Aero Ventures Managing Partner Sergey Petrossov: 'We're Not Replacing the Human Side of Aviation, We're Elevating It'

Private aviation has resisted digital transformation longer than most asset-heavy industries. Aircraft ownership transactions often still operate through broker phone calls and information asymmetry that can favor industry insiders. While charter booking platforms shifted toward digital interfaces through ventures like JetSmarter, buying and selling jets has in many ways remained anchored in relationship-driven opacity.

Sergey Petrossov, the founder of JetSmarter, wants to change this. His new company, Aero Ventures, is applying a tech-based model to aircraft ownership that the real estate industry has followed with platforms like Zillow. But, Petrossov emphasizes, the key is to not let tech dismantle the hands-on consultative expertise that aviation clients expect. The platform combines instant AI-generated valuations with human advisory services, positioning digital tools as client entry points rather than broker replacements.

"We are not trying to replace the human side of aviation," Petrossov told Sherpa Report. "We are elevating it."

Two Bottlenecks: Information Deficit and Slow Delivery

Private aircraft inventory growth has accelerated: JETNET reports that the number of pre-owned business jets listed for sale increased 24 % in 2024, reaching over 2,000 units and equating to roughly 7.4 % of the global fleet. At the same time, transaction volumes slipped 4.2 %, to 2,309 deals for the year.

Greater data visibility, particularly around pricing trends, time-on-market, and comparable valuations, could help reverse that slowdown by reducing uncertainty and giving both buyers and sellers firmer reference points for negotiation.

Petrossov identified two fundamental pain points with the existing model: lack of information and slow delivery.

Aircraft buyers in the $10 million-plus range previously relied on calling brokers for basic market intelligence, a time-intensive process requiring repeated touchpoints for simple inquiries about comparable values or ownership costs.

The idea behind Aero Ventures' AI-powered system is to continuously process transaction data, aircraft specifications, and market comparables to generate instant fair market valuations. The platform tracks real-time inventory levels and absorption rates, enabling users to assess whether current conditions favor buyers or sellers for specific aircraft types. What once required days or weeks of manual broker research now delivers in seconds.

The Digital Entry Point

Aero Ventures users access market intelligence directly through self-service tools. They can explore valuations and run ownership scenarios independently before engaging advisors for detailed consultation. This mirrors successful real estate platforms where prospective buyers research properties and market data before contacting agents.

"Clients don't necessarily want to call their broker every time they're curious about a Challenger 350 or want to run the numbers on different ownership models,” Petrossov told Corporate Jet Investor. “But when they can explore on their own and simulate real scenarios, it sparks ideas and builds familiarity."

By the time clients contact Aero Ventures advisors to execute purchases or sales, they arrive informed through platform analytics. This separation allows human experts to concentrate on high-value advisory work- negotiation strategy, due diligence, and transaction structuring - rather than gathering basic market data.

Bill Papariella, Aero Ventures Founder, describes the marketplace as "the client-facing extension" of the firm's brokerage operations.

"It makes trading more transparent, fast and engaging, while ensuring our clients still benefit from our team's deep expertise, strategic capital and hands-on guidance,” he told Corporate Jet Investor.

Curated Access

Real estate listing sites are usually designed for traffic volume. Targeting a more niche clientele, Aero Ventures operates through qualified buyer and seller vetting. The platform targets transactions above $10 million, maintaining confidentiality and transaction quality through selective client access.

This curated approach is meant to preserve the discretion often favored by high-net-worth clients without sacrificing data transparency. The AI system identifies potential matches based on aircraft type, budget, and timing requirements, then connects parties through human advisors who handle negotiation and closing.

Aero Ventures built its AI-powered system to produce "industry best insight at digital speed, delivered in seconds instead of weeks," said Petrossov. Its AI continuously learns from transaction data in what he calls a "self-reinforcing data flywheel"- each deal improves valuation accuracy and predictive modeling.

Augmenting Expertise

Aircraft transactions involve layers of complexity beyond raw data: bespoke financing structures, maintenance status assessments, regulatory compliance across jurisdictions. Buyers rarely want automated systems making independent decisions about these variables. Aero Ventures addresses this through a division of labor: AI eliminates information barriers while human advisors manage negotiation strategy, due diligence, and transaction structuring.

The bet is that private aviation remains relationship-driven not because of information scarcity, but because of the consultative expertise required to navigate high-stakes deals. Clients who log in repeatedly to explore valuations, compare specifications, or model ownership scenarios build familiarity with market conditions over time. When they decide to transact, they arrive with informed expectations rather than starting from zero.

According to Petrossov, the three-year vision is establishing Aero Ventures as "the trusted digital and human powered ecosystem for buying, selling, and managing private aircraft globally.” Whether that model scales depends on whether buyers and sellers who have operated through broker networks for decades will adopt a hybrid system that prioritizes data transparency alongside traditional advisory relationships.