SAFELY FLY AND BUY
PILATUS PC-12 MARKET OVERVIEW FOR JULY
Hey folks, Happy 4th of July!
This month our topic is aviation safety. We know that our clients and customers that receive The Pulse are counting on good quality market data and insights, sprinkled with a JetSwiss perspective. So, let’s dive in…
What is aviation safety really about?
From my perspective, a pilot and operator can know every stitch of FAA regulations, procedures, and rules–but, in reality, aviation safety comes down to four things:
• Good Habits
• Reliable Protocols
• Comprehensive Checklists
• Best Practices (decisions/common sense)
If you consistently excel in these four components, you’ll live to be an old aviator. Ask yourself: the last time you screwed up that instrument approach or didn’t land properly at an uncontrolled field, what was this a result of? The answer is a weakness in one of these four areas.
Now, let’s be honest—whether you are flying, or buying, there is risk involved in aviation.
So, how does aviation safety equate to buying, selling, and managing aircraft?
A simple answer—no surprise here—is the same four components!
Good Habits – Taking the time to regularly check up on and understand the market landscape, engage experts and assemble a team, ask questions, be patient, etc., are all good habits that serve buyers and sellers very well.
Reliable Protocols – Good habits combined with good procedures, create reliable protocols. This involves experience, discipline, and sometimes a little trial and error. After years of building up these aspects, congratulations, you’ve just given life to reliable protocols!
Comprehensive Checklists – Really, checklists involve aircraft certification, aircraft systems, a POH, and TIME to develop. At JetSwiss, we have over 20 checklists, and it feels like we add something to them with each project. With two decades of experience and meticulous consideration of every detail involved in buying and selling aircraft, we’ve developed these checklists.
Best Practices – This is a cumulation of it all! Where the instincts, habits, protocols, checklists— and, yes, ethics—all reside to create general “best practices” for the buying, selling, and managing of aircraft.
Let’s apply these principles to the current market. The availability of Pilatus aircraft has surged by 78% compared to last July. Whereas last year at this time there were only 59 Pilatus available, today there are 105 on the market. While there are more Pilatus aircraft to choose from, it doesn’t necessarily mean better options are available. When considering buying or flying, starting with these four components is essential. Identify any gaps and fill them with effective solutions. If you have all the answers, no need to call me. However, if you recognize what you don’t know, let JetSwiss assist you in your process. It might even enhance your aviation safety along the way.
Fly safe, The JetSwiss Team
MARKET CHANGES IN THE LAST 30 DAYS BY YEAR MODEL
NEW ENTRANTS TO MARKET
UNDER CONTRACT
SOLD FROM MARKET
1996, 2003, 2012, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2022 * , 2023
2001, 2001, 2009, 2011, 2017, 2021, 2021 1998, 2003, 2009, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2018 * , 2019, 2019, 2019
TIME ON MARKET
0-30 Days on Market
31-60 Days on Market
61-90 Days on Market
4-6 Months on Market
7-12 Months on Market
1-2 Years on Market
Asking Price By Total Hours
$8,000,000
$8.0M
$7,000,000
$7.0M
AIRCRAFT ASKING PRICE VS. TOTAL TIME
$6,000,000
$6.0M
$5,000,000
$5.0M
$4,000,000
$4.0M
$3,000,000
$3.0M
Similar to the Asking Price vs Model Year chart, this information helps our clients determine “the mileage on the car” for their specific budget. Want to own a low time aircraft? This chart will give you an indication on what you will spend. Note: aircraft under 1,000 hours total time historically yield much higher prices.
$2.0M
$2,000,000
$1.0M
$1,000,000
AIRCRAFT ASKING PRICE VS. MODEL YEAR
This chart reflects the current market for Pilatus PC-12 aircraft that are on the retail market. Want to know how much your Pilatus dollars will buy? This is a great place to start! As you can see, the aircraft model year plays a key factor in pricing of the aircraft–thus generates a commensurate trend curve. This data provides a baseline for our aircraft evaluations.
NUMBERS
This information helps our clients determine “the mileage on the car” for their specific budget. “Want to own a low time aircraft?” This chart will give you an indication on what you will spend. Note: aircraft under 1,000 hours total time historically yield much higher prices. AIRCRAFT ASKING
$15.0M
$13.0M
$11.0M
$9.0M
AIRCRAFT ASKING PRICE VS. MODEL YEAR
$7.0M
$7,000,000
$5.0M
$5,000,000
$3.0M
$1.0M
This chart reflects the current market for Pilatus PC-24 aircraft that are on the retail market. Want to know how much your Pilatus dollars will buy? This is a great place to start! As you can see, the aircraft model year plays a key factor in pricing of the aircraft–thus generates a commensurate trend curve. This data provides a baseline for our aircraft evaluations.
AVIATION SAFETY - TAKING FLIGHT
A CONVERSATION WITH DAVE SIZOO
Aviation safety, you say? Who better to discuss this critical topic than Dave Sizoo, a seasoned professional with experience in the Air Force, military testing, and currently the FAA?! We sat down with Dave as he offers a pilot’s perspective on advancements in aviation safety over the past few decades.
Q: What do you believe has moved the needle when it comes to aviation safety?
“Flight deck technology integration with glass cockpits have really moved the needle on safety—with all the OEM’s including Pilatus.”
Sizoo highlights the transition from traditional cockpits with round dials to integrated flight decks with glass cockpits. These displays consolidate information and present it intuitively, reducing pilot workload and improving situational awareness. Furthermore, modern flight deck design prioritizes human factors, ensuring information is presented clearly and efficiently.
Q: From your perspective, what are the most monumental changes the FAA has made to impact safety?
Sizoo points to two key initiatives. The first is the Commercial Aircraft Safety Team (CAST), a collaborative effort between the FAA and industry to address accidents in commercial airliners. “The goal was to really peel the onion back and understand what was causing a lot of accidents.” Through CAST, improvements were made in areas like terrain awareness and warning systems, pilot training, and loss of control prevention. The second initiative is the rewrite of Part 23 regulations for smaller aircraft, transitioning them to performance-based standards. This allows industry to develop innovative safety solutions while maintaining FAA oversight.
Q: Would you be able to shed a little light on your experience certifying the PC-24?
Without getting into specifics, Sizoo emphasizes his appreciation for manufacturers who prioritize safety beyond minimum requirements. “It makes our job easier because you know they’re not cutting corners. Safety is the bottom line.” This collaborative approach streamlines the certification process and ensures the highest safety standards
Q: What excites you most about the future of aviation safety?
Sizoo sees tremendous potential in automation and artificial intelligence (AI) to assist pilots. He highlights projects like emergency auto-land systems and AI-powered landing site selection during engine failure as examples. However, Sizoo emphasizes, “AI will never replace pilot judgment and situational awareness. The future lies in integrating technology to enhance pilot capabilities.”
There is tremendous enthusiasm for the emerging field of Urban Air Mobility (UAM). He believes this technology, incorporating lessons learned from traditional aviation safety advancements, has the potential to revolutionize transportation and save lives.
David Sizoo is an Air Force veteran, former Gulfstream test pilot, and test pilot and program manager for the FAA. The views expressed in this interview are those of Dave Sizoo and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
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