Why Documentation Is Worth More Than the Aircraft?

70% of business aviation deals involve financing — and lenders are being more demanding than they've been in years. Not just "show us your logbooks." More like: complete engine records tied to serial number, TBO reset documentation, damage history with shop entries. Miss one and the deal doesn't just get complicated — sometimes it doesn't close. This episode breaks down why documentation quality is now a primary driver of aircraft pricing. The G650ER market: 3 publicly listed, 28 sold in six months, prices from $25M to $60M — and the difference isn't always age or hours. It's documentation. The Falcon 7X tells the same story: sellers anchored to 2021 highs, buyers refusing to pay, inspections routinely revealing gaps worth millions in concessions. But it's not just a financing issue. Incomplete records can ground an aircraft. Export certificates get withheld. Buyer pools shrink before you even list. If you're buying: documentation review affects your exit. If you're selling: incomplete records are a liability. And if you're in between — the question isn't whether clean documentation is worth something. It clearly is. The question is whether you're investing in the cure, or just accepting the discount. Read the full analysis: glintero.com/journal/documentation-premium-2026