For Preowned Helicopters, a Seller's Market

Inventory of preowned turbine and piston helicopters remains below 7 percent of the in-service fleet, making it a seller's market, according to Utica, N.Y. aviation information firm JetNet. At the end of April, the turbine helicopter inventory stood at 6.9 percent (1,160 aircraft), slightly higher than the 6.2 percent seen a year ago but still below the 10 percent that denotes market equilibrium. The number of preowned sale transactions for turbine helicopters increased 13.5 percent, to 394, in the first four months compared with the same period last year. But the average number of days on the market for turbine helicopters increased by 82, to 314, in the first trimester compared with 2009, while the average asking price increased 3.2 percent. Meanwhile, piston helicopter inventory declined from 7 percent in April last year to 6.5 percent in the same month this year. Preowned sale transactions for piston helicopters decreased 17.7 percent in the first four months versus the same period last year, though average asking prices increased 3.1 percent.