Press Release

Issued by Amstat.

August 16, 2017

According to AMSTAT, there have been further encouraging signs coming from the business aircraft resale market. Overall, business jet resale retail transactions were up 8.4% during the first half of 2017 versus the same period in 2016. Of note were the medium jets, where transaction activity during this period was up 16.7% over 2016. Heavy jet transactions were up 3.8% and light jets rose 4.4%. Transactions in turbine helicopters overall were up 6.5% in the first half of 2016 versus the same period in 2017. The single engine market saw a 9.9% year over year improvement.

Not all markets performed as well. turboprops saw transaction activity in the first half of 2017 fall 0.5% versus 2016 and the multi engine helicopters saw a 1.5% decline.

In many market segments, inventory levels are at or are close to their lowest (as a percentage of active fleet) points in some time. 10.7% of active business jets are for sale. This is the lowest percentage in this group since January 2008. Furthermore, 9.3% of heavy jets, 10.6% of medium jets and 5.6% of single engine turbine helicopters are currently for sale, all the lowest levels in these segments since 2008. The turboprop inventory is at 8.3% which is below a year ago and its lowest since the start of 2015.

By contrast, the percentage of light jets for sale is currently 11.7%, down from April this year but up from 11.5% a year ago. Multi engine helicopters inventories have remained largely unchanged year over year.

Despite better transaction results and contracting inventories, average asking prices in most market segments continue to see downward pressure. All segments saw year over year declines in average asking prices and most have experienced the same year to date. Heavy jets are down 5.5% over a year ago, medium jets are down 7.6%, light jets are down 5.1%, turboprops are down 2.5% and multi and single engine helicopters are down 0.6%.

For a full copy of the report go to: http://www.aso.com/amstatmarketupdate.pdf.