Desktop vs. On-Site Aircraft Appraisal: What's the Difference?

If you own, finance, insure or are buying a private jet, you will eventually need to know what it is worth. Appraisers generally offer two approaches: a desktop appraisal, done from records, photos and market data, and an on-site appraisal, where the appraiser physically examines the aircraft and its records.

They can produce different answers, take different amounts of time and serve different purposes. Here is how to choose.

Not sure which appraisal you need? Get a free instant value estimate or ask The Jet Guys.

What Is a Desktop Appraisal?

A desktop appraisal values an aircraft without the appraiser seeing it in person. The appraiser works from information you provide and from market data.

Typical inputs:

• Make, model, serial number and registration (you can look up any tail number to confirm the basics)
• Year of manufacture and total airframe time and cycles
• Engine and APU hours, and maintenance program enrollment
• Equipment list and avionics configuration
• Maintenance status and recent major inspections
• Interior and paint condition, described and often supported by photos
• Damage history, as represented by the owner
• Comparable sales, asking prices and market trends

What it delivers: a reasoned opinion of value, based on the aircraft's represented condition and the current market.

What Is an On-Site Appraisal?

In an on-site appraisal, the appraiser visits the aircraft, usually at its hangar or maintenance facility, and examines it directly alongside the paperwork.

Typical activities:

• Verify identity. Confirm serial numbers, data plates and registration against the records.
• Review logbooks and records in person, including damage history, repairs, inspection status and component times
• Physically inspect the exterior, interior, paint, cabin systems and visible airframe condition
• Confirm installed equipment against the equipment list, including avionics and connectivity
• Document condition with photographs
• Interview the owner, operator or maintenance provider about history and recent work

An on-site appraisal is an appraiser's visual and records examination. It is not a technical inspection. It does not replace a pre-purchase inspection, which uses maintenance technicians to examine systems, engines and structure (see our pre-purchase inspection checklist).

Side-by-Side Comparison

Actual cost and timing vary by appraiser, aircraft type and location, so ask for a written quote.

When a Desktop Appraisal Makes Sense

• Periodic value updates for budgeting, balance sheets or portfolio monitoring
• Insurance renewals, where the insurer accepts a desktop value
• Early-stage buying or selling decisions, such as deciding whether to list an aircraft or what to offer before an inspection
• Comparing several aircraft to decide which to pursue
• Large fleets, where physically visiting every aircraft is impractical
• Aircraft with well-documented, recent condition information

Desktop appraisals work best when the aircraft is a common type with plenty of comparable transactions and a clean, current record set.

When You Should Pay for On-Site

• Bank financing or refinancing. Lenders often require an on-site or fully documented appraisal.
• Purchase or sale of a high-value aircraft
• Estate, gift tax or divorce valuations, where the opinion may be scrutinized or challenged
• Litigation or insurance claims
• Disputes between partners or co-owners
• Aircraft with unusual configuration, heavy customization, unclear records or damage history
• Thinly traded models, where comparables are limited

If someone else will rely on the number, such as a lender, a court or a tax authority, ask them what they require before you order.

Preparing to finance or sell? Request an on-site appraisal quote from The Jet Guys.

How the Two Approaches Can Differ in Practice

Public market data tells only part of the story. Consider the Falcon 7X.

A wide asking-price spread. In The Jet Guys' October 2026 Falcon 7X data (see current market trends), 2012 models for sale asked between about $14.5M and $20.8M. Many of those listings show "inquire" rather than a price. A desktop appraisal can estimate where an aircraft should fall within that range based on hours and equipment. An on-site visit can confirm whether the paint, interior and records justify the upper or lower end.

Hours and condition matter. Sales in the last 36 months show a Falcon 7X with 2,000 to 2,999 hours averaging about $23.4M, while those with 5,000 to 5,999 hours averaged about $17.6M. Hours are easy to confirm on paper, but the quality of the maintenance behind those hours is not. Engine program enrollment (about half of the 7Xs for sale carry ESP Platinum) and inspection status are verified more reliably with records in hand.

Asking versus valuation. The report shows one 2022 Falcon 7X asking about $39.9M against a valuation estimate near $34.5M, and a 2018 aircraft with only about 500 hours estimated near $28.8M. Gaps like these are exactly where a buyer, seller or lender benefits from a defensible, documented appraisal.

Thin data, bigger judgment. For the G700, with no aircraft publicly listed and few priced resales, or the HondaJet Elite II, with only one priced sale in 36 months, public comparables are limited. For aircraft like these, an appraiser's access to private transaction data and, when needed, a physical review of the aircraft and options carries more weight.

What Can Go Wrong With a Desktop Appraisal

• Unreported damage or repairs affect value but may not appear in summaries.
• Interior or paint wear is hard to judge from photos.
• Equipment discrepancies, such as an avionics upgrade listed but not installed.
• Records gaps that only appear when the logbooks are examined.
• Overly optimistic condition ratings from an owner trying to support a higher value.

A desktop appraisal is only as reliable as the information it is built on. Good appraisers state their assumptions clearly and may recommend an on-site review when risks show up.

How to Prepare for Either Type

1. Gather records. Logbooks, maintenance tracking reports, engine program documents and inspection history.
2. Prepare an equipment list. Include avionics, connectivity, interior features and recent upgrades.
3. Document damage history honestly. Surprises discovered later cost credibility and money.
4. Take clear photos, especially of the interior, exterior and any worn areas.
5. Define the purpose. Insurance, financing, sale, estate and litigation each call for a different value definition and level of rigor.
6. Confirm requirements with your lender, insurer or advisors first.

Can You Upgrade a Desktop Appraisal Later?

Often yes. Some owners start with a desktop appraisal for a quick read, then commission an on-site review when a transaction becomes real. Ask the appraiser how the two would work together and whether the desktop fee can be credited.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a desktop appraisal accepted by banks? Sometimes, but many lenders prefer or require an on-site appraisal. Ask before you order.

Is an on-site appraisal the same as a pre-purchase inspection? No. An appraiser values the aircraft. A pre-buy inspection tests its condition.

Will the two methods give the same value? They may be close for a clean, well-documented aircraft. They can differ meaningfully when condition, records or equipment are not what was reported.

Free Aircraft Tools From The Jet Guys

Want real numbers on a specific aircraft? Use our free quoting and research tools:

• Aircraft eValuation: get an instant market value estimate for your aircraft.
• Tail Number Lookup: view registration details for any N-number and get a free value estimate.
• Market Trends: track current pricing shifts and demand data by model.

Ready to request an aircraft appraisal consultation? Call The Jet Guys at 864-735-5547.

Related reading: whole vs partial aircraft appraisal, pre-purchase inspection checklist, cost to own a private jet in 2026 and how to read a tail number.