Aircraft Values Remain Steady As More Used Inventory Enters The Market

The newest Sandhills Global market reports highlight month-over-month inventory level increases and fluctuating values among jets and piston single aircraft in Sandhills marketplaces. Sandhills’ market reports cover the used jet, piston single, and turboprop aircraft categories, as well as Robinson piston helicopters.

“We’ve been observing used inventory growth for a few months now,” says Controller Department Manager Brant Washburn. “However, asking values trends are mixed across the board with jet values trending down and piston single values trending up.”

Sandhills’ aviation products include Controller, Controller EMEA, Executive Controller, Charter Hub, Aviation Trader, 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.

Additional Market Report Takeaways

This report includes detailed analyses 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 jet, piston single, turboprop, and Robinson piston helicopter aircraft.

Global Used Jets

Used jet inventory is exhibiting a steady trend, recovering some of the momentum seen prior to December 2023. Inventory levels increased 3.02% M/M and 8.18% year over year in May.
Asking values showed a slight M/M increase of 0.41%. However, asking values are still trending down and were 6.35% lower YOY in May.

Chart showing current inventory and asking value trends for used jet aircraft.

U.S. & Canada Used Piston Single Aircraft

Like used jet inventory worldwide, used piston single aircraft inventory levels in the U.S. and Canada have been recovering since December 2023 and January 2024 decreases. Piston single inventory levels were up 3.4% M/M but down 10.2% YOY.
Asking values continue to fluctuate between monthly increases and decreases. Asking values were up 1.47% M/M but down slightly at 0.34% YOY and are now trending upward.

Chart showing current inventory and asking value trends for used piston single aircraft.

U.S. & Canada Used Turboprop Aircraft

Unlike jet and piston single aircraft inventory, used turboprop inventory has returned to November 2023 levels. Although turboprop inventory fell 3.44% M/M in May, inventory levels were 8.86% higher YOY and are trending up.
Asking values, however, exhibited marginal decreases of 0.34% M/M and 0.21% YOY, although the overall trend remains steady.

Chart showing current inventory and asking value trends for used turboprop aircraft.

Global Used Robinson Piston Helicopters

Inventory levels of used Robinson piston helicopters in worldwide markets dropped 6.14% M/M and 10.83% YOY in May and are trending down.
Conversely, Sandhills notes a marginal increase in asking values, which rose 0.91% M/M and 4.53% YOY in May. Asking values are currently trending up.

Chart showing current inventory and asking value trends for used Robinson piston helicopters.

Obtain The Full Reports

For more information or to receive detailed analysis from Sandhills Global, contact us at marketreports@sandhills.com.

About Sandhills Global

Sandhills Global is an information processing company headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska. Our products and services gather, process, and distribute information in the form of trade publications, websites, and online services that connect buyers and sellers across the aviation, construction, agriculture, and commercial trucking industries. Our integrated, industry-specific approach to hosted technologies and services offers solutions that help businesses large and small operate efficiently and grow securely, cost-effectively, and successfully. Sandhills Global—we are the cloud.

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.