JETNET releases April 2012 and first four months data

JETNET has released April 2012 and the YTD 2012 results for the pre-owned business jet, business turboprop and helicopter markets.

JETNET highlighted in Table A key worldwide trends across all aircraft market segments, comparing April 2012 to April 2011. The fleet for sale percentages for all market sectors were down in the April comparisons.

Both business jet and business turboprop sale transactions YTD increased, 4.1% and 3.1% respectively, in April 2012 compared to April 2011. However, both turbine and piston helicopters saw double-digit declines in sale transactions YTD, at 14.9% and 21.2%, respectively.

In the first four months of 2012, the turbine helicopter market has seen a 14.9% reduction in sale transactions with a 5.4% increase in the average asking price as the market continues to take corrective action.

JETNET have seen little correction of the piston helicopter market through the first four months of 2012, with average asking price decreasing by 4.9% and sale transactions down 21.2%, based on YTD comparisons.

The piston helicopter market was the only market segment to show a decrease (-4.9%) in average asking price in the YTD numbers, as shown in Table A, Worldwide Trends.

Chart A depicts pre-owned turbine helicopter sale transactions based on a 12-month moving total, and average asking price based on a 12-month moving average, from July 2006 to present. The number of sale transactions remained relatively
stable until December 2008 when the economic downturn started. However, there was a steady increase in average asking price from July 2006 to October 2009 after the downturn started. Then average asking price declined and met the improving sale transactions line in December 2010. Asking prices continued to decline until August 2011 before showing improvement again.

Chart A

A similar view of pre-owned piston helicopters in Chart B shows a steady growth in pre-owned sales transactions and average asking price from July 2006 until December 2010. Pre-owned sales transactions declined significantly from 1,026 in January 2011 to 409 in August 2011, while average asking prices continued at the same levels. This is a much different picture than that for business aircraft and turbine helicopters markets. The decline in piston helicopter sales transactions did not occur until two years after the economic downturn started in late 2008.

Chart B