

PRE-OWNED PILATUS MARKET: MOTHER NATURE OF THE MARKET
PRE-OWNED PILATUS MARKET: MOTHER NATURE OF THE MARKET
Well folks, it’s May.
May is always an interesting month from my perspective. You get plenty of weather to deal with, things start to green up, I get to go golfing, enjoy friends’ graduations/ parties, family time, and (don’t forget!) Mother’s Day. These are the great things about May. And of course, there are probably some things that aren’t so great about May. Not to be a cynic, but I’ve always said that May means it “May” thunderstorm, it “May” hail, and we “May” have a tornado…Welcome to Kansas!
This month’s Pulse theme is “weather and flying.” As pilots and operators, May is the month we really show our skills. We are shooting instrument approaches and navigating thunderstorms and hail. I find myself watching frontal movement 3 to 5 days ahead of a flight, which is probably more than any other time of the year. I also know that there’s a strong chance my flights will be exposed to icing conditions, so I place a little more emphasis on running those check list items, and system checks prior to each flight.
So how does weather tie into the Pilatus market?
Like meteorologists, our team here at JetSwiss gathers a lot of data on a daily basis. Combined with other very specific information, we use it all to calculate a handful of predictive reports for our clients: Pilatus Value Ranking (PVR) system, Maintenance Projection Reports (MPR), and Aircraft Condition Evaluation (ACE). Some of you reading this have experienced these things firsthand. For those of you who have not, let’s just say that we find ourselves at JetSwiss being ‘meteorologists’ for the Pilatus market every day. And, like every good meteorologist, we are here to give you our “forecast.”
The market has been hanging around 80 aircraft for sale for PC-12s and around 15 aircraft for sale in the PC-24
market. On one of our most recent projects, we validated and experienced firsthand that there is a substantial disconnect between buyers and sellers right now. Sellers are still asking prices that might have been valid 18 months ago or more. Conversely, buyers, right or wrong, are not willing to pay these prices anymore and feel like it’s their turn to get a better deal. So, what is happening? Buyers send ‘low ball’ offers, and sellers shrug them off. This is briefly creating a stagnant market. The smart buyers understand the values and the smart sellers do as well. First party to check their ego in the coat closet wins! I’m from Nebraska and one of the famous sayings I always heard growing up was “you can lead a horse to water, but you can never make them drink!” Wanna guess what the state of the market is today? Yup, you guessed it — lots of stubborn horses.
Here’s some “meteorologist” data that we find is rather telling:
We break down the various market segments into different categories, coinciding with major changes in the PC-12 lineage. Sales data would suggest that in the trailing 6 months, on average the following segments are trading at “x” percent of their original sticker price.
Percentage of Original Sticker Value
1995-2000 /45’s: 95%
2001-2006 /45’s: 84.3%
2006-2008 /47’s: 117%
2008-2011 NG’s: 96.2%
2012-2015 NG’s: 96.3%
2016-2020 NG’s: 114.7%
2020-2023 NGX’s: 122.7%
If you pay close attention to the market, you likely get the sense of these statistics. However, it is very interesting to see it on paper. It’s no surprise that the /47’s lead the market in this category. They are a highly desirable batch of airplanes and owner/operators have always been willing to pay up for them. If you are still the original owner of a /47, you’re sitting on a Unicorn. The remaining categories which are outperforming their peers are on the two ends of the market. The entry point into the Pilatus market and the “like new” machines are still garnering incredible prices. Like we always say, do your homework, listen to your gut, and ask an expert for help. You’re journey for buying or selling will go much smoother and much faster with high rewards and low risk.
So go out and navigate the month of May–take some extra time to prepare for a flight. Please reach out with any questions, comments, or stories!
Fly safe, Bub
1996, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2007, 2007, 2009, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2021, 2021*, 2022, 2023
2001, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2020*, 2021*
2003, 2007, 2008, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2020*
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
$9,000,000
$8,000,000
$7,000,000
$6,000,000
$5,000,000
$4.0M
$4,000,000
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.
$3,000,000
$3.0M
$2,000,000
$2.0M
$1.0M
$1,000,000
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.
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 PRICE VS.
$15.0M
$13.0M
$11.0M
$9.0M
$7.0M
$15.0M
$13.0M
$11.0M
$9.0M
$7.0M
$5.0M
$3.0M
$1.0M
AIRCRAFT ASKING PRICE VS. MODEL YEAR
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.
It goes without saying that spring weather can be unpredictable, and it’s especially important to be prepared for the possibility of Mother Nature’s surprises when flying a PC-12. We talked with Chris Carmody, seasoned PC-12 Pilot, as well as Scott Allen, air traffic controller, to put together some tips to help you fly safely this spring:
Look at the Big Picture.
Before you take off, look at the forecast and convective SIGMETs for your route. You can also use prog charts to see the bigger picture of the weather system. Spring is known for thunderstorms and hail, so it’s important to be prepared to go around bad weather or wait it out on the ground.
When in doubt, wait it out.
The weather can change quickly in the spring, so there’s no point in stressing about the forecast a week ahead of your trip.
It’s best to wait 24 hours before takeoff to start truly putting together a plan to address the weather. Spring storms can be spectacular, but they can also be dangerous. Don’t try to fly through a major storm. It’s always best to err on the side of caution. Wait it out.
Get On Top of It. Get Out Early, Don’t Fly Late.
In the springtime, with the possibility of thunderstorms and hail, it’s best to fly higher to avoid the worst of the weather. Carmody says, “This time of year in the PC-12, I get on top of it. The worse the weather, the higher I go.” Get going before the earth’s surface has time to heat up, providing the perfect ingredients for dangerous weather. And if possible, try to avoid flying at night during the spring. It can be more difficult to see developing storms in the dark.
Don’t Assume.
Once you’re airborne, keep a constant eye on satellite and radar to check the weather ahead of you, as things may have changed in flight. Though ATC will alert you of any precipitation, keep an eye on developing thunderstorms and make course corrections as needed. Additionally, XM weather can be overly dramatic, so don’t panic if it shows a major storm on your route. There are usually ways to fly around the storm or through less severe areas.
Ask for deviation clearance sooner rather than later.
“The earlier the better,” says Allen. Get ahead of the traffic. If you’re flying toward a thunderstorm, ask for a deviation clearance as soon as you can so that controllers have the ability to plan ahead.
PIREPs encouraged!
Feel free to give ATC any pilot reports (PIREPs) of anything that’s not typical—such as any level of icing, or potential for icing. Even though the PC-12 has deicing, other aircraft may not. Also, let ATC know if you are experiencing moderate chop or greater.
If you’re flying IFR, make sure you are proficient, not just current.
While this is more of an issue with inexperienced smaller aircraft pilots, it’s important that you are comfortable flying IFR. Allen recommends, “If weather is lower than personal minimums, consider delaying flight, or flying into a different airport.”
May Means “It MAY Hail”
Hail is one of - if not THE - most potential for damage to your aircraft. That means being extra cautious of weather while flying AND time during ramp parking.
By following these tips, you can help to ensure a safe and enjoyable flight in your PC-12 this spring. Feel free to reach out to one of our pilots here at JetSwiss before making any decisions about flying in bad weather.
More about our contributors:
Chris Carmody is a PC-12 pilot and flight instructor at 3-Green Aviation, LLC.
Scott Allen is an air traffic controller at Kansas City Center. His opinions are his own and not that of the FAA.
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