Flying clubs and partnerships have always been an option for affordable aircraft ownership, but clubs aren’t always easy to find and partnerships require like-minded individuals. Another take on fractional ownership is for a sales company to set up shared ownership of aircraft it sells and that’s what Bristell Shares is offering.
At the inaugural Sport Aviation Showcase in Deland this week, Lou Mancuso, a long-time FBO operator based in Long Island, was promoting a different take on shared ownership. Mancuso said his program offers tiered buy-ins suitable for pilots who don’t fly much or want to try a share without committing a lot of money.
A Bristell Shares buy-in starts at $175 a month and $50 per hour wet, with a maximum of 30 hours a year and three weeks of exclusive access. That’s essentially the equivalent of a 1/16th share of the airplane, but with no expensive buy-in required. If the would-be owner is interested in more flying time, he or she can bump up to the equivalent of a 1/8th share for $340 a month, plus the $50 per hour flight charge. That guarantees 60 hours of flight time, although additional hours can be flown at a rate of $150 wet. Mancuso said Bristell Shares seeks to limit the aircraft shares to under nine per aircraft. He has Bristell LSAs located at airports in New York, Pennsylvania and Florida.
“Nobody needs to own an airplane themselves, especially a light sport. They just want to fly one once in a while. Shared ownership is great,” Mancuso said. More details about Bristell share are available at the company’s website.
