Pre-owned inventories at historic lows, ‘driven by new entrants’

Inventories of pre-owned business aircraft touched record lows, driven by demand from first-time buyers, in the first quarter (Q1), reveals Asset Insight. Just 3.1% of the active aircraft fleet was available for sale on March 31st, according to Asset Insight AI2 Market Report. That compares with 8.1% in the same period of last year.

Posted ask prices for pre-owned aircraft climbed more than 14% year-over-year. Young, low-time aircraft continued to sell quickly, many without a formal listing, says the report. Sellers were said to often agree final transaction values that met or exceeded their ask price.

Tony Kioussis, president of Asset Insight, said: “Two years ago, as we headed into the Covid-19 pandemic, nobody foresaw the frenetic buying environment we continue to experience. 24 months later, the pre-owned business aircraft market has achieved record high transaction rates, and a record-low inventory level.”

Kioussis added: “Buyers are obtaining their ask prices, if not more, and owners of high-quality, low-time, recent model aircraft may not even have to list their asset to secure a sale.”

Large jets have 2.4% of the active fleet listed for sale while turbo-props have 2.9% on the market. In the mid-size category, 3.8% of jets are available for sale, down 9.8% from Q1 last year. Turning to light jets, 3.2% of light jets are available for sale, down 8.2% on Q1 2021.

The Q1 2022 AI2 Market Report covers 134 fixed-wing models and 698 aircraft listed for sale. More details appear in the graph below.

Meanwhile, read the full report here.

Asset Insight AI2 Market Report – at glance

*3.1% of the tracked fleet was on the market at the end of March, compared with 8.1% in 2021

*Large jets have 2.4% of the active fleet listed for sale

*Turbo-props have  2.9% of the fleet listed for sale

*3.8% of mid-size jets are available for sale, down 9.8% from Q1 last year

*3.2% of light jets are available for sale, down 8.2% on Q1 2021.