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.
Below: the nine areas a sales broker works in, from valuation to closing, the checks that tell a real sales course from a general one, and how IABI’s sales course compares. IABI publishes this site. To see one deal end to end first, read how an aircraft sale closes.
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
These checks are specific to aircraft sales. Use them on any sales broker course, IABI’s included.
- 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?
For the checks every course should pass, whatever the side, such as the full price, what the certificate really is and how outcome claims are worded, use the 12 questions in how to choose an aircraft broker course. To see the whole deal this training prepares you for, read how an aircraft sale closes.
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 |
| 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 Inspections, Aircraft Leasing, and Finding Your Clients. IABI’s course page lists the 12 core modules as: Terminologies; Aircraft Operations Regulations; Aircraft Manufacturers; Aircraft Engine Types; Aircraft Sizes & Categories; Commonly Used Airports; Aircraft Sales Brokerage; Payments, Escrow & Deposits; Broker Relationships & Duties; Contracts; Platforms Used in Aircraft Sales; and Final Exam & Certification.
IABI also sells masterclasses individually at $299 each, and a Complete Program at $1,499 combining both the sales and charter courses.
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.
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.
The fleet, valuation and cost databases sales brokers use are compared in aircraft broker tools. If you sell for an FBO, a manufacturer or an MRO rather than as a broker, see aviation sales training.
If you will hold aircraft for resale, some states license dealers: see aircraft dealer license and state registration. For salaried roles at manufacturers and dealers, see how to get into aircraft sales.
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.
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.