IST Yacht & Jet Blog
Practical guidance on buying, running and maintaining private jets and yachts, from day boats to superyachts and light jets to ultra-long-range flagships.
Ultra-Long-Range vs Midsize: Matching the Jet to Your Mission
The right category of jet comes down to your typical mission profile, not the biggest cabin you can afford.
Choosing Your First Yacht: A Practical Buyer’s Checklist
From day boats to full-crew motor yachts, the right first purchase comes down to how you actually plan to use it.
Choosing Your First Private Jet: A Practical Buyer’s Checklist
The right first jet comes down to your typical route length and passenger count, not the biggest cabin available.
New Build or Brokerage: Which Path Fits Your Timeline
A new-build slot at a leading yard and a well-kept brokerage yacht solve very different problems. Here is how to choose.
New Aircraft or Pre-Owned: Which Path Fits Your Timeline
A factory production slot and a well-kept pre-owned aircraft solve very different problems. Here is how to choose.
The True Cost of Yacht Ownership: Budgeting Beyond the Purchase Price
Industry rule of thumb puts annual running costs at roughly 10 percent of a yacht's value. Here is what that actually covers.
The True Cost of Private Jet Ownership: Budgeting Beyond the Purchase Price
Fixed and variable costs together typically run well into six or seven figures a year. Here is what that actually covers.
Crewed, Bareboat or Managed: Staffing Your Yacht the Right Way
How a yacht is staffed changes almost everything about the ownership experience, not just the payroll.
Flight Crew and Management: Staffing Your Aircraft the Right Way
How a jet is crewed and managed changes the ownership experience as much as the aircraft itself.
Why Explorer Yachts Are Winning Over the Marina Crowd
Long range, shallow draft and rugged tenders are turning explorer yachts into the fastest-growing segment above 30 metres.
Charter Management or Full Ownership: Weighing the Trade-offs
Placing a jet into charter can meaningfully offset running costs, but it changes the ownership experience in ways worth weighing carefully.
Should You Charter Your Yacht? Weighing the Trade-offs
Chartering can offset running costs significantly, but it also puts real wear on a yacht and its schedule.
Part 91 or Part 135: What New Jet Owners Need to Know
How an aircraft is operated, not just how it is owned, determines which set of rules and requirements actually apply.
Seasonal Lay-Up: Getting a Motor Yacht Ready for Winter
A proper lay-up protects engines, systems and finish over the off-season, and shortens the relaunch checklist in spring.
From Light Jet to Heavy Jet: What Actually Changes as Aircraft Get Bigger
Crew requirements, cabin altitude and even which airports you can use shift at a handful of specific size thresholds.
From 24 Metres to 100: What Actually Changes as Yachts Get Bigger
Crew size, classification rules and even how you berth the yacht shift at a handful of length thresholds.
Scheduled Maintenance and Airworthiness: Keeping a Private Jet Ready to Fly
A disciplined maintenance program protects both safety and resale value, and keeps unscheduled downtime to a minimum.
Flag State and Registration: What New Owners Need to Know
The flag a yacht flies affects everything from crew certification to tax treatment and where it can charter.
Refit, Refurbish or Trade: Deciding the Future of an Older Jet
A well-planned cabin refresh and avionics upgrade can extend a good airframe's useful life by years. Knowing when to trade instead is…
Refit or Replace: Deciding the Future of an Older Yacht
A well-planned refit can add a decade of useful life to a good hull. Knowing when it stops making sense is the…
Financing a Private Jet: Loans, Leasing and Structuring Ownership
Loans, operating leases and finance leases treat risk, tax exposure and residual value very differently. Here is how private jet financing actually…
Boat Show or Private Treaty: Where You Actually Get the Better Deal
Boat shows offer incentives and instant comparison, while private treaty negotiation offers leverage and discretion. Here is how the two paths really…
Private Jet Insurance Explained: Hull, Liability and War Risk
Hull cover, liability limits and war-risk endorsements all shape what a jet insurance policy actually pays out. Here is how premiums are…
The Yacht Survey: What a Pre-Purchase Inspection Actually Covers
A thorough pre-purchase survey and sea trial catch the problems a brochure never mentions. Here is what a surveyor actually checks and…
Fractional Ownership, Jet Cards or Charter: Which Fits Your Flying Pattern
For an owner flying fifty to one hundred fifty hours a year, fractional shares, jet cards and on-demand charter each break even…
Catamaran or Monohull: Matching the Hull Form to How You Actually Cruise
Stability, interior volume, draft and resale value differ sharply between catamarans and monohulls, in both sail and power. Here is how to…
International Operations: Customs, Permits and Multi-Country Trip Planning
Overflight permits, landing clearances and customs pre-clearance can make or break a multi-country itinerary. Here is what international private jet operations actually…
Yacht Insurance Explained: Hull, P&I and Agreed Value Policies
Hull cover, protection and indemnity, and how a policy values your yacht at claim time all shape what you are actually paying…
Sustainable Aviation Fuel and Business Jets: What Owners Can Do Today
Sustainable aviation fuel already works in today's business jets, but availability, blend limits and cost premiums shape what owners can realistically do…
Financing a Yacht Purchase: Marine Mortgages and Loan-to-Value
Marine mortgages, typical loan-to-value ratios and how lenders assess a yacht's worth all shape what a purchase actually costs. Here is how…
Choosing a Home Base Airport for Your Private Jet
Runway length, hangar availability, FBO quality and curfew restrictions all shape day-to-day ownership as much as the aircraft itself. Here is how…
Hybrid and Sustainable Propulsion: What Is Realistic for Yacht Owners Today
Diesel-electric hybrids, battery-only cruising and quieter, lower-emission propulsion are reshaping yacht design. Here is what is genuinely available now versus what remains…
Avionics and Cabin Connectivity Upgrades: What to Prioritize and Why
Cabin Wi-Fi, cockpit avionics upgrade cycles and connectivity all affect resale value as much as day-to-day comfort. Here is how to think…
What Actually Drives Business Jet Resale Value
Hours flown, engine program enrollment, avionics currency and cabin condition all move resale value more than most sellers expect. Here is what…