Rich Barton's Falcon 7X returns to Boeing Field after a quick Grant County hop

The move to Nevada has been widely covered as part of a broader trend of wealthy tech founders leaving Washington state amid a new 9.9% millionaire's tax set to take effect in 2028, as noted by both The Seattle Times and GeekWire. Barton, whose net worth Forbes estimates at $1.2 billion, has not commented on the tax implications, but his departure from Seattle after 35 years marks a significant shift for the region's tech ecosystem. Despite the new residency, Barton's aircraft remains based at Boeing Field, where a hangar tied to him was purchased in May 2025 for $10.5 million from an entity linked to Jeff Bezos, according to the Registry. The Falcon 7X is registered to a trust, TVPX Aircraft Solutions Inc Trustee, which conceals the beneficial owner, but the hangar-mate connection to Lloyd Frink's N626Z provides circumstantial evidence of Barton's association with the jet.

The flight pattern of N993XZ shows a recent trip to Tallinn, Estonia, on September 26, followed by a return to Seattle via San Jose on October 4–6. The Grant County round trip on October 7 fits a pattern of short, purposeful movements that keep the aircraft ready for Barton's transcontinental and international travel. For a tech executive who built Expedia, Zillow, and Glassdoor, and who sits on the board of Netflix, the ability to move quickly between the West Coast, board meetings, and personal commitments is a practical necessity. Whether the Grant County stop was business or pleasure, the aircraft's return to Boeing Field reinforces that Seattle remains a hub in Barton's orbit, even as his official residence shifts to the desert.