History of Southern Aircraft Sales Ltd (1999 – 2026)

Founder Justin Sollitt, is a New Zealand entrepreneur and experienced pilot, who has had a lifelong fascination with and passion for aviation.

Southern Aircraft Sales Ltd (SASL) was best known for breaking the mould of traditional aircraft and helicopter dealerships in the early 2000s. Justin pioneered an aircraft brokerage that operated purely online at a time when the internet was in its infancy and the term 'ecommerce' was largely unheard of.

In the late 1990s websites were the poor cousin to traditional sales yards and print advertising right across the transport industry. What SASL was doing then was scorned as amateurish. Today, ironically, the digital model is the global industry standard.

1997. After a childhood frequented with building countless model aeroplanes, Justin commenced learning to fly fixed-wing aircraft, and he completed his pilot’s licence in 1998. His instructor remarked—that at just 9 hours—Justin is among the fastest that they had experienced sending a trainee pilot solo, where the normal expectation was 15 hours, and that he clearly had a natural aptitude for flying.

1999. Armed with a newly minted pilot’s licence, the business of Southern Aircraft Sales commenced on a part-time basis, with Justin endlessly poring over light aircraft classifieds advertisements, inspecting aircraft for sale, and researching aircraft rental deals.

2003. Southern Aircraft Sales Ltd (SASL) was officially incorporated and it became a full-time business. Propelled by Justin’s relentless entrepreneurial drive, SASL quickly became the leading light aircraft and helicopter brokerage across New Zealand, and SASL had made enough money to buy its first light aircraft to lease.

2004. SASL expanded into Australia, the South Pacific region, and beyond. Simultaneously SASL was also operating its light aircraft rental business in New Zealand. Many in the industry remarked at how quickly Sollitt had disrupted the traditional aircraft sales industry and raised industry standards markedly.

SASL also expanded into aircraft and helicopter valuation services.

2005. SASL commenced importing/exporting light aircraft. Justin quickly formed strong nine-year alliance with the late, legendary Australian aviation pioneer, Jim Hazelton (1931-2014), who also generously tutored Justin in the hazardous business of single engine oceanic delivery flying.

Justin turned SASL into a one-stop-aircraft shop, providing a frictionless, door-to-door aircraft sales and delivery service.

2007. SASL expanded its reach globally, completing aircraft and helicopter deals to and from Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands, USA, Alaska, Asia and Europe.

2008. Justin achieved prominence for single-handedly flying a small, two-seater microlight on another hazardous “edge of your seat” 8,000-kilometre journey from Christchurch, New Zealand, to Perth, Western Australia.

2009. Justin and SASL was accepted into the Plant and Machinery Valuers Institute (PINZ) specialising in aviation valuation. He became reputed as one of only a handful of aircraft and helicopter valuation specialists in Australasia.

2017. Justin and his technical team developed the Hangar247 aviation website. To meet the ever-changing market, this again transformed the original digital brokerage into a global digital classifieds platform that was now representing aircraft and their owners across more than 30 countries.

2025. The Valuation Professional Regulatory body ratified their strict requirements concerning conflicts of interest between valuation and sales, and SASL was required to choose between running the aircraft sales business or the valuation business; it could no longer operate in both.

2026. Retaining the valuation business was chosen, and the SASL brand was retired.


Justin reflects

“Just like the iPhone decimated the print news media business from 2006, the same occurred with aircraft brokerages from about 2015. Strong internet connectivity and social media had seen many new digital operators popping up that eroded the industry down to a very low revenue base.”

“What was once a profitable and valued aircraft brokerage was forced to compete with many new online operators, many offering classified advertising for free. Free is not a business, even when you are Elon Musk.”

“Even the pure digital brokerage that SASL had pioneered in the early 2000s was now obsolete, hence the SASL brand and business have been retired to focus on the valuation service.”

These images best represent Southern Aircraft Sales over 27 years.

1. The range of aircraft and helicopter types that was the core business.

2. Southern Aircraft Sales GEN1 website in 2002.

Leading online technology that is now comparable to a dial telephone.

3. Southern Aircraft Sales GEN2 website in 2006.

4. Southern Aircraft Sales GEN3 website in 2010.

5. Southern Aircraft Sales GEN4 classifieds website in 2017.

6. A typical aircraft deal completed.

7. SASL company transport, a Lancair 235 “pocket rocket” with Justin Sollitt on finals at Ardmore, Auckland.

8. Preparing a Pitts S1 Special being readied for export to Norfolk UK, from Hamilton NZ.

9. SASL also traded in semi-completed aircraft kitsets, engines and propellors.

10. A fleet of Tomahawk trainer aircraft imported from the USA to New Zealand.

“What motivates a pilot to sit in the cockpit of a light aircraft for days, overloaded with fuel, alone, over a vast ocean?”

11. SASL Founder, Justin Sollitt with Jim Hazelton in 2005, seen here being tutored in the hazardous business of single engine oceanic delivery flying.

12. Palmerston North, New Zealand. With team Jim Hazelton.
Preparing a Britten Norman Islander twin, for a trans-Pacific delivery flight to its new home in Alaska.

Plumbing in the additional fuel tank required. Excess baggage is standard in this business.

13. Tucson, Arizona. Preparing a Cirrus SR22 single engine aircraft for an oceanic flight to New Zealand.
A fuel tank with wings. Installing maximum fuel for the trans-Pacific flight from Arizona to Auckland via Hawaii and Samoa. The longest non-stop leg was 14 hours West Coast USA – Hawaii.

14. A typical trans-Tasman oceanic delivery flight. Bay of Islands, New Zealand to Kempsy NSW, Australia - via Norfolk and Lord Howe Islands. The longest non-stop leg was normally 6 hours, Norfolk – Lord Howe.

15. Relocating sold or ex-leased aircraft a new home was a frequent task.