are named on IABI’s site as: Aircraft Inspection, Aircraft Leasing, and Finding Your Clients. IABI’s course page does not publish the individual titles of the 12 core modules, so this guide can’t list them.
IABI also sells masterclasses individually at $299 each, and a Complete Program at $1,499 combining both the sales and charter courses. Readers who want a free look before paying can join IABI’s live webinar or book a free consultation.
An IABI course · IABI publishes this guide
IABI Aircraft Sales Broker Course
Online and self-paced: a 12-module aircraft sales broker course plus 3 masterclasses, with lifetime access, for $999. Fees are non-refundable. The certificate is a private training credential, not a license, and no course can promise a job.
Other ways to learn aircraft sales brokering
- In-house training at a dealer or brokerage. Many established aircraft sales and dealer firms train new hires internally on their own valuation approach, listing process, and client relationships. This usually requires being hired first.
- IADA, the International Aircraft Dealers Association, accredits member dealer firms and certifies brokers within them, and runs its own education track (IADA U) alongside a member directory and an aircraft exchange listing platform.
- NAFA, the National Aircraft Finance Association, is a membership organization of lenders, brokers and dealers, title and escrow companies, and aviation attorneys, and publishes educational articles and webinars on aircraft finance and transaction topics relevant to sales brokers.
- NBAA, the trade association for companies that operate business aircraft, also publishes compliance resources and professional development programs that touch on aircraft transactions, though it’s aimed broadly at business aviation rather than sales brokers specifically.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a license to be an aircraft sales broker?
There’s no federal “aircraft sales broker license.” What’s required can vary by state. See Aircraft Broker License & Certification for what federal and state law actually cover.
Will aircraft sales broker training get me a job?
No. Training teaches the knowledge the work requires; it can’t promise employment, an income level, or a placement. Treat any course that implies otherwise with caution. For where sales broker roles are actually posted, see Aircraft Broker Jobs.
Do I need previous aviation experience to start?
Not necessarily — some programs, including IABI’s, state that no prior aviation experience is required.
How is an aircraft sales broker different from a charter broker?
Different jobs inside the same industry: a sales broker handles aircraft purchases and sales, typically over months; a charter broker arranges individual flights, typically closing in days. See Air Charter Broker Training and IABI’s comparison of the two roles.
How do aircraft sales brokers get paid?
Typically a commission on the transaction value, rather than a salary. See IABI’s explanation of broker commissions.
What is a pre-purchase inspection?
An independent examination of the aircraft’s condition and maintenance records by an inspection facility the buyer chooses, done before closing so the buyer can act on what it finds — a standard, expected step in most aircraft sales, not an optional extra.