Chad Anderson

Headlines from the last few months suggest the business aviation market has begun to lose momentum. But at Jetcraft, that’s not what we see playing out.

While some industry data seems to indicate a slowdown, we’re currently running around 15%ahead of our deal count at the same point last year. And the recent Q2 IADA report backs that up.

A stabilized market, not a weaker one

With the post pandemic rush slowing down and the aircraft manufacturing build-base increasing, we are seeing a very rational, healthy market re-establish itself.

During the pandemic, the pre-owned industry became the only realistic option for many buyers. Demand surged just as supply dramatically tightened. Aircraft manufacturerproduction slowed, delivery slots stretched years into the future and buyers who needed an aircraft immediately had little choice but to turn to the secondary market.

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During the pandemic, business aviation became a hugely attractive option for those who had the means but had never previously flown privately. Many ultra-high net worth individuals (UHNWI) quickly recognized the health, safety, time and productivity benefits business aviation offers.

It’s encouraging to read that some 95% of new entrants are continuing to fly privately, according to a study featured in Aviation International News. To support the long-term success of our sector, we need to build on this momentum to ensure all users of business aviation continue to have an exceptional experience. Here’s how.

Providing value

Our industry must promote the benefits of business aviation, which unlocks opportunity and drives economic growth by maximizing efficiency and connectivity.

During the pandemic, the ability to travel without boarding packed planes and waiting in crowded terminals was self-evident. This also provides peace of mind today, on top of the additional convenience and connectivity offered, which is particularly valuable when airlines are still frequently delayed.

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The importance of face-to-face meetings and the role of aviation as an engine of business growth was underlined by Ever Forward, 2023’s Pre-Owned Business Jet Market Forecast.

Our industry-leading market intelligence shows transaction values hit a record US$16.3B in 2022 – in part due to the resurgence of corporate aviation – with the corporate buyer roaring back to life following a dip during the pandemic. The share of our buyers from the corporate sector reached 60% in the last year, demonstrating the value businesses place on jet ownership to facilitate in-person meetings.

Nothing beats meeting face-to-face when it comes to finalizing major deals, with video conferencing only ever a temporary substitute. Whether it’s a company acquisition or a new product launch, face-to-face interactions offer the ability to read body language and build relationships, which create the foundations for success. Equally, the return of industry events, such as EBACE and NBAA, underlines t...

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At Jetcraft, our client base tends to be evenly split between Ultra High Net Worth Individuals (UHNWIs) and buyers of corporate fleets.

Naturally, during the pandemic, the level of activity from corporate buyers significantly tailed off, with many businesses establishing policies advising against travel.

The good news for our industry is that, with the world once again open for business, corporate travel is increasing, and companies are looking to renew their fleets as they restart their travel planning.

These are market developments that reflect our own optimistic outlook in our recent 5-Year Pre-Owned Business Jet Market Forecast.

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The only way to accurately assess the value of pre-owned aircraft is by having access to comprehensive data. Price fluctuations – whether the depths of the market when Covid hit, or the height of the 2008-2009 peak – make it difficult to judge value when compared to a single data point, so it’s necessary to have a long-term view.

The good news for prospective buyers is that when we take a more sophisticated approach and assess lasting trends, there is plenty of value to be found. For example, a five-year-old Gulfstream G550, which, while trading at a higher price than it was during the market lows of the pandemic, is still available at around 50-60% of its new price on the pre-owned market, which represents a healthy depreciation curve for buyers.

We’re now entering a period of market stability, so both buyers and sellers should be getting fair deals, with key barometers, such as fleet operator acquisitions, suggesting it’s unlikely there will be any significant drop in prices imminently.

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By Chad Anderson, President, Jetcraft

In private aviation, the decision to upgrade or replace an aircraft has traditionally required an owner to sell their asset to fund their purchase, a process that often takes months and involves considerable downtime on the ground. Trade-in transactions, on the other hand, provide a swift, and seamless alternative, where the broker or dealer accepts a client’s current aircraft in exchange for another. With a trade, the owner simultaneously transitions into ownership of their new aircraft, eliminating the risk of holding and selling their asset and avoiding a costly crossover period.

Reducing transaction time and complexity

A trade-in transaction essentially combines two events – the aircraft sale and purchase. There is only one contract, and an aircraft owner will deal with one invested partner for the trade, rather than two disconnected parties with bilateral interests. Importantly, the pre-buy inspections will also occur at the same ...

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Well, we did it. Together with our clients we navigated our way through a turbulent year for business aviation. We met some significant hurdles, with aircraft sales that all but halted during 2020’s second quarter. Despite the global shutdown in Q2, Jetcraft’s sales of private jets were consistent with previous year deal counts. As CJI London recently debated, the industry is likely to see a ‘vaccine bounce’ emerge in 2021, and, along with well-established Covid-19 testing programs already in place, signals a growing confidence and need to travel. This new year brings a fresh optimism, with vaccines now deploying, and increased market stability as we plot the path towards recovery.

On behalf of everyone at Jetcraft, we would like to thank all our clients, employees, partners, vendors, and friends for their continued support. Now, let’s look ahead to business aviation in 2021.

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This month we are releasing our 5-Year Pre-Owned Business Aviation Market Forecast. With the impact of Covid-19 touching many lives and industries, including our own, forecasting the future has certainly been more challenging against this backdrop. However, it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t attempt to do so.

This year, we are focusing our predictions solely on the pre-owned market, an area often excluded from other industry outlooks and which is a particular strength of ours. Moreover, for the first time, our forecast is enriched by the introduction of trends from our own past transactional data and customer insights.

In our previous forecasts, we did predict a downturn. Although it has taken place sooner than we thought, we were prepared and, as a result, are in a stronger position than 2008, the last big downturn for our industry.

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It’s easy to forget we haven’t always had technology at our fingertips. Over the past 20 years, digital innovations have revolutionized our social lives, work habits and learning abilities in a way we could never have imagined.

When mobile phones and the internet were first introduced, they were privileged items to have in your home. According to a census taken in the US, only 51% of households had a computer in the year 2000. Today, it’s hard to imagine a world without one. How else could we talk to family members who live in other countries, complete business deals in different time zones, or facilitate cross-border transactions?

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