Aero Asset heli market trends reports drop in preowned single engine helicopter sales and rising supply

Aero Asset 2023 Half Year Heli Market Trends Report, single engine helicopter edition, reveals declining sales volume and rising supply for sale leading to a higher absorption rate compared to the same period in 2022. Valerie Pereira, Aero Asset VP Market Research, commented: “Retail sales of 58 units, valued at $132 million, decreased 60 percent in the first half of 2023 in comparison to the same period in 2022. Supply for sale ended 70 percent higher year over year at 108 units available on the market, and the absorption rate increased to 8.5 months of supply at current trade levels.”

Prices Up

Interestingly average asking price remained strong, up 11 percent year over year, buoyed by arrival of low time helicopters on the market. Average trading price also remained strong against firm OEM lead time backdrop, increasing 23 percent year over year.

Liquidity Lineup

The most liquid preowned single engine helicopter market during the first half of 2023 was the Bell 407/GX/P/I followed by the Airbus AS350 B3/B3e/H125, and the Airbus EC130 B4/H130. The least liquid preowned market during the first half was the Leonardo AW119K/Ke/Kx, with an absorption rate of 14 months.

North American Demand

During the first half of 2023, there was a robust demand for singles in North America, as buyers there accounted for two-thirds of all preowned single engine helicopter transactions. At the same time, retail sales in Europe dropped 75 percent year over year. Europe and North America together accounted for two thirds of the worldwide supply for sale.

This Heli Market Trends Report covers high end preowned single engine helicopters in production and variants with recent preowned sales activity. Its data does not include sales of new aircraft, leases, sale-leasebacks, early buyouts, sales to government, or part-out. Go to https://www.aeroasset.com/report to download the full report.