Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, private aircraft auction house Assent Aeronautics has reported annual results with over $180 million in aircraft crossing the auction block in its inaugural year, and with a more than 85 per cent closing rate of all business aviation aircraft. In response, Assent reimagined its live private aircraft auction format by modifying it to a safe, live virtual broadcast, completing a profitable and unprecedented year of aircraft auctions. Assent generated a total viewership of 26,285 from its September 24 auction live stream, and more than 90 aircraft were consigned and listed in year one.

Since December 2019, Assent Aeronautics has hosted four live auctions and has announced additional auction dates to take place both this year and throughout 2021, including the upcoming auction on 19 November, located at Jet Aviation at Dallas Love Field airport, as well as 4 February, 20 May, 23 September and 18 November in 2021. As of November 2020, Assent's auctions have sold aircraft across all business and general aviation categories with the exception of piston helicopters, none of which have yet to be consigned to an auction.

“As we close out our inaugural year of luxury private aircraft auctions, we are happy to share the success and growth of the company driven by our transition to a live broadcast stream auction format. Assent is now squarely a top ten aircraft dealer worldwide by volume and by listings inside our launch year,” explains W. Hulsey Smith, president and founder. “Since the start of the global pandemic, we have doubled our headcount to better serve our clients and keep up with the demand for private aircraft transactions. We are also thrilled to welcome James Evans, associate aircraft broker, as the latest addition to our team. We are humbled by these financial results and are blessed to see continued growth in Q4, and are hopefully off to a strong start in 2021.”