You Went Above and Beyond!
We are both absolutely in love at this point and very happy with our purchasing decision.
Even Bill said that the price we got this A5 for, basically being brand new, is BY FAR the best deal he's heard of anyone getting on one of these aircraft.
I just wanted to reach out and let you know that my father and I sincerely appreciate your honesty, expertise, communication and professionalism, and all the things you did along the way going above and beyond your obligations as a broker to help ensure I had all my boxes checked in purchasing and getting this plane here!
Your expertise, introductions, and coordination along the way was immensely helpful to me/us being newbies and very busy with our business in getting this purchase and all that comes with it accomplished.
As we discussed, I will absolutely be reaching to discuss options are that are most fitting for a business jet. Can't wait!
And of course anyone I know that is looking or decides they want to get a plane, you can bet your ass I will be bragging on you big-time and sending them to check out what's in your current inventory.
J -- ICON A5 Owner
Dream Come True
Thank you for your efforts in making my dream of owning my own aircraft a reality. Like some other clients of yours at LifeStyle Aviation, I was getting ready to buy a Cirrus and decided to take a flight in a Diamond DA-40 just to be sure I was making the right choice. What an eye opener. The DA-40 was impressive from the first glance to the final touchdown. (and every flight since). What a pleasure to fly. It’s responsiveness and great visibility is noticeable immediately and everyone who rides or pilots this aircraft has nothing but great things to say.
Your help in making this transaction happen was also a pleasure. The process was very straightforward and effortless. Being on opposite ends of the east coast I did make the decision to purchase the aircraft site unseen and trusted your judgement regarding the condition of the plane (both structurally and mechanically). You did not disappoint. Everything was just as you described. Taking an interest in seeing it delivered right to my door (at the airport of course) and wanting to be there in person to answer any questions I might have was equally impressive. Letting me test fly your aircraft to get an idea of what the synthetic vision could do was also a lot of fun and I hope to add it to my aircraft some day. Overall it was a great experience and I look forward to my next Diamond purchase when I’m ready to move up. (although I am having a lot of fun flying the DA-40)Thanks again for your help.
Dan
Thank you for working with me…
John – was just watching the SR22 vs DA62 video on YouTube and I wanted to send you a thank you for working with me over the years.
I always felt like you understood me and my situation as though I was your only customer while I know you have many more — a lot of whom are writing far larger checks.
If I’m ever back in the plane market, you will be my first call.
Safe flying!
Brandon P.
Proud Owner of a DA62
“We took delivery of our brand new DA62 one year ago. I’ve flown it a bit more than 100 so far and all I can say is WOW! The diesels are so smooth and easy to operate, there’s no fear of shock cooling during descent, and they always start instantly regardless of temperature. It cruises near 190 Kts TAS on about 18 GPH. Near Baron speed, but at half the fuel burn!”
– Jeff, new DA62 Owner
Adam, New DA40 Owner
“I love my new DA40, and I can’t say enough good things about my experience buying the plane! The process you had was perfect, and very streamlined. Everything was very organized, stuff was prepped for the delivery, and even the room that I came to visit I could see all the aircraft books were organized and the delivery process was well thought out.And Phil Jewell is dynamite! He was very descriptive of the process, so I knew what to expect. Phil made it a great experience, and was always very quick to respond. Overall, I could see your team was interested in my overall experience and success, not just making a sale. That made all the difference and I am a very happy customer.”
DiamondShare DA40 NG Owner
Sandy and I can’t thank you enough for all you have done to support us in our purchase of our DiamondShare DA40 NG Aircraft. A special thanks as well for allowing Sam to make the journey to FL with me and take some extra time to introduce me to my local service center and flying this gorgeous airplane!
As you already know, Sam is an incredible young man and a great pilot. May you and he accomplish great things together.
Phil was a perfect CFI, who has a wonderful demeanor and excellent ability to traing and educate.
Caroline is on top of things, efficient and so helpful. It has been a joy working through the purchase with her.
Congrats on assembling a wonderful team!
Frank (DiamondShare DA40 NG Owner)
Big and Tall Man’s Airplane
Finding the “right airplane” involves many considerations…speed, load, economy, price and most of all comfort and fit.
Here at LifeStyle Aviation we like to start with the all important fit and comfort as one of the first things we focus on. The truth is not all airplanes fit all pilots. Sometimes its elbow room, head room, leg room or all of the above. We feel more like tailors fitting suits of clothing to find that perfect fit sometimes.
A recent prospect interested in the DA62 was worried that he would not fit since he is 6 foot 7 Inches tall and has been unable to fit in a number of different aircraft. He came for the demo flight and commented after putting the plane through its paces…
“They should sell the DA62 at the Big and Tall Man’s Shop! It fit great!”
The DA62 is best described as “Luxuriously Large”. Plenty of head room, tons of elbow room and first class leg room even for the longest legs.
A Happy DA42 Flyer
I have been using and enjoying my DA 42 a lot. Great trips to Florida and North Carolina along with local flying to fun places.
My DA 42 is the nicest airplane I have ever owned. Thanks to the LifeStyle Aviation Team for making this a great experience!
David in PA
You made it easy! John in Colorado
Thank you for all of your help with buying my first airplane. You made it very easy and I enjoyed my first flight home in it which totaled 13.9 hors on the Hobbs. When I am ready to buy my next airplane you will definitely be the guy I call again. I can highly recommend the folks at LifeStyle Aviation to anyone looking to purchase an aircraft.
Thanks,
John
When its time to sell… A Happy Brokerage Customer
When it was time to sell my aircraft I turned to John Armstrong of LifeStyle Aviation. John and the folks at LifeStyle Aviation made the process simple and painless, answered all my questions promptly, got me a great price, and closed the deal in short order. Even though my plane was on the lower end of the price spectrum, John gave me the same level of care and service that he gives to his high end clients. If you are thinking of selling, give John a call – you will be pleased with the result!
Happy Brokerage Customer – Rick in Florida
Jim in WV
Our Special thanks to Dr. Jim DeMarco for the purchase of his second DA40. Congratulations on achieving your IFR rating!!! Well Done! We know you are going to really enjoy your new XLS Jim.
Chad – My First Aircraft
My name is Chad and this was my first airplane purchase. The good people at Lifestyle Aviation made the process a wonderful and memorable experience. They were very patient with me though the entire ordeal and were especially keen to answer all of my questions. (Yes, I had more than a few!) I consider myself very fortunate to now have been exposed to what many would perceive as “World Class” service and care. I would like to thank the Lifestyle Aviation team for taking such good care of me and my needs.
You are truly second to none!
Sincerely,
Chad
Maurice in NY
I wanted to thank you for your excellent service in getting us into a fantastic plane. Having never owned a plane before, and having flown a cirrus with airshares elite, I was nervous about making the plunge. You and your team were and are attentive to all the concerns and details of the purchase, and followed through with all the promises that you made...impressive and uncommon so kudos to you and your team. In addition, the delivery and transitional training was excellent, and the DA 40 is an absolute joy to fly. The fit and finish of the diamond is outstanding...like a Porsche or BMW! I look forward to many years of fun flying this great plane and our continued relationship. Once again, thank you for making it all happen.
Tal in MD
The purchase process was sterling. Thanks to you & Dave! As a rookie to aviation, you made it easy.I really appreciate your follow up. I’ll keep you posted & let you you know when I’m ready for the DA 42.
Aviation Lending Partner
In aviation lending we are very attentive to all the details and we look for partners that are focused on delivering on their promises to their clients and partners. We've been a part of helping LifeStyle Aviation grow and have been impressed with their focus, ability and attention to their clients. We value our partnership with LifeStyle Aviation and look forward to providing their clients innovative aviation lending solutions.
Scope Finance
LifeStyle Aviation Ambassador - Rod Lusk
When the folks at LIfeStyle Aviation asked me to be an Ambassador for aviation I was delighted to say Yes! Flying has been such a blessing and passion I'm happy to share with those considering getting involved. As I understand our role as Ambassadors its to be an experienced resource to folks that are considering getting involved in flying. I know I sure did appreciate talking with experienced folks when I got started so I think this is a great idea.
Over the years I've own many aircraft and flown many places and I can't imagine what my life would have been like if I had not enjoyed those experiences or had the advantage of moving around the world in that way.
I got the opportunity to fly gliders early in my flying career and for me I thought that was a lot of fun and certainly was a great training ground for basic pilot skills. It might explain why I've liked the Diamond line so much over the years too since they have long wings and really good glide characteristics for powered aircraft.
I've lived in mid-west and currently live north of Denver. I've owned several DA40's and a DA42 so I can certainly provide experience on those aircraft among some others. I'll be happy to share my experience, answer questions about learning to fly and being involved in using aircraft as a lifestyle, hobby or business tool.
See this recent related post about Rod Lusk flying from North Carolina to Denver.
David in VA
Our DA40 enabled us to take trips that we would not have been able to do otherwise because we are both busy professionals. During our first year we enjoyed flying to a resort in the Virginia mountains, Tangier Island, the Outer Banks of NC, Cincinnati and Cleveland to visit family and a great trip to Oshkosh. I've really enjoyed having my own plane to do my ongoing and advanced pilot training because it allows me to be very proficient in the plane. Our experience with LifeStyle was great and everything went well. They took care of delivering the plane and making sure I got off to a good start.
A DA40 Commuter
I use my DA40 to commute to my job which is 260 Miles away from where I live. It takes 4.5 hours to 8.5 hours depending on traffic to drive. It takes "door to door" from my home to my business desk only 2 and half hours via my plane. I've been commuting by air now for over 7 years. The value of this is my family gets to live where we want near family and I get to do the job I love and live where I want. My employer sees me in the office 5 days a week and I have dinner with my family the majority of nights. My aircraft is a time machine. The DA40 allows me to do it with confidence. Right now is a great time to learn to fly. There has never been an easier time to learn to fly or use aircraft due to our modern training and flight technology.
LIfeStyle Aviation Ambassador - Cynthia in DE
My Diamond DA40 is fantastic. The visibility is just outstanding and makes flying and travel so enjoyable. I fly friends up the Hudson River along the Skyline of New York City to wow them with the experience. The avionics are amazing and I enjoy showing people how the plane flies itself. Its very economical and makes travel an easy and affordable thing to do. It's great for weekend trips or weeklong adventures. I've been to Martha's Vineyard, the Bahamas, Key West, Texas, Arizona and beyond.
It's been truly great and has giving me a lifestyle of freedom and enjoyment I always wanted. The experience of learning to fly and buying the plane was a pleasure also. The team at LifeStyle made the whole process easy. I'd encourage anyone to consider the Diamond DA40 and would certainly recommend they work with LifeStyle Aviation. When they asked me to be an ambassador for our modern flying lifestyle, I welcomed the opportunity. If people that don't fly knew how freeing and convenient it is to have a modern plane they would all want it! I hope others will discover this fantastic lifestyle and life changing opportunity.
Bill in SC
I had been the proud owner of a fine Beechcraft Bonanza for many years that I traded on a modern Diamond DA40. We loved our Bonanza and it had served our family very well over the years and we were sad to trade it in but I did not feel like I could sit on the sidelines forever missing out on the tremendous value and safety the new designs and avionics offered. We made the trade and have never looked back! It has been a fabulous aircraft and a wonderful experience providing us very safe economical transportation. LifeStyle Aviation and their network make the process easy and pleasant and we enjoy their ongoing support.
Partnership in PA
When our partnership of 4 guys started considering trading up from our old Piper to a modern plane we were unsure what was the right price point to jump in. John at LifeStyle patiently guided us through the evaluation process. In the end he challenged us not to "cheap out" but to go for the level he knew we would appreciate. After delivery we called him to thank him for not letting us make the wrong choice. We love the plane and would have really missed the additional features. Thanks for helping us make the right choice when we had no way of knowing ourselves.
Larry in New Zealand
We are please to partner with LifeStyle Aviation as an extension of our company in the US to acquire and ship us aircraft. They handle our business from location, acquisition negotiation, logistics, export prep and packaging, de-registration and shipping. Its a turn-key solution for us and as a team we are able to offer quality aircraft to our clients here (New Zealand).
Ed in VA
I was driving 10's of thousands of miles a year for my work. I had always wanted to learn to fly so I finally decided to check it out and learn what it would take. The folks at my flight center worked hand in hand with my LIfeStyle Aircraft rep to show me the advantages the Diamond DA40 offered for someone like me just getting started. I purchased a new DA40 XLS and have loved every moment with the plane. Its been a fantastic experience and a total life and lifestyle changer!
Dave in PA
The crew at LifeStyle went the extra mile for us selling our plane. They to the time to truly understand the value of our plane and to present it to their prospective buyers clearing and fairly. We are very pleased we selected LifeStyle to market our plane for us.
Adam in PA
When I decided to upgrade to my next plane I was unsure where to turn for help selling my plane. I selected the folks at LifeStyle because they seemed to offer so much more than others and I'm really glad I did. They where clearly the experts on my aircraft type and they brought a buyer for my plane quickly and at a price that was fair. They handled all the details of the transaction and it allowed me to focus on running my business.
Rod in CO
I'm now on my 4th aircraft purchased from the folks at LifeStyle Aviation. I've appreciated their ability to take my planes on trade and help me into the next plane. They helped me every step of the way on each selection, valuation, negotiation, inspection, delivery and more. When there were issues they jumped in to help. They connected me to the people I needed when I needed help. Its been good to have a trusted advisor.
Jan in NC
The folks at LifeStyle Aviation helped me find the right plane for my needs and goals and even helped arrange a leaseback arrangement that made my economics better than I had hoped for. I've now flown my Diamond DA40 to Canada, to Florida, to the Bahamas and beyond. Its been a great lifestyle enhancement to be able to fly off to visit family more easily and enjoy the travel.
Danny in VA
I am on my 5th aircraft purchased from John and the folks at LifeStyle Aviation for our flight school operations. We've enjoyed having a "friend in the business" and appreciate they are looking out for our interests. We've thoroughly enjoyed our Diamond Aircraft.
Doug in NY
The DiamondShare Program has been fantastic! It provided me the ability to own the plane of my dreams in a way that is more economical than I ever thought possible. I've enjoyed the members in my plane and we've all had a great time!
Dan in NC
The folks at LifeStyle helped me see it was a smart move for me to acquire my first airplane when I was still a student pilot. They helped me arrange a leaseback with the Flight Center and I've enjoyed great economics and lots of flying. I've completed my private and IFR training and already had lots of great fun and travel with my family. I'd encourage anyone interested in having a great aviation experience to acquire a modern plane from LlifeStyle Aviation and follow their dreams.
Seth in PA
I wanted to thank you for what has been thus far a tremendous experience.
To this day, I am not sure exactly what drove me to pick up flying. I don’t have any relatives that fly; a few workmates had taken it up a long time ago but, at that time, it seemed like too much of a time commitment and a bit expensive. Whatever the catalyst, one day I woke up and I decided I wanted to try it out.
Gateway Aviation, a flight school and LifeStyle Aviation Network Partner out of Queen City (KXLL), was one of the schools I called; their website wasn’t anything special, but I gave a call and they just sounded like a fit. I went up there with my son and my stepdaughter and with some time in a short ground school, I found myself in the pilot seat of a Cessna 172. I was a bit surprised and a bit stressed when, all of a sudden, Andy (Andrew Wells) told me to push the throttle and take off. Andy gave me some short instruction on how to turn and then gave us a little zero gravity experience. Then it was time to land; I wouldn’t say I nailed it and I have no idea how much Andy helped, but I was safely on the ground and ready to do this flying thing a lot.
Those who know me would say I do tend to get a bit obsessive; within 3 months, I had my private pilot license. I think I signed up for instrument the same day I got my private pilot and about 7 months later (winter got in the way), I had my instrument rating. During that period, I also had the opportunity to try flying Gateway’s only Diamond DA-40, N232BB. Compared to the 172 and with its G1000 cockpit, there was plenty to learn but also even more to enjoy flying. When I rented for trips, I only rented the Diamond. It was easy to fly and very responsive and I just loved the avionics although it was pretty hard to master them all.
After instrument, I flew a bit but not having anywhere to go and struggling with the idea of renting, where I would have to pay 3 hours a day if going away with the plane for an extended time even if not flying, I flew less and less. Another flight school nearby had a bunch of Cirrus, so I invested a couple more thousand learning how to fly that plane – after getting the high performance cert and cirrus type, I could never get my hands around the $250 plus rental fee.
I found Crossfit after the Cirrus experience and my obsession switched to that. Took a fair amount of my free time and with work heating up, flying just didn’t fit anymore. The rental concept just wasn’t clicking for me, plus Gateway was 45 mins away so a flying trip anywhere added 1.5 hours to commute time.
Around Xmas this year, my family started bugging me about flying again. I didn’t have my medical, I was overdue for a biannual, my instrument rating and even private piloting were far from current. I decided I would go about getting current and just see what happened. I had a few friends that had recently moved to Virginia and Kentucky. Also, my sister in law bought a home in Cape cod. All of a sudden, there were places to go. Not uncharacteristically, within a few weeks, I was medically certified, signed off both for private and instrument again and was right back and wanting to fly as much as I could.
But renting and traveling to Queen City was a pretty big obstacle for me … by the way, just to be clear, the Gateway guys were always awesome. Their rental charges were very competitive and compared to others a real bargain. They kept their planes in great shape (they have 3 diamonds now) and were always great to deal with. Matt Ryan is the best instructor around and is always available for all of my flying, safety, navigation, etc. questions. But I needed some other arrangement if I was going to really fly as much as I wanted to.
I called Matt and asked him about buying a plane – if anyone was looking for someone to buy in, etc. I started looking at the Cirrus and of course the Diamond. Brad, up at Gateway, let me know that there was a program with Diamonds that effectively allowed you to buy into a brand new plane for a monthly fee (all in except for gas). That sounded really attractive and I gave John Armstrong a call.
John was great but I have to admit at first my SALESMAN radar was on full alert. Frankly, it just sounded way too good to be true. John sent me a bunch of material to read. Included there was a deal for ownership. Talk about sounding too good to be true; the member side was great; the ownership structure was even more amazing. A new plane … members contributing to the monthly payments … and a bunch of incentives to really get me up in the plane the first year. I was very fortunate to have the capital. I was pretty excited about the whole thing. John answered my hundred questions (some of them perhaps a bit obviously testing the truthfulness of the deal). He then connected me to other owners. I followed up with them – who by the way have gone out of their way to make sure I did not have to recreate the wheel and to leverage what they had learned. I spoke to my tax guy and I spoke to my finance guy. They looked hard as well and with an incredible interest rate from my finance guy, it was a done deal. I think John said it was close to the quickest sale he had had but I have to imagine in terms of hours of discussions, it took John a lot of time.
But in terms of the experience so far, let me end with a few bullets …
John is not only very professional but truly focused on getting you the plane of your dreams and making sure that everything goes smoothly. He is always a text or a call away and is genuine in his concern and desire to make this a positive experience.
I was able to pick up the plane in Canada. I highly recommend that. I learned a ton about whats inside the plane and the commitment to quality that Diamond has. The quality guy, the plant lead and the production test pilot were also a pleasure to meet and also took a ton of pride in their airplanes.
Dick Filbey, my assigned chaperone for my plane pickup, is incredibly smart about all things Diamond and gave me all sorts of free tips while flying back from Canada. He is also a great resource for anything regarding the plane in terms of maintenance, cleaning, and loading up new nav charts.
I have flown my new plane almost 15 hours in 3 weeks including my longest flight ever about 330 miles to Roanoke. I flew over clouds (first warm enough day to do so) and landed with a crazy crosswind without but a little bounce. The avionics were incredible – I pushed autopilot about 30 seconds after taking off, made adjustments to my flight plan per ATC along the way, and shut off the autopilot when I entered the pattern for landing. Its almost like a video game. Did I mention I have the plane 15 mins from house … I am over there all the time.
I have one member who I checked out. First time in the copilot seat with someone as inexperienced as me; but he did great and really cares for the plane like it is his own. I have bought a tug, my first case of av oil, cowl plugs and a few other items. I check the tire pressure and oil religiously and with Dick’s help, really know how to preflight (and what I am preflighting for)
We got our second member shortly after the first. John is a man of his word and was working with me consistently to find another member.
John asked me to write something up if I felt like it. There are not enough words to capture my excitement and enjoyment thus far. If you are at all interested, I would be more than happy to talk your ear off as this is one of the best things I have ever done for myself and my family.
Regards,
Seth Levine, N274DS