Aero Asset’s 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 with the same period in 2022. “Retail sales of 58 units, valued at $132 million, decreased 60% in the first half of 2023 in comparison to the same period in 2022,” said Valerie Pereira, Aero Asset VP of Market Research. “Supply for sale ended 70% 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.”
Interestingly average asking price remained strong, up 11% year over year, buoyed by the arrival of low-time helicopters on the market. Average trading price also remained strong against firm OEM lead time backdrop, increasing 23% year over year.
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.
During the first half, 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% year over year. Europe and North America together accounted for two-thirds of the worldwide supply for sale.
The 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.
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