News

Following Seasonal Inventory Declines, Aircraft Asking Values Continue Year-Over-Year Growth

According to the latest Sandhills Global market reports covering used piston single, turboprop, and jet aircraft and piston helicopters in Sandhills marketplaces, asking values remained elevated in January and continue year-over-year growth. The reports also show inventory declines in piston singles, turboprops, and helicopters; jet aircraft inventory levels remained steady.

“Aircraft inventory levels increased month over month throughout 2022 from lows observed at the beginning of last year,” says Controller Department Manager Brant Washburn. “The change of direction noted in the January market reports reflect the typical seasonal inventory declines that we expect to see at the turn of the calendar year. With the exception of turboprops, which saw a modest year-over-year decline, inventory levels overall were still higher in January than they were in January 2022, and asking values remain higher for all categories.”

Sandhills’ aviation products include Controller, Controller EMEA, Executive Controller, Charter Hub, AviationTrader, Aircraft Cost Calculator, and AircraftEvaluator. AircraftEvaluator is Sandhills’ proprietary asset valuation tool for all types of aircraft, built using the same technology behind FleetEvaluator. Widely used and trusted across equipment, truck, and trailer industries, FleetEvaluator identifies asset values with unparalleled accuracy.

The key metric used in all of Sandhills’ market reports is the Sandhills Equipment Value Index (EVI). Buyers and sellers can use the information in the Sandhills EVI to monitor equipment markets and maximize returns on acquisition, liquidation, and related business decisions. The Sandhills EVI data include equipment available in auction and retail markets, as well as model year equipment actively in use. Effective with the January 2023 EVI, Sandhills introduced version enhancements and weighted adjustments. All historic EVI metrics were amended and recalculated back to 2005, and all calendar year 2023 EVI releases will include these enhancements; as a result, prior numbers will not be comparable to the new, more insightful values.

Takeaways

This report includes detailed analysis of asking values and inventory trends in used aircraft markets along with charts that help readers visualize the data. It describes and quantifies important trends in the buying and selling of used piston single, turboprop, jet, and Robinson piston helicopter aircraft.

U.S. and Canada Used Piston Single Aircraft

• Inventory levels for pre-owned piston single aircraft decreased 11.94% M/M in January and are trending down. This follows a decline observed in December of 2022; however, inventory levels in this market are higher than in 2022, and posted a 12.03% YOY increase in January.
• Asking values remained elevated in January. The Sandhills EVI shows asking values are trending sideways, down just 0.52% M/M and up 5.6% YOY.

U.S. and Canada Used Turboprop Aircraft

• Relative to piston single and jet aircraft inventories, used turboprop aircraft inventory levels have decreased more sharply (down 12.4% M/M in January) and are trending down. However, the past two months of decreases in this market have brought inventory levels roughly in line with last year; they were down 1.74% YOY in January.
• Similar to the used piston single market, asking values for used turboprops have remained up while inventory has declined. Asking values in this market decreased 0.71% M/M and increased 27.52% YOY in January, and continue to trend upward.

Global Used Jet Aircraft

• Although M/M inventory gains for used jet aircraft have paused over the past few months (levels increased 0.56% M/M), they are up significantly since last year, posting a 161% YOY increase in January.
• Asking values for this market held steady M/M in January but continue to trend upward. Asking values are still higher than a year ago, up 12.61% YOY.

Global Used Robinson Piston Helicopters 

• The greatest M/M inventory declines in January were seen in this market, as levels decreased 13.19%. Still, inventory levels continue to trend upward and posted a 21.54% YOY increase.
• The Sandhills EVI indicates asking values for used Robinson piston helicopters increased 5.47% M/M and 8.28% YOY in January.

Obtain the Full Report

For more information, or to receive detailed analysis from Sandhills Global, contact us at [email protected].

About the Sandhills Equipment Value Index

The Sandhills Equipment Value Index (EVI) is a principal gauge of the estimated market values of used assets—both currently and over time—across the construction, agricultural, commercial trucking, and aviation industries represented by Sandhills Global marketplaces, including Controller.com, AuctionTime.com, TractorHouse.com, MachineryTrader.com, TruckPaper.com, and other industry-specific equipment platforms. Powered by FleetEvaluator and AircraftEvaluator, Sandhills’ proprietary asset valuation tools, Sandhills EVI provides useful insights into the ever-changing supply-and-demand conditions for each industry.