Episodes
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The Haunted Hangar: Price-Gouging Ghouls, Zombie Listings & Money-Sucking Vampires | EP 64
The Truth About the Aviation Market: Halloween Special It's late. The ramp lights buzz. In a hangar you've never visited sits the airplane you've been watching online for eleven months. Same photos. Same tail number. Another price reduction. The listing has been alive so long, it has a birthday....
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The $535 Million Deal Every Piston Owner Needs to Know About | EP 63
What if your airplane lost value overnight—even though nothing happened to it? Same engine. Same hours. Same maintenance history. Not a single thing changed in your hangar. But something changed hundreds of miles away, in Mobile, Alabama. Continental Aerospace Technologies has a new owner. If you...
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Who Watches The Middle Man? | EP 62
To sell a house in Illinois, you need a license. To broker a used yacht in Florida, you need a license, fingerprints, a background check, and a bond. To sell a $35 million business jet in the United States? “You need a phone.” In the last 12 months, VREF tracked roughly 4,000 retail business jet...
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Price It Right or Pay to Lose | EP 61
A listener went shopping for a mid-’90s Piper Archer. Low time. No damage history. Original paint. Original panel. Engine close to TBO. The seller was asking $189,000. VREF put the airplane at roughly $165,000. The buyer was prepared to offer $175,000 cash—and says he would have gone to $180,000....
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The Single Pilot Citation is Dead | EP 60
For more than four decades, one story helped define the legacy Citation market: This is the jet you can fly yourself. Your first jet. Your hands on the throttles. Your family in the back. Nobody required in the right seat. At the end of September 2026, that story changed. The FAA ended the...
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The Flight School Closed. The Loan Didn't. | EP 59
A parent takes out a home-equity line. A student wires tens of thousands of dollars to a flight school. The school has experienced instructors, airline partnerships, manufacturer affiliations, national press coverage, and every outward sign of credibility. Then the school closes. And the money is...
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The $500k Loan Disguised as a Deposit | EP 58
Last episode, Jason explained why nobody should wire eight figures directly to an aircraft seller without escrow. This episode asks the uncomfortable follow-up: Why will some of those same sophisticated buyers wire $250,000, $500,000, even $1 million directly to a jet-card company with no escrow,...
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The $500 Million Escrow Betrayal | EP 57
Somewhere today, someone may wire $40 million to an aircraft escrow company they’ve never visited, run by people they’ve never met—and barely think twice about it. Why? Because aviation runs on trust. More specifically, it runs on a small group of title and escrow firms, many clustered around the...
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The Most Expensive "Peace of Mind" In Aviation | EP 56
An owner has been paying into an engine program for 11 years. More than $1 million contributed. The airplane is worth roughly $3 million. And the overhaul those payments are supposed to protect him from is still four to five years away. So he asks: “At this point, am I buying protection—or am I...
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The Market Split In Half: The Numbers Don't Lie | EP 55
The September 1 VREF value revision is live—and the numbers tell a very different story than the broad “strong market” or “weak market” headlines. Business jet transaction volume is down nearly 19% year to date, essentially returning to 2020 COVID-era levels. But prices didn’t simply fall with...
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The Great Mooney Mystery: Six Questions The Record Doesn't Answer | EP 54
Jason Zilberbrand found something unusual on an ordinary corporate website: Luscombe Mooney Aircraft Company. Two historic general aviation brands. One masthead. Mooney’s address. Mooney’s phone number. Mooney’s domain. But no major announcement explaining how the two names came together. So…
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The "Ferrari Problem" Is Coming For Aviation | EP 53
How does an entire market start pricing assets at numbers buyers have never actually paid? That’s the question behind Episode 53 of The Truth About the Market. And although Jason starts with Ferrari, this episode is really about airplanes. Because aviation has all the ingredients required to…
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The $2 Million Loss Your Insurance May Never Mention | EP 52
An $8 million Citation CJ4 is sitting on a ramp. The owner isn’t flying it. He isn’t even in the country. A line guy hooks up a tug, gets distracted, and tows it into a hangar improperly. Forty seconds later, the damage is done. The aircraft is repaired correctly, returned to service, and made...
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The "Red Hot" Jet That No One Is Selling | EP 51
In this episode, we cover: • Why the Challenger 3500 has become the industry’s favorite proof that the super-midsize market is running hot • What Jason found after reviewing every recorded Challenger 3500 transfer • How many Challenger 3500s have been built • How many are currently in operation •...
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Aviation's Alphabet Mafia | EP 50
In this episode, we cover: • What public IRS Form 990 filings reveal about executive compensation • The reported compensation of the National Business Aviation Association’s president and CEO • How additional compensation can appear separately from base compensation • Why a reported...
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The Jet That’s Worth More Dead Than Alive | EP 49
In this mailbag episode of The Truth About the Market, Jason answers a question from Paul Bordeaux, Chief Pilot at Hargrove Engineers and Constructors: How should a buyer evaluate future demand for an out-of-production business jet? In this episode, we cover: • The most important question buyers...
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Oshkosh: Where Dreams, Deals, and Bad Numbers Collide | EP 48
In this episode, we cover: • Why Oshkosh is the largest aircraft transaction event nobody calls a transaction event • How more than 700,000 people and 10,000 aircraft turn AirVenture into a live market signal • Why deals at Oshkosh often begin in campgrounds, vendor booths, flight lines, and…
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Why Some Airplanes Sell In Days While Others Just Sit | EP 47
In this episode, we cover: • Why “the aircraft market” is never just one market • Why the better question is not whether the market is up or down, but which market you are talking about • Why some aircraft still sell in days, even during broader slowdowns • Why aviation markets move on their own...
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The $110,000 Upgrade That Could Tank Your Aircraft’s Value | EP 46
In this episode: • Why the DeltaHawk engine is one of the most significant piston-engine developments in decades • Why a clean-sheet aircraft engine matters in an industry built around very old designs • What makes the DeltaHawk different from traditional piston engines • Why Jet A capability...
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The Confidence Recession Is Here: Why Aircraft Deals Are Freezing Before Prices Break | EP 45
In this episode, we cover: • Why Bitcoin’s selloff is a useful comparison for what is happening in aviation • Why “meltdown” always depends on the time frame you are using • How market damage often happens long before the public starts panicking • Why aviation is showing the same behavioral…
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Blood In The Hanger: Why Smart Buyers Win The Market Turns | EP 43
Everybody hates a down market. Sellers hate it. Brokers hate it. The guy who bought at the top really hates it. But here is what nobody wants to say out loud: A down market may be the best buying environment you will ever see. The problem is most buyers sit on the sidelines waiting for the market...
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The “Hot Market” Lie That Costs Aircraft Owners Millions | EP 42
Not every aviation mistake happens in the cockpit. Some happen in the purchase agreement. Some happen in the asking price. Some happen at tax time. Some happen when smart people trust market sentiment instead of market data. In this episode, Jason walks through three real-world aircraft…
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The $4 Million Deal That Died in Court: One Aircraft Transaction, Years of Litigation | EP 41
In this episode of The Truth About the Market, Jason walks through a real legal case in which he served as an expert witness. Certain names and details have been omitted or redacted for privacy, but the facts are drawn from court filings, testimony, and the underlying transaction itself... which...
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The Free Valuation Trap: Why “Instant AI Aircraft Values” May Cost You More Than You Think | EP 40
In this episode of The Truth About the Market, Jason responds to a new claim making the rounds in aviation: that legacy aircraft valuation methods are “broken math,” and that AI-powered valuation tools have supposedly discovered a better way to price aircraft. In this episode, we cover: • Why...
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The Contract Trap That Kills Aircraft Deals: Why Bad Assumptions Cost Buyers Millions | EP 39
In this episode of The Truth About the Market, Jason breaks down: • Why most failed aircraft deals are caused by mismatched assumptions, not bad aircraft • How one sentence in an LOI or APA can shift leverage, responsibility, and liability • Why buyers should never fall in love with an aircraft...
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The Post-COVID Boom Is DEAD: Why Q2 Is Forcing Aviation Back To Reality | EP 38
In this episode of The Truth About the Market, Jason breaks down the Q2 2026 market numbers and explains why the aircraft market has fully unwound from the extraordinary conditions of 2021 and 2022. In this episode, we cover: Why April 2026 transaction volume is one of the weakest April readings…
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The Charts Are Lying: Why The Aviation Market Is Moving Were Data Scrapers Can't See | EP 37
Everyone is looking at charts right now. Asking prices. Inventory counts. Scraped listing data. AI-generated market summaries. And most of them are missing the same thing. The market is moving. It is just not moving where they are looking. In this episode of The Truth About the Market, Jason…
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The Aircraft Market Lost Its Nerve: Why Falling Prices Still Won't Make Buyers Move | EP 36
Podcast: The Truth About the Market Host: Jason Zilberbrand, President of VREF The headlines say the pre-owned aircraft market is flourishing. Deals are closing faster. Pricing is stabilizing. Buyers are active. But the data tells a very different story. Inventory is essentially flat year over...
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Why Bad Deals Start Before the Pre-Buy, and Why Your Network Matters More Than You Think | EP 35
General aviation buyers love to compare airplanes. Vision Jet versus Epic. Jet versus turboprop. Speed versus payload. Range versus cost. But that’s only part of the decision. In this episode of The Truth About the Market, Jason breaks down why the aircraft itself is often not where the real risk...
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What Your Insurance Quote Is *Really* Telling You | EP 34
Why Aircraft Coverage Is Becoming a Market Signal, Not Just a Cost Podcast: The Truth About the Market Host: Jason Zilberbrand, President of VREF Aircraft insurance used to feel like a fixed expense. You bought the airplane. You called your broker. You got coverage. You moved on. That world is...
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Too Many People, Not Enough Closers: Why Aircraft Deals Are Getting Slower and Messier | EP 33
Podcast: The Truth About the Market Host: Jason Zilberbrand, President of VREF Aircraft transactions used to be simple. Buyer. Seller. Broker. Attorney. Escrow. Pre-buy. Now a single deal can involve brokers, support teams, transaction managers, in-house counsel, outside counsel, lenders…
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When Markets Don’t Break… They Slow: Why Aviation Risk Is Now Showing Up in Time, Not Price | EP 32
Podcast: The Truth About the Market Host: Jason Zilberbrand, President of VREF The first shock is always obvious. Fuel moves. Rates stay high. Headlines hit. Everyone reacts. But markets don’t actually change in the moment of impact. They change in how people respond to it. In this episode of The...
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The Asking Price Lie Why Listed Aircraft Values Mean Far Less Than People Think | EPISODE 31
Podcast: The Truth About the Market Host: Jason Zilberbrand, President of VREF In aviation, one of the most trusted numbers is often the least reliable. It shows up in listings, broker conversations, tax disputes, financing discussions, and seller expectations. It gets forwarded, quoted,...
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The Low-Time Lie: Why “Hangar Queen” Might Be the Most Dangerous Phrase in Aircraft Shopping | EP 30
Podcast: The Truth About the Market Host: Jason Zilberbrand, President of VREF “Low total time” sounds like a selling point. In aviation, it often is. It shows up in listings, broker calls, and buyer wish lists as if those three words settle the question of quality before the airplane is even...
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The Comps Illusion: Why Aircraft Sales Data Isn’t What You Think It Is | EPISODE 29
Podcast: The Truth About the Market Host: Jason Zilberbrand, President of VREF Most people in aviation believe they understand the market. They look at comps They reference recent sales They trust the numbers But what if those numbers aren’t as real as they seem? In this episode of The Truth…
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War, Fuel, and Frozen Deals: How Iran Is Reshaping The Aviation Market | EPISODE 28
Podcast: The Truth About the Market Host: Jason Zilberbrand, President of VREF The aviation market doesn’t collapse the way people expect. And right now, it’s being tested by something very real. The escalating war involving Iran has already pushed oil back above $100 a barrel, disrupted key…
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Why the Pre-Buy Isn’t About Maintenance…It’s About Risk | EPISODE 27
Podcast: The Truth About the Market Host: Jason Zilberbrand, President of VREF In aviation, few moments create more tension than the pre-buy inspection. Deals slow down. Emotions rise. And what should be a structured financial process suddenly turns into a test of trust. Buyers worry they’ll miss...
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The Aviation Market Is Breaking: Why Some Aircraft Are Holding Value While Others Nosedive | EP 26
Podcast: The Truth About the Aviation Market Host: Jason Zilberbrand, President of VREF For years, people talked about the “aircraft market” as if it were a single thing. Values rose together Values fell together And broad headlines were enough to describe what was happening. That era is over. In...
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The Next Aviation Downturn Won’t Start With Airplanes | EPISODE 25
Podcast: The Truth About the Market Host: Jason Zilberbrand, President of VREF Aviation doesn’t collapse because airplanes stop flying. It tightens when capital stops trusting itself. The last time that happened, the trigger wasn’t an AD, a fuel mandate, or an OEM delay. It was confidence. In…
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Is Your Aircraft Worth More DEAD Than Alive? — The Brutal Truth About Part-Out Economics | EP 24
Podcast: The Truth About the Market Host: Jason Zilberbrand, President of VREF Most aircraft don’t die in a dramatic way. There’s no crash. No grounding order. No public failure. Just a quiet shift in the math. A moment when the market stops valuing the aircraft as a flying machine… and starts...
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The 7 Mistakes That Cost Aircraft Owners Millions | EPISODE 23
Podcast: The Truth About the Market Host: Jason Zilberbrand, President of VREF Most aircraft losses don’t make headlines. There’s no accident report. No dramatic engine failure. No obvious red flag at closing. Just a slow, silent erosion of value… that doesn’t reveal itself until the exit fails.…
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The Fuel That Broke General Aviation | EPISODE 22
Why the End of 100LL Isn’t About Lead… and Never Was Podcast: The Truth About the Market Host: Jason Zilberbrand, President of VREF When the FAA formally committed to phasing out 100LL, the announcement sounded calm, technical, and inevitable. But strip away the press language, and what’s left is...
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Why “Engine Overhauls Don’t Add Value” Is the Most Dangerous Take in Aviation | EPISODE 21
Podcast: The Truth About the Market Host: Jason Zilberbrand, President of VREF In this episode of VREF: The Truth About the Market, Jason addresses a growing and troubling trend in aviation commentary: non-aviators publishing financial conclusions about aircraft maintenance—then disclaiming all...
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The Aircraft Financing Hit List: Top Banks, Financiers, Credit Unions, and Brokers | EP 20
Episode Summary Aircraft financing looks like a simple rate-shopping exercise… until you’re the one stuck in a bad structure, a surprise covenant, or a refinance that won’t clear because the original valuation doesn’t hold up. In this long-form, name-names episode, Jason breaks down how aircraft...
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The Ladder Is Gone: Why New Aircraft No Longer Make Sense the Way They Used To | EPISODE 19
Podcast: The Truth About the Market Host: Jason Zilberbrand, President of VREF Episode Overview In this episode, Jason breaks down a shift many people in aviation feel but haven’t fully named yet: the traditional progression from one aircraft to the next is gone. For decades, aviation ownership...
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Is Aviation Ready for AI? | EPISODE 18
Episode Overview Artificial intelligence is coming for aviation — fast… But is the industry actually ready for it? In Episode 18 of The Truth About the Market, Jason tackles one of the most requested topics of the year and strips away the hype to examine the real constraints, risks, and...
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’Twas the Night Before Christmas… and the Market Remembered Gravity | EPISODE 17
Podcast: The Truth About the Market Host: Jason Zilberbrand, President of VREF Episode Overview In this end-of-year Christmas special, Jason steps back from valuations, depreciation curves, and transactional warfare to reflect on the year that aviation finally remembered gravity. Delivered…
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Aviation’s New Privacy Crisis: How ADS-B, FAA Reform & Public Tracking Are Colliding | Episode 16
Podcast: The Truth About the Market Host: Jason Zilberbrand, President & CTO, VREF Episode Overview In this episode, Jason takes you deep into one of the most consequential — and least understood — shifts happening in aviation right now: the privacy war brewing between the FAA, public...
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The Six Brokers You’ll Meet in Aviation (and How They Quietly Shape Every Deal) | EPISODE 15
Podcast: The Truth About the Market Host: Jason Zilberbrand, President & CTO, VREF Episode Overview In this eye-opening episode, Jason reveals one of the least discussed — yet most influential — forces in every aircraft transaction: the broker. Not the airplane. Not the market. Not the valuation...
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The Weirdest Aviation Market We’ve Seen in Years | EPISODE 14
Episode Overview In this episode, Jason breaks down one of the strangest dynamics to hit aviation in more than a decade — a market that’s slowing down and speeding up at the exact same time. Total transactions are falling… yet the best aircraft are selling faster than they have in years. If you...