Data Includes April 2012 And The YTD 2012 Results For The Pre-Owned Business Jet, Business Turboprop And Helicopter Markets

Corporate aviation analyist JetNet has released April 2012 and the YTD 2012 results for the pre-owned business jet, business turboprop and helicopter markets, and the results could be described as somewhat gloomy. The Fleet For Sale percentages for all market sectors were down in the April YTD comparisons from 2011 to 2012. Both business jet and business turboprop sale transactions YTD increased, 4.1% and 3.1% respectively. However, both turbine and piston helicopters saw double-digit declines in sale transactions YTD, at 14.9% and 21.2%, respectively.

In the first four months of 2012, turbine helicopters have seen a 14.9% reduction in sale transactions with a 5.4% increase in the average asking price as the market continues to take corrective action. The analyst says they have seen little correction of the piston helicopter market through April 2012, with average asking price decreasing by 4.9% and sale transactions down 21.2%, in YTD comparisons. The piston helicopter market was the only segment to show a decrease (-4.9%) in average asking price in the YTD numbers.

Based on a 12-month moving total, from July 2006 to present, pre-owned turbine helicopter sale transactions remained relatively stable until December 2008 when the economic downturn started. The 12-month moving average for average asking price showed a steady increase from July 2006 to October 2009 after the downturn started. Average asking price then declined and met the improving sale transactions line in December 2010. Asking prices continued to decline until August 2011 before showing improvement again.

A similar analysis of pre-owned piston helicopters shows a steady growth in pre-owned sales transactions and average asking price from July 2006 until December 2010. Pre-owned sales transactions declined significantly from 1,026 in January 2011 to 409 in August 2011, while average asking prices continued at the same levels. This is a much different picture than that for business aircraft and turbine helicopters markets. The decline in piston helicopter sales transactions did not occur until two years after the economic downturn started in late 2008.

FMI: http://jetnet.com