Up Front

Tony Robbins first appeared on our radar screen several years ago, when we heard about his extensive use of charter and love of private flight. Recently, we learned that he had made the leap to full ownership by purchasing a preowned ultra-long-range, large-cabin Bombardier Global Express XRS through The Jet Business in London.

Many readers will relate to Robbins’s path to ownership. Completely self-made and the product of a difficult, impoverished childhood, he was reluctant to purchase his first charter flight 20 years ago because of the cost. But over time it became impossible for him to ignore the value that private aviation could bring to his business. Still, the transition to owning an airplane was daunting.
Robbins had become the perfect candidate for full ownership, according to Steve Varsano, owner of The Jet Business. “Tony was chartering 300 hours per year, a quarter of that internationally,” Varsano told me. “It was financially imprudent and had become inconvenient. He never knew who the crew was and they never knew his preferences.”

During my interview with Robbins, he emphasized how vital it was for him to have a broker he trusted to guide him through the process as he began the search for the right aircraft.
According to Varsano, the most valuable thing he can do for clients is to empower them with the knowledge to make the right decision. It helped that Robbins was open to the process.  
“We had no problem educating Tony on all the pros and cons of every option,” Varsano said. “When you have someone who is as intense and willing to absorb information as he is, it’s a pleasure to provide it. Like many first-time buyers, Tony ended up buying an aircraft that was nothing close to the one he initially thought he wanted, and he was the first one to admit this.”
As you’ll see from our interview, Robbins could not be happier. He now refers to his ­aircraft as “one of the greatest gifts” of his life and ­marvels daily about the ways in which it has improved his productivity.

As you know, one of our chief goals at BJT is to improve your productivity by “maximizing your investment in private air transport” (the mission statement that always appears on our covers). One way we do that is with our annual reader survey, which allows us to report your experiences with private lift, thus helping you to make smarter decisions while also influencing the manufacturers and service providers you patronize. Please help us to help you by sharing your thoughts in our 6th Annual Readers Choice Survey. This year’s streamlined poll should take you only a few ­minutes to complete at bjtonline.com/survey.

Jennifer Leach English is BJT's editorial director.