Aero Asset’s 2021 Annual Heli Market Trends report, released at HAI Heli-Expo in Dallas, reveals a 25 percent increase in retail sale volume year over year and a strong decline in supply and absorption rate.
“In line with a very positive 2021 market performance, the number of twin engine helicopters on the market at the end of Q4 2021 shrunk by 26 percent compared to the same period a year earlier,” said Aero Asset VP of market research Valerie Pereira. “At the same time, the deal pipeline has dried up, with a 40 percent decline to 17 units in the fourth quarter. However, the pipeline remained relatively stable over the last three quarters of the year.”
Supply Shrinking
The supply of preowned twin helicopters decreased in all asset weight classes through 2021. Light and Medium twin engine retail sales volume increased nearly 40 percent year over year, while Heavy retail sales declined by half over the same period.
The absorption rate, or the amount of supply at current trade volume, was at one year at the end of Q4 2021, a decline of eight months year over year, and its lowest point in three years.
North American and European sales accounted for nearly 70 percent of total transactions in 2021, while North America saw its transaction volume increase by 65 percent year over year. The sales volume of VIP configurations rose 20 percent year over year and utility helicopter sales rose 40 percent.
Airbus EC/H145; the Best Performing Market
For the third consecutive year, the best performing preowned twin engine helicopter market was the Airbus EC/H145. It was followed by the Bell 429 and the Leonardo A109S/SP. The worst performing preowned twin market was the Airbus EC/H225, with a 50 percent drop in sales volume year over year.
For the full publicly released 2021 Heli Market Trends report go to https://www.aeroasset.com/report. This quarter you can also find a conversation with David Urban, who has spent the past 28 years in the freight forwarding business. His company, Direct Helicopter International Ltd., specializes in shipping helicopters around the world.
This press release was prepared and distributed by Aero Asset.
