Sales volume of single-engine preowned helicopters slid by 10 percent in the first half of the year, according to Aero Asset’s Heli Market Trends Report released today. This latest report is Aero Asset’s first focused on single-engine rotorcraft, building on its Heli Market Trends Report for twin-engine helicopters. That report is scheduled next to be released in January.
Along with softening sales, the single-engine trends report further found a 65 percent drop in available supply in the second quarter. Per Aero Asset, 106 singles worth $200 million were traded in the first six months, while 64 units worth a combined $134 million were available as of late June.
North American buyers accounted for two-thirds of the transactions, while sellers in the region only accounted for 12 percent of the available supply. Conversely, European sellers represented 38 percent of the available single-engine supply even as the total number of transactions in the region declined by 50 percent year-over-year, Aero Asset reported. Latin America represented 19 percent of the supply and Asia-Pacific 17 percent.
Some 60 percent of the single-engine deals involved VIP-configured helicopters in 2022, while available EMS helicopters reached historic lows and utility models were down by 75 percent year-over-year.
Aero Asset dubbed the Airbus AS350B3/B3e/H125 as being the most “liquid” models, followed by the Bell 407/GX/P/I, and the Airbus EC130B4/H130. Each of the series only has three months’ supply at current training levels. The Leonardo AW119K/Ke/Kx is the “least liquid,” with an absorption rate of 10 months.