Helicopter finance: funding a new or used helicopter
Helicopter finance spreads the cost of a new or used helicopter over an agreed term through hire purchase, a loan secured on…
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Gyroplane finance: funding a new or used gyrocopter
How to finance a new or used gyroplane in the UK: hire purchase and aircraft mortgages, deposits, what lenders check and finance for flight schools and private owners.
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- Amount
- From £10,000 to £20 millionLarger amounts through secured, property and asset-based finance
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- Sole traders to limited companiesPartnerships and LLPs too
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In short
What you need to know.
Gyroplane finance spreads the cost of a new or used gyroplane, also called a gyrocopter or autogyro, over an agreed term.
Specialist aviation lenders fund them through hire purchase or a loan secured on the aircraft, usually with a deposit. Lenders want the aircraft on the UK register with a valid permit or certificate, so its type approval and paperwork matter as much as the price.
About gyroplane finance
Specialist knowledge. Better outcomes.
Gyroplanes have moved from open-cockpit kit aircraft to enclosed, fully specified touring machines, and prices have moved with them.
A new enclosed-cabin gyroplane can cost well over £150,000, which is why more buyers, flight schools and operators now fund them rather than paying cash. This page explains how gyroplane finance works, what lenders look for and how to get it in place before you order. If you are looking at another type of aircraft, our aviation finance page covers the wider market.
- Access to 300+ lendersWhole-of-market search across our lender panel.
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Who gyroplane finance suits
- Private pilots and owners buying a new or used gyroplane.
- Flight schools adding a training gyroplane to their fleet.
- Businesses using gyroplanes for aerial survey, filming or patrol work.
- Owners who want to release cash from a gyroplane they already own.
Found a gyroplane for sale?
Most gyroplanes for sale in the UK are listed by dealers, brokers and private sellers on aviation marketplaces and club noticeboards. Agree your finance in principle before you commit, so you know your deposit, term and monthly payment when you make an offer. For a private sale the lender will check that the seller owns the aircraft and that any finance against it is cleared, and will usually pay the seller directly once its security is in place. A pre-purchase inspection by a qualified engineer protects you and the lender.
Specialist lenders on our panel
Arkle Finance and Close Brothers are both on our panel, and both run specialist aviation teams. Arkle publishes aviation finance for light aircraft and helicopters, including a dedicated autogyro finance service, and Close Brothers Aviation & Marine funds light piston aircraft, turboprops, helicopters and vintage aircraft, according to their websites. Smart Funding Solutions is an independent broker and is not part of either lender. We approach the lenders whose criteria fit your aircraft and set the offers side by side.
Registration, type approval and the permit to fly
A lender is lending against the aircraft, so it needs to know the gyroplane can be legally flown and sold in the UK. In practice that means:
- UK registration: lenders usually want the aircraft on the UK register (a G- registration) before they pay out, and many will not fund an aircraft that is still abroad.
- Airworthiness: UK light gyroplanes are designed and approved to the CAA's British Civil Airworthiness Requirements, Section T, and fly on a permit to fly or a certificate of airworthiness. A new model that is still working through UK approval may need to complete it before a lender will fund it.
- Records: the logbooks, maintenance history and any modifications, especially on a used aircraft.
The Civil Aviation Authority publishes the rules for gyroplane design, permits and pilot licences.
Business use and personal use
Finance for an aircraft bought by a company, partnership or sole trader for its business is commercial lending. Finance for an individual buying an aircraft for personal or leisure flying can be regulated consumer credit, which follows different rules and protections. Tell us at the outset who will own the aircraft and how it will be used, so the right lenders and the right agreement are used.
Ordering a new gyroplane
New gyroplanes are often built to order, with a deposit paid to the dealer and the balance on delivery. Lenders normally fund the balance once the aircraft is built, registered and insured, rather than stage payments to a factory. Agree your finance before you sign the order, so you know the deposit, the term and the monthly payment, and check what happens to your deposit if delivery slips.
Costs to consider
Look at the total amount payable, not only the monthly figure. Ask about arrangement and documentation fees, any balloon, early settlement terms and registration costs. Insurance, hangarage, maintenance and the annual permit or airworthiness review sit on top of the finance, and lenders take them into account when they check affordability.
Useful sources
Before you buy, check the aircraft on G-INFO, the CAA register of UK aircraft. The Light Aircraft Association oversees many gyroplane types flown on a permit to fly.
Underwriting
What lenders look at
01
The gyroplane: make, model, age, hours, specification and price, and for used aircraft its records and condition.
02
Your deposit. Aircraft typically need 10% to 30% down, depending on the lender, the aircraft and the buyer.
03
For a business: accounts, bank statements and how the aircraft earns its keep, such as training hours or survey contracts.
04
For a private buyer: income, outgoings and credit history.
05
Insurance with the lender's interest noted, and where the aircraft will be hangared.
Side by side
Compare your options
How the main business finance structures work. Lenders set their own terms, so treat this as a guide to the questions to ask.
| Option | How you repay | Security | Often used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsecured business loan | Fixed instalments, usually monthly | No charge over assets; a personal guarantee is usually required | Growth, stock, tax bills and cash flow |
| Secured business loan | Fixed instalments, often over a longer term | A charge over property or other assets | Larger sums, property and refinancing |
| Revolving credit facility | Interest on what you draw; repay and redraw | Varies by lender and case | Recurring or uneven cash flow gaps |
| Merchant cash advance | A share of future card takings | No charge over assets | Card-taking businesses with uneven months |
| Asset finance | Regular payments over the life of the asset | The asset being financed | Equipment, vehicles and machinery |
| Invoice finance | Settled as customers pay their invoices | Your unpaid invoices | Businesses waiting on customer payment |
General information only. Every lender has its own criteria, and all finance is subject to status.
How gyroplane finance works
| Structure | How it works | Often suits |
|---|---|---|
| Hire purchase | Deposit, then fixed monthly payments; you own the aircraft at the end | Buyers who want to own and keep the gyroplane |
| Aircraft mortgage (secured loan) | A loan secured on the gyroplane, with the lender's charge registered against it | Private buyers and companies buying outright |
| Balloon payment | Lower monthly payments with a larger final payment | Newer aircraft expected to hold their value |
| Refinance | Borrowing against a gyroplane you already own | Funding an upgrade, an overhaul or another purchase |
The broker’s view
How we help
Tell us the aircraft, the price, your deposit and who will own it. We match it against the aviation lenders on our panel, approach the ones that fit and present the case once, with the aircraft details and your accounts or income. The lender carries out its own checks and approval is always its decision. It is free to enquire, and any broker fee is disclosed separately before you proceed. To see your options now, use our instant quotes tool.
FAQs
Questions clients ask
Can I get finance on a gyroplane?
Yes. Specialist aviation lenders fund new and used gyroplanes through hire purchase or a loan secured on the aircraft, for businesses and, with some lenders, private buyers. Most want a deposit and the aircraft on the UK register before they pay out.
How much deposit do I need for a gyroplane?
It depends on the lender, the aircraft and your circumstances. Aircraft typically need between 10% and 30% of the price as a deposit, and a newer business or a weaker credit record usually means a larger one.
Can I finance a gyroplane that is not yet approved in the UK?
Lenders usually want the aircraft registered in the UK and able to fly on a valid permit or certificate before they pay out. If the model is still completing its UK approval, expect the lender to wait until it is done, so build that into your timing.
Can a flight school finance a training gyroplane?
Yes. Lenders look at the school's accounts, its student bookings and instructor capacity, and how the aircraft will earn its keep. A newer school may be asked for a larger deposit and personal guarantees.
Can I release cash from a gyroplane I already own?
Some aviation lenders will lend against a gyroplane you own outright, usually for a proportion of its value. They will want its records, a view on its value and the aircraft on the UK register.
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