Molly McMillin reports in The Weekly of Business Aviation:
Some encouraging signs are coming from the business
aircraft resale market, said Amstat, which tracks
the market information.
The number of business jet resale transactions rose
8.4 percent during the first six months of 2017, compared
to the first half of 2016, with medium jet transactions
up 16.7 percent over a year ago, according to data
from Amstat.
Heavy jet transactions increased 3.8 percent, while
light jet transactions rose 4.4 percent. Turbine helicopter
sales rose 6.5 percent during the same period, while
the sale of single-engine aircraft rose 9.9 percent, it said.
Transaction activity for turboprops during the first
half of 2017 fell 0.5 percent compared to a year ago. And
multi-engine helicopter transactions decreased 1.5 percent.
In the active business jet fleet, 10.7 percent of the
fleet is for sale, the lowest percentage in this group since
January 2008, Amstat said. Aircraft on the market include
9.3 percent of the heavy jet fleet, 10.6 percent of
the medium jet fleet, 11.7 percent of the light jet fleet
and 5.6 percent of the single-engine turbine helicopter
fleet. Meanwhile, 8.3 percent of the turboprop inventory
is for sale, a lower level than a year ago and the lowest
since the beginning of 2015, while the percentage of the
multi-engine helicopter fleet on the market is largely
unchanged from a year ago.
Average asking prices in most market segments continue
to see downward pressure, with all segments experiencing
year-over-year declines in asking prices.